Breastfeeding

Question 1

Benefits of breastfeeding

Answer 1

• Most effective way to ensure child health and survival
• Ideal food for infants (safe, clean, antibodies - protect against common illnesses)
• Provides all energy and nutrients needed:
  first months of life - all
  second half 1st yr- 1/2
  2nd yr- 1/3
• Better intelligence
• Less likely to be obese/overweight
• Less prone to diabetes
• Mothers have less risk of breast and ovarian cancer, also recover from child birth faster.

Question 2

How many infants under 6 months old breast feed

Answer 2

Less than half
15% at 5 months

Question 3

How long should infants be exclusively breastfed for

Answer 3

6 months
Solids can be introduced at 6 months whilst breastfeeding
Should be continued until 12 months or as long as desired

Question 4

What is lactation

Answer 4

lactation- process where milk is made and ejected from mammary glands
Begins when infant suckles on breast

Question 5

How does breastfeeding occur (hormones)

Answer 5

• Progesterone inhibits milk production whilst pregnant.
• Prolactin is stimulated by suckling and results in milk production.
• Oxytocin causes milk ejection/let down.
• High cortisol can delay milk production, low levels improve quality.

Question 6

Breast milk composition

Answer 6

Dynamic fluid that changes composition over course of lactation.
Varies between feeds, mothers, term, and pre-term infants.
Has its own microbial community, support gut microbiome (oligosaccharides).

At start, mothers make colostrum (small amount that has protective immune factors and developmental factors.
day 3 post birth- milk comes in, increased production to support changing needs