Breastfeeding is a natural gift that a mother can offer to his or her baby. Unlike formula milks, breast milk is the source of the essential nutrients that a baby needs. Some people believe it can act as antibiotics or vitamins aside from being a central source of food for a baby. The immune system and the physical and mental development of the baby are enhanced to give him or her optimum health and wellbeing.
Importance of Breastfeeding
Studies have shown that breastfeeding can have long-term positive effects to the child's physical and mental health. Some studies also show that children breastfed during their newborn stage are less prone to various diseases. Breastfeeding offers more nutrients than any artificially formulated milk. As your baby grows, mother's milk matures as well. The right amount of essential fat, sugar, protein, and water are derived from a mother's milk. This milk is also easier to digest for the baby.
Expressing and the Benefits It Offers
Expressing is the pumping of breast milk into a bottle that can be fed to a baby at a later time. Instead of feeding the baby straight from the mother's breast, the milk can be collected, stored, and fed to the baby. This is convenient for a mother, especially if she has to go somewhere and the baby needs to be fed at home. There are also times when a mother feels full with breast milk but the baby is not ready yet to feed. So as not to waste any breast milk and give the mother some relief from the fullness, she can use a breast pump and store the milk in an Avent bottle for later. Other members of the family like the father can also enjoy and connect with the baby by feeding him or her with the bottled breast milk.
Sterilizing and Storing Feeding Bottles
With the option of expressing, it is important, therefore, to keep feeding bottles, breast pumps, and other feeding equipment sterilized and clean. A newborn with an immature immune system can easily get diseases from unsterilized feeding bottles. Diarrhea and tummy aches can happen in this case, and that's something any parent should always have to avoid. Make sure you totally clean and wash feeding bottles and equipment before and after using them. You can wash and rinse it with warm water then sterilize it with steam. This can kill harmful germs and help protect your baby from diseases.
Moreover, make sure you are storing your breast milk in the proper way. Breast milk can be easily spoiled, so you need to keep them in sealed bottles and refrigerate them to prevent spoilage. You can store mother's milk in the refrigerator for 24 hours or in the freezer for 3 months. You may also want to write the day of expressing on the bottle and the time as well to make sure you are feeding your child with healthy milk. This will also be a way a mother to keep track of the dates and time of expressing to avoid wasting breast milk.
Breastfeeding doesn't have to be a challenging part in baby care. You can manage this task with expressing and practicing the proper ways to store and sterilize mother's milk.
A Mother's Love for Her Children Getting Ready For Your Baby: Some Tips Getting Ready For Your Baby: Some Tips
0 comments:
Post a Comment