The Greatest
Breastfeeding Discovery
During the first days
following the birth of your baby, your breasts begin producing
colostrum, although your body began making it long before that -
between three and four months of pregnancy. Colostrum doesn't have
many calories, but it has the right amount of protein and other
nutrients your baby needs in the first few days after birth.
During those first days after birth, you may worry that your breast
fed baby may dry up and blow away from lack of nutrition, but what
colostrum lacks in volume it makes up for in power. It is exactly
what your baby needs for it's first milk. It is full of antibodies
and immunoglobulins, which not only help protect your baby as it
comes into this world of bacteria and viruses, but it also has a
laxative effect that helps baby pass the tarry first stool called
meconium.
It is a common misconception that when the baby nurses in the first
day or two, that he gets nothing. Luckily this is not true. It is
however, difficult to convince some mothers of the need to nurse
early and often when they believe that their "milk has not come in."
In addition some cultures hold the belief that colostrum is "bad"
milk and will not breastfeed until the mother's mature milk is in.
Many women have to be engorged before they will believe that there
is any milk for the baby. Likewise, if the mother is no longer
engorged, she may falsely believe that her milk is gone.
Expressing a drop or two of colostrum for the mother will give her a
strong visual cue that her breasts are not empty. The mother
produces small amounts of colostrum in the first 24 hours; ranging
from 7 ml to 123 ml. The newborn takes 7-14 ml per feeding (Riordan
and Auerbach, 124).
A gradual increase occurs during the first day and a half followed
by a dramatic increase in milk output by the second day that
continues through day four. At 5 days postpartum milk production is
approximately 500 ml/24 hours. This is evidence that mother nature
intended the infant's gastrointestinal tract to start up slowly
after birth.
**As a result of observing that immigrant Bengali women in a London
maternity ward failed to initiate breast feeding for a few days
after birth, the author of this article decided to study this
phenomenon. A review of the literature revealed that prelacteal
feeds are common in the Indian subcontinent and in Egypt.
**Most UK studies of breast-feeding practices of Asian immigrants
focus on the decline in breast-feeding prevalence. No research was
found that directly investigates attitudes and beliefs about
colostrum.
**The current study sought to determine what Bengali women believe
about colostrum, why colostrum is omitted from early feeding, the
duration of this omission, and what influences this belief and
behavior.
**Data were gathered from 60 first-generation immigrants (58
non-English speaking), including 48 who had previously given birth
in Bangladesh. Only two of the women surveyed knew that colostrum
had helpful attributes. Others felt that it would either provide no
benefit to their baby or would actually harm the infant.
by Farrell Seah
For more info on Bovine Colostrum, Visit :
http://www.BuyBovineColostrum.com
We have an extensive
range of articles in our
articles index page. Why not browse, you will find
many articles on health, sexual problems, relationships
and other interesting topics. These articles are highly
informative and educational.
Looking to spice up
your love life.
http://www.perfectlysensual.com
