breastfeeding function Flashcards
how does breastfeeding work
Human breast-milk
* Water (90%), Fat (4%), protein (1%), lactose (7%)
* Immunological; antibodies, vitamins, minerals
* Optimises survival- infants first defence
* Food readily available
* Food brought to child
* Risk of predators reduced because no foraging
Prolactin stimulates the cells to produce milk
Oxytocin makes the muscle contract to make the milk flow
Baby suckles
* Sensory impulses pass from the nipple to the brain
* Anterior part of the pituitary gland secretes prolactin
* Posterior part of the pituitary gland secretes oxytocin
* Oxytocin enables stored milk to flow for THIS feed
* Prolactin makes the breast produce milk for NEXT feed
The ‘let down’- milk is ‘let down’ oxytocin is released and then milk is released.
skin on skin contact encourages this process
as it is all hormonal and oxtocin is the love hormone, issues with oxytocin (depression and anxiety) can affect breastfeeding
what are the stages to breastfeeding
The first feed
* Post birth
* 6 minutes - eyes open
* 20 minutes - rooting behaviour guided by
olfactory cues
* 80 minutes - suckling begins (lasts about 10
minutes)
* Infants suckle between 8 - 12 times over a 24 hour
period.
* Feeds can last 20-40 minutes.
* Irregular schedule- this is different to formula feeding
bottle feeding can be difficult for a baby as it is not the same mechanism- for breast feeding the baby has fat pads and large tongues and the jaw moves up and down to release the milk. bottles are not like this and therefore babies can struggle
stages of milk
Colostrum:
* First 3-4 days
* High concentration of immune factors
Mature milk:
* Antibodies decrease, volume increases
* Still offer immunological protection
* Foremilk and hindmilk at each feed
* Not affected by mother’s diet, BMI, size of breasts etc.
* Can be affected by very low caloric intake
babies stomaches can be full of amniotic fluid therefore breastmilk is needed to clear this. Babies gut also has holes which breastmilk creates a layer to stop infetions
babies stop when the breast is done, and need to move on to the ohter breast, baby tells you when, baby also tells you when they are full. switch breast when feed of one breast is done. if switch is done too early the baby may not get the foremilk (fatty milk) which can affect development- knowing when to switch breast has been proven a challenge as it is all based on babies cues
What’s so good about breast milk?
* Breast milk is nutritionally superior
* Formula can only imitate breast milk if:
* Substances are identifiable
* The technology exists to synthesis them
* It is economic to synthesis
them
more on why breastmilk is good
At birth, infant’s gut is full of holes
* Takes many weeks to mature and close
* Breast milk coats the gut and provides protection
* Open junctions and immaturity play a role in gut-related diseases and allergies.
* Formula and breast-fed babies have different gut flora.
* Introduction of formula changes gut flora of BF baby to
that of FF baby
* Jost et al. (2013) – Good bacteria may be transferred
from mother’s gut to that of the infant via breast milk.
this is why formula fed babies can get ill
bottles can harbour bacteria
