BREAST FEEDING

• According to the WHO Breastfeeding is the

normal way of providing young infants with the
nutrients they need for healthy growth and
development.
 The mother’s milk
• 1. Always available.
• 2. Proper temperature.
• 3. Clean & Fresh.
• 4. Free of contaminating agents.
 Exclusive breastfeeding
• Infant receives only breast milk. No other liquids or solids are given
not even water with the exception of oral rehydration solution, or
drops/syrups of vitamins, minerals or medicines.
• Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life
to achieve optimal growth, development and health.
• Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants
should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary
foods, while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or
beyond.
• Mother and infant should sleep in proximity to each other to
facilitate breastfeeding .
• Initiation of breastfeeding should be encouraged as soon as
possible after the birth, ideally within 1 hour.
• Ensure 8 to 12 feedings every 24 h till 2 – 3 months then 6 feeding
till 6 months then 5 feeding till one year.
 Advantages of Breast Feeding
• To the infant:
• 1. Meets the full nutritional requirement of
infant.
• 2. Less incidence of allergy & intolerance.
• 3. Contains antimicrobials factors against
various diseases.
 Advantages of Breast Feeding
• To mother
1. Increase postpartum weight loss
2. Prolong lactational amenorrhea
3. Decrease visceral adiposity
4. Reduce type 2 diabetes risk
5. Reduce cardiovascular risk
6. Reduce breast cancer risk
7. Reduce ovarian cancer risk
 Composition of breast milk vs cows
milk
• Carbohydrate: Human milk 7% Cows milk 4.5%
lactose
• Fat : mother’s milk is rich in poly unsaturated
fatty acid
• Minerals: Cows milk contains more of all the
minerals (sodium, calcium and phosphate)
except iron and copper.
• Vitamins Cows milk is low in vitamin C and D
but more thiamine and riboflavin.
 MILK PRODUCTION AND SECRETION
• Milk is produced as a result of the interaction
between hormones and reflexes.
• During pregnancy, the glandular tissue is
stimulated to produce milk due to various
hormonal influences.
• Two reflexes, mediated by two different
hormones, come into play during lactation.
 Prolactin
• Prolactin is produced by the anterior pituitary gland
which is responsible for milk secretion by the
mammary gland cells.
• When the baby sucks, the nerve endings in the nipple
carry message to the anterior pituitary which in turn
releases prolactin.
• The earlier the baby is put on the breast, the sooner
the reflex is initiated.
• The more the baby sucks at the breast, the greater is
the stimulus for milk production.
• The greater is the demand for milk, larger is the
volume of milk produced.
 Oxytocin
• Oxytocin is a hormone produced by the posterior
pituitary.
• It is responsible for contraction of the
myoepithelium around the glands leading to
ejection of the milk from the glands into the
lacteal sinuses and the lacteal ducts.
• This hormone is produced in response to
stimulation to the nerve endings in the nipple by
sucking as well as by the thought, sight or sound
of the baby
 Techniques of breastfeeding
• Cradle Hold
• Cross Cradle Hold
• Football Hold
• Side-lying Position
 Cradle Hold

1. Sit as straight as possible with a pillow behind you, or sit on the

edge of the bed.
2. Cradle your baby in your arm, her tummy against yours and her
head resting in the bend of your elbow. Her ear, shoulders and
hip should be in a straight line.
3. Tuck your baby's lower arm out of the way, with her mouth
close to your breast.
4. Support your breast with your free hand; place all of your
fingers underneath it, well away from the areola.
5. Rest your thumb lightly on top of your breast above your
areola.
6. Lift your breast upward and lightly stroke your nipple on your
baby's lower lip. As part of the rooting reflex, her mouth will
open wide.
 Cross Cradle Hold

1. Sit as straight as possible with a pillow behind you, or sit

on the edge of the bed.
2. Cradle your baby with your arm, her tummy against yours
and your hand behind her head. Her ear, shoulders and
hips should be in a straight line.Tuck your baby's lower
arm out of the way, with her mouth close to your breast.
3. Support your breast with your free hand; place all of your
fingers underneath it, well away from the areola.
4. Rest your thumb lightly on top of your breast above your
areola.
5. Lift your breast upward and lightly stroke your nipple on
your baby's lower lip. As part of the rooting reflex, her
mouth will open wide.
 Football Hold

1. Position your baby so her legs and body are

under your arm, with your hand holding her
head (as if you were holding a football).
2. Place your fingers below your breast. Allow
your baby to latch-on while pulling her in
close, holding her head tightly against your
breast.
3. Keep your baby's body flexed at the hip with
her legs tucked under your arm.
 Side-lying Position

1. First, position yourself and your baby on your

sides tummy-to-tummy.
2. Bend your top leg and position with pillows.
3. Place your fingers beneath your breast and
lift upward, then pull your baby in close as
she latches-on.
 contraindications
• The baby has galactosaemia
• Mother has active untreated tuberculosis, T-cell
lymphotrophic virus
• Mother is receiving diagnostic or therapeutic radioactive
isotopes or has had exposure to radioactive materials
• Mother is receiving antimetabolites or other
chemotherapeutic agents
• Mother is abusing drugs
• Mother has herpes simplex lesions on a breast (the baby
may feed from the other breast if free from lesions)
• Mother is HIV positive.