Educational material for mothers distributed by healthcare professionals only. Breast is Best. Amazing Facts

Transcription

1 Educational material for mothers distributed by healthcare professionals only Breast is Best Amazing Facts

2 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT BREAST MILK We all know that nothing compares to breast milk and its goodness. It has always been and always will be the best nutrition for your baby. And researchers keep on discovering new and more amazing facts about it. Tailor made by you for your baby There s no such thing as standard breast milk composition. Every mother produces her own unique milk. It is her diet that will improve the quantity of nutrients, like vitamin A, vitamin D, B- complex vitamins, iodine, essential fatty acids, ARA and DHA in breast milk. and it keeps on adapting to the baby Breast milk is not a set menu either. It evolves over the course of lactation and even during a single feed, to cater best for your baby s needs. it changes over the course of lactation The most important changes are observed in the first weeks after birth. The milk changes its composition to meet the evolving nutrient needs of growing infants: Colostrum (first 5 days after birth) is a special yellow secretion produced in small quantities by the mammary gland before the actual start of lactation. It is low in fat and high in proteins. Due to its high content in immune factors, it is also called immune milk.

3 Transitional milk (6 to 14 days after birth) is, as the name indicates, a transitional stage. The nutrient composition gradually becomes more like that of mature milk and the quantity of milk increases. Mature milk (around two weeks after birth) contains less than half the protein contained in colostrum and more fat. Your breast milk s protein content evolves from the first day of milk production throughout lactation. it changes during a single feed at the beginning of a breastfeeding session, the foremilk is watery. During the feed, the fat and energy content slowly increase and reach their peak at the end of the meal. KEY HEALTH BENEFITS OF BREAST MILK Your breast milk provides all the nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop normally. It also supports the development of your baby s immune system, offers immune protection and helps to support healthy growth. Helps to build up your baby s immune system Bifidogenic factors like oligosaccharides and nucleotides help proliferate good bacteria, thus supporting the development of a healthy immune system. Enhances your baby immune protection Other immune factors present in breast milk, amongst which antibodies can protect the infant against a wide array of infections. Protects long term health Breast milk: Reduces the risk of gastrointestinal infections, acute ear infections, and severe lower respiratory tract infections Reduces the risk of asthma and atopic eczema in infants with a heredity risk of allergy Lowers risk of becoming overweight and/or obese in childhood and adolescence Lowers risk of diabetes Helps in better cognitive development

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5 EDUCATING YOUR BABY S TASTE Last but not least, breastfeeding can also help you train your baby s taste. What you eat flavours your breast milk. So breastfeeding is a natural continuation of a gentle education to flavours one that started as early as the 12 th week of pregnancy. With all these amazing facts, it s no wonder why breast milk is and will always be considered the gold standard of infant nutrition. It s simply incredible! If you have the chance to breastfeed and you keep a healthy, balanced diet, your baby will enjoy your milk as his sole source of food for the first 6 months of life. It will provide him with all the best nutrients he needs for normal growth and development. And after the age of 6 months, complementary foods, necessary to cover all his nutrient and energy needs for growth and development, can be introduced.

6 IMPORTANT NOTICE The World Health Organisation (WHO)* has recommended that pregnant women and new mothers be informed of the benefits and superiority of breastfeeding, in particular the fact that it provides the best nutrition and protection from illness for babies. Mothers should be given guidance on the preparation for, and maintenance of, lactation, with special emphasis on the importance of a well-balanced diet, both during pregnancy and after delivery. Unnecessary introduction of partial bottle-feeding or other foods and drinks should be discouraged since it will have a negative effect on breastfeeding. Similarly, mothers should be warned of the difficulty of reversing a decision not to breastfeed. Before advising a mother to use an infant formula, she should be advised of the social and financial implications of her decision; for example, if a baby is exclusively bottle-fed, more than one can (400g) per week will be needed, so the family circumstances and costs should be kept in mind. Mothers should be reminded that breastmilk is not only the best milk, but the most economical food for babies. If a decision to use an infant formula is taken, it is important to give instruction on correct preparation methods, emphasising that unboiled water, unboiled bottles or incorrect dilution can all lead to illness. *See International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Adopted by the World Health Assembly in Resolution WHA 34.22, May 1981 Facts for Life. 4th Edition (2010). Breastfeeding. Produced by UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNDP, UNAIDS, WFP and the World Bank. Breastfeeding your baby Patient Educational Pamphlet. Developed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists education/bp029.cfm THE MEDICAL & SURGICAL CENTRE LTD HEAD OFFICE: Georges Guibert Street, Floréal 74111, Mauritius Tel: (230) Fax: (230) (Administration) / (230) (Medical) FCD NORTH: Office C, C0 05A & C2 204, La Croisette Mall, Grand Bay, Mauritius Tel: (230) Fax: (230) clinique@cliniquedarne.com /7 Emergency and Ambulance Services: Dial 118