Infant Feeding Flashcards
Is the prevalence of breast feeding increasing or decreasing?
Decreasing
What things are found in human milk that is not found in formula?
What is colostrum?
Colostrum = first form of milk produced by mammary glands immediately following delivery of new-born
What are some special features of colostrum compared to formula?
- Protective factors
- Concentrated nutrition
- Strong anti-inflammatory factors
- Stimulates gut growth
- Laxative effect
Not breast feeding increases the risks of what in the baby?
- Gastroenteritis
- Respiratory infections
- Allergies
- Obesity
- Type 1 and 2 diabetes
Not breast feeding increases the risk of what in the mothers?
- Breast cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Hip fractures
- Heart disease
What is a consequence of a baby being born by caesarean section in terms of the their microbiome?
Babies pick up their microbiome as they pass through the vagina at birth and through their mothers milk:
- If baby is born by caesarean section they miss out on vaginal transfer of microbes, so prolonged skin to skin contact during breast feeding
Each breast feed updates baby’s immune system
What is epigenetics?
Epigenetics = study of heritable phenotype changes that do not involved alterations in the DNA sequence
Breastfeeding may result in epigenetic changes which impact?
- Brain development
- Baby’s immune system
- Baby’s metabolic system
What legislation protects breastfeeding?
The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes provides legislation that protects breastfeeding
What are some things parents using formula milk should know?
- 1st milks for first year – no need for follow on
- All brands are similar
- Information on preparing and sterilising
- Cow’s milk from one year
- Responsive bottle feeding
What are the stages of lactation?
- Lactogenesis 1
- Breast development and colostrum production from about 16 weeks gestation
- Lactogenesis 2
- Onset of copious milk secretion occurring between 32 and 96 hours after birth
- Lactogenesis 3
- Maintenance of milk production
How do levels of oestrogen, progesterone, prolactin and oxytocin change after birth?
Oestrogen and progesterone - decreases
Prolacting and oxytocin - increases
What do levels of prolactin and oxytocin increase in response to?
Touch, smell and sight of the baby
What does prolactin act on?
Lactocytes
What is prolactin and oxytocin responsible for?
What do they act on?
When are levels higher?
Describe the feedback inhibition of lactation?
- Circulating prolactin controls milk production
- Volumes can be irregular causing full breasts and leaking at some points
- As breasts become full either through ineffective milk removal or long spacing of feeds a whey protein in the milk called FIL slows down synthesis by signalling the cells to stop production
- Down regulation also caused by pressure within full breast flattening the cells and the receptor sites, making it difficult for prolactin to attach to and enter the cell
What are the effects of oxytocin?
Known as the love hormone, effects:
- Works on our feelings and emotions
- Lowers blood pressure and improves sleep
- Reduces stress levels by ‘taking on cortisol’
- Reduces pain sensitivity
- Boosts our immune system
What is the ‘baby friendly standard’ in regards to skin to skin contact?
- All mothers have skin to skin contact with baby after birth, at least until after the first feed
- Encourages to offer the first feed in skin contact when the baby shows signs of readiness to feed
- If unable to have skin contact after birth, do so as soon as possible – whenever or wherever that may be
Why is skin contact with the newborn important?
- Triggers lactation and mothering hormones
- Regulates temperature, heart rate and breathing in baby
- Colonises baby with microbes from mother, father and environment
- Stimulates feeding behaviour
- Reduces stress hormones in mother and baby
Describe the stages immediately after birth?
How does seperation of the mother and baby impact the baby?
Causes stress
