Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
INTRODUCTION:
There is no other better time than this week to bust the myths of breastfeeding because to promote breastfeeding and its many benefits for the mother and child, the WHO celebrates the week between 1 and 7 August every year as the World Breastfeeding Week. The theme for 2020 is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”. This annual celebration of World Breastfeeding Week is an opportunity to communicate the importance of breastfeeding and advocate for the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding.
Over 820 000 children's lives could be saved every year among children under 5 years if all children 0–23 months were optimally breastfed. Breastfeeding improves IQ, school attendance, and is associated with higher income in adult life. [5] Undernutrition is estimated to be associated with 2.7 million child deaths annually or 45% of all child deaths. Infant and young child feeding is a key area to improve child survival and promote healthy growth and development. The first 2 years of a child’s life are particularly important, as optimal nutrition during this period lowers morbidity and mortality, reduces the risk of chronic disease, and fosters better development overall. Optimal breastfeeding is so critical that it could save the lives of over 820 000 children under the age of 5 years each year [6].
WHO and UNICEF recommend:
Early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life - meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.
Infants should be breastfed on demand – that is as often as the child wants, day and night. No bottles, teats or pacifiers should be used.
From the age of 6 months, children should begin eating safe and adequate complementary foods while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years and beyond [1].
Appropriate infant and young child feeding practices constitute a critical determinant of child growth and development. In India, these practices are strongly influenced by tradition, myths, and beliefs [2]. The pattern of feeding during the first two years of life is increasingly recognized as an important determinant of malnutrition. In developing countries, the critical period when growth faltering occurs has been shown is to be around 6 months to 2 years. This period of progressive increase in undernutrition coincides with feeding inadequate breast milk to meet the child's nutritional needs as well as the inadequate and inappropriate introduction of semi-solid foods [4]. Breast milk is also called life fluid for the baby. Breast-fed children have at least six times greater chance of survival in the early months than non-breast children. The benefits of breastfeeding depend upon the initiation of breastfeeding, its duration, and the age at which the child is weaned.
The breast milk provides up to half or more of the child’s nutritional needs during 6-12months and up to one-third energy needs during 12-24 months. Colostrum is the first immunization of infants [3]. Breast milk is the ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; breastfeeding is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers.
Lactation is a differential characteristic of mammals and both the synthesis and secretion of milk are complex biochemical and neuroendocrine processes that involve the sensitive terminals of the areole and the nipple and are under hormonal control. Thus, lactation is the direct and natural result of pregnancy and birth, as an integral part of the reproductive process that benefits both mother and child simultaneously.[8] The interaction of all of these factors will culminate with the production of milk and will definitely cause changes in the maternal organism by also favoring good physical and emotional health conditions for the nursing mother extending into her future life.[9] [10]
BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING
To children
· Early initiation of breastfeeding, within 1 hour of birth, protects the newborn from acquiring infections, and reduces newborn mortality.
· Children and adolescents who were breastfed as babies are less likely to be overweight or obese.
· They perform better on intelligence tests and have higher school attendance.
· less prone to diabetes later in life [6].
· It also plays a role in the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
· Breast milk contains antibodies and other substances which defend against disease, especially those linked to poor food hygiene and inadequate water and sanitation [11].
To Mothers
Immediate:
· Uterine involution
· Reduced bleeding
· Reduced infection
· Lactational amenorrhea
· Reduced adiposity and weight
· Reduced postpartum depression
· Reduced stress and anxiety
· Improved body image
Long term
· Reduced cancer (breast, ovarian, endometrium)
· Reduced chances of endometriosis, diabetes, osteoporosis, blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis [12].
Lactation plays an important role in maternal recovery from pregnancy and can determine multiple aspects of maternal health in later life [7] Therefore, informing pregnant women of the maternal health effects of lactation would strengthen their intentions to breastfeed.
WHO not only highly recommends to continue frequent, on-demand breastfeeding until 2 years of age or beyond but also to start complementary foods at 6 months with small amounts of food and increase gradually as the child gets older, gradually increase food consistency and variety; increase the number of times that the child is fed: 2–3 meals per day for infants 6–8 months of age and 3–4 meals per day for infants 9–23 months of age, with 1–2 additional snacks as required [6].
REFERENCES:
1. WHO Recommendations on breastfeeding. Available at https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding#tab=tab_2
2. MYTHS AND BELIEFS SURROUNDING COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING PRACTICES OF INFANTS IN INDIA Vandana Sabharwal.
3. A Review Article: Myths, Beliefs, and Malpractices Relating to Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding Practices Uzma Eram Assistant professor in the Department of Community Medicine, J.N.M.C.H, A.M.U., Aligarh.
4. WHO Infant and Young Child Feeding. A Tool for Assessing National Practice, Policies, and Program. Geneva. 2003.
5. The Lancet Breastfeeding Series papers www.thelancet.com/series/breastfeeding
6. WHO Fact sheets Infant and young child feeding. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infant-and-young-child-feeding.
7. Pérez-Escamilla R, Sellen D. Equity in breastfeeding: where do we go from here?. J Hum Lact 2015; 31 (01) 12-14 . Doi: 10.1177/0890334414561062
8. Kent G. Child feeding and human rights. Int Breastfeed J 2006; 1: 27 . Doi: 10.1186/1746-4358-1-27.
9. Mezzacappa ES, Guethlein W, Katkin ES. Breastfeeding and maternal health in online mothers. Ann Behav Med 2002; 24 (04) 299-309 . Doi: 10.1207/S15324796ABM2404_06
10.Bosch OJ. Maternal nurturing is dependent on her innate anxiety: the behavioral roles of brain oxytocin and vasopressin. Horm Behav 2011; 59 (02) 202-212 . Doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.
11. Breastfeeding is the best feeding. W Cutting PMID: 12288575
12.Breastfeeding and the Benefits of Lactation for Women’s health. PMID: 29980160. Epub 2018 Jul 6.Luiz Antonio Del Ciampo, Ieda Regina Lopes Del Ciampo.
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