It's called Nature's own power food for infants. Sadly, some don't get to utilise its benefits due to ignorance and mis-information. Add to it the growing number of working moms and the lack of time to feed children. Doctors are unanimous this has to change. “We must recommend and ensure that kids are exclusively breastfed for the first six months,” says Angeline Prema, consultant paediatrician. “We must reject pre-lacteal foods and make sure that kids are fed during the golden period — half an hour after birth — even if the mother has undergone a Caesarean section,” she adds.
Obstetrician and gynaecologist Gita Arjun, director, E.V. Kalyani Medical Centre, Chennai, says breast milk is perfectly formulated by Nature to provide the newborn with the correct balance of nutrients and immunity-producing substances. “Other foods can be introduced slowly after six months, if the mother has to get back to work,” she adds.
Though doctors are unanimous about the benefits of breastfeeding, getting people to understand and accept that is a huge problem, rues Dr. Prema. “Medical and para-medical staff must work in tandem to ensure WHO guidelines are met. The temptation to feed the baby something other than mother's milk must go. Show me one other mammal that looks for an alternative milk source for its little ones?” As for the common excuse that “there's not enough milk”, all Dr. Prema says is that when the baby and mother are together 24 hours a day, it automatically promotes lactation.
Busting myths
Among the many myths that Nandhini Kumaran, consultant paediatrician and president, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, Coimbatore chapter, regularly gets to hear relate to the mother's diet. “She's mostly starved of protein (dals) and iron (greens). Where will the nourishment come from? Instead, she is forced to drink a litre or more of milk. Not only is it unnecessary, it also leads to digestion-related problems,” she says.
So, what do working moms do? “Encourage them to express their milk. And, advise the family to avoid feeding the child with a bottle. It leads to what we call ‘Nipple Confusion Phenomenon'. An infant has to make an effort when it feeds from the mother; the bottle is far easier to handle. And so, it slowly opts for the latter. Since the very trigger for lactation-promoting hormones is the baby's suckling, the milk flow reduces…,” explains Dr. Nandhini.
Says Dr. Gita: “Mothers are sometimes not given root vegetables such as potatoes and prohibited certain dals because it might affect the baby. This is not true. Babies get colic; it is not to be blamed on what you eat.”
And, does eating garlic increase the production of milk? “This is an old wives' tale which may originate from the fact that garlic permeates all bodily secretions including milk. Does this make the baby suckle more is a moot question,” she says. But, it does not mean women need be forced to eat large quantities of garlic!
Besides the infant's well-being, there are other advantages to breastfeeding, such as losing weight and reducing the chances of malignancy or cysts in the breast, says obstetrician and gynaecologist Asha Rao of Rao Hospital. “And, there's no better way of bonding with the child. What else can give you the sense of achievement of nourishing a life you've brought into the world?” she asks.
Dr. Gita says that once a feeding pattern is established (five feeds during the day and about three feeds during the night), “a mother will use up about 300 to 500 calories per day in order to breastfeed.” That's about an hour-and-a-half in the gym!
But, to derive the benefits of such calorie-loss, families should avoid forcing the mother to eat more than she should. “If a normal balanced diet of about 1,800 calories is consumed and exercise kept up, a mother should lose weight during the lactational period. But, in urban India, this is the time when women gain weight. So, new mothers should eat a balanced diet, avoid fats and sweets and join a postnatal exercise class.”
But, if a mother has to do all this and more, what she needs is an understanding support system, says Dr. Prema. “Also, stop treating a lactating mother as if she is unwell. Pregnancy and childbirth are not diseases; they are natural processes. Treat them like that.”
Be aware
The Rotary Club Of Coimbatore East, in association with Sree Abirami Hospitals, Sundarapuram, conducts a breastfeeding awareness camp till August 7.
An exhibition has been organised at the hospital. During the course of the week, mothers were shown a video presentation on the topic and how breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and child.
There was an interactive session too, where doubts were answered. Mothers were briefed about their diet and why breastfeeding is a must.
Today, at 6 p.m. orator Suki Sivam will speak on the topic “Thaimayin Aruvi” at Hemambigai Kalyana Mandapam, Eachanari.
For details, call 98430-59659.
The Hindu is the media partner for the event.
