infant feeding Flashcards
how long does WHO recommend you breastfeed for
exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life then continued alongside solid foods for the first 2 years+
when should solid foods to added to an infants diet
from 6 months+
what is colostrum
the first initial breastmilk. It is rich in antibodies and white blood cells
how long does the transition from colostrum to mature milk take
3-14 days
how long does it take for the mother to produce the full volume of milk
by 2-4 weeks
how does breastmilk adjust to the baby
all nutrients are specific to the babies needs.
- fat and protein levels adjust as baby grows
- flavour of milk also varies due to maternal diet
how are breastmilk substitutes produced
made from cows milk and modified by:
- reducing fat/protein levels
- adding sugers/oils/minerals/vitamins
- bovine proteins added
what are the cons of breastmilk substitutes
- eventhough it has the main nutrients in the correct proportions, its not the same as breastmilk
- bovine proteins inside can cause chronic inflammation in infants bowel
- no living components and no variety in flavour
- not environmentally friendly
- not sterile in powder format
what are the benefits of breast feeding
- good for infants nutrition and health
- optimises microbiome
- benefits maternal mental health
- helps develop infant drain development and IQ
- environmentally friendly and sustainable
what do artificially fed babies have an increased risk of
- GI infections
- respiratory infections
- ear infections
- UTI’S
- necrotising enterocolitis & late onset sepsis
- type 1 and 2 diabetes
- obesity
- sudden infant death
- dental malocclusions
what can affect an infants microbiome
- maternal stress
- air pollution
- cesarean/ natural delivery
- formula/ breastfeeding
- heavy metals and food additives
how does breastfeeding help infant brain development
- breastmilk provides optimal nutrition for brain growth
- act of being held close with skin to skin contact raises infant oxytocin which stimulates neural connections & growth which helps brain development
how does breastfeeding benefit the mother
- prevents breast cancer
- improves birth spacing
- reduces risks of diabetes and ovarian cancer
- protective against post-natal depression
what are some of the rules around marketing breastfeeding substitutes
- no advertising substitutes to parents of babies up to 1 year
- no free samples of infant formula
- no promotion through healthcare facilities (e.g no posters)
- no implication that formula is better than breastfeeding
name some neonatal reflexes
- rooting (touch the babies mouth and it’ll open its mouth)
- sucking
- swallowing
- cough and gag
- tongue protrusion
- different head movements e.g lifting, bobbing
- arm cycling
- placing reflex
what is the role of the glandular tissue in breasts
- produce milk. cells arranged in clusters (alveoli) and they have ducts which transfer milk to the nipple
what are the 3 stages of lactation
- lactogenesis 1 : development of breasts during pregnancy and secretion of colostrum after birth
- lactogenesis 2 : copious milk production (36-96 hrs after birth). transition to mature milk begins
- lactogenesis 3 : transition from mature milk to maintenance milk
what is the role of prolactin in breastfeeding
baby suckling stimulates prolactin which stimulates lactocytes to produce more milk
what is the role of oxytocin in breastfeeding
oxytocin released due to baby suckling, helps effective milk transfer by propeling milk from the alveoli to the nipple
how can a women aid breastmilk production
- by expressing her milk and emptying her breasts.
frequent and effective sucking empites the breast milk which causes more mil to be produced. So emptying breasts helps to maintain milk production
what is baby- led weaning
introducing solid food when the baby can sit up, co-ordinate food to mouth, chew and swallow
what is the advice about giving infants probiotics/prebiotics
not enough evidence to recommend them for feeds
do feeding bottles have to meet a standard
yes, feeding bottles must meet UK standard
what OTC medication can be used to treat morning sickness
none. There is no OTC medication suitable to treat morning sickness
