In the Iraqi Museum in Baghdad a Sumerian statue dating back to 4000 B.C. is on display, portraying a mother from Ur, breast feeding her child despite her exalted mythical status. Humans have always fed their off springs on human breast milk, and it would be safe to assume that breast feeding has contributed to the survival of the human race. Sadly this practice has waned off, leaving only a small percentage of infants that still get breast fed. More and more babies are exposed to both avoidable and non-avoidable hazards of artificial feeding. This matter has been influenced by advisors that contradict when giving advice to first time mothers. The first six months of life is a period of exceptional rapid growth, high nutritional requirements and is uniquely dependent on one single food source; Mothers' milk, which meets all the requirements and is uniquely superior to all other kinds of milk. The earliest milk to be secreted varies in quantity from 15-50ml per day. It is called colostrums and is rich in protein, low in fat. This is specially designed to meet the need of the infant in the first few days of life. It gives protection through antibodies made by the mother, special enzymes and its limited quantity allows infants to adjust body fluids. By the fourth day, transitional milk leads to the production of mature human milk. Milk supply Education of mothers is important, since mothers should understand that adequate milk production depends on vigorous sucking by the baby and adequate emptying of the breast. Close proximity helps bonding, in addition to frequent handling and feeding, it is crucial for successful breast feeding. Good lactating mothers produce 850 ml of milk per day, which equals 600k calories, meaning that breast milk is a perfect and complete source of nutrition for human babies. Taking care of breasts Emotional preparations begin before delivery, mothers should also check for any unusual appearances. Deformations should be cared for, since they might lead to the failure of the entire feeding process. Ideally they should be checked by an ante-natal care doctor. When to start breast feeding Mothers should feed their babies within one to four hours after birth. After that, feedings should be regular, within two to four hours intervals and on demand. Feedings should constitute of short periods that last for three to seven minutes, while changing breasts in each interval. Babies develop a natural feeding pattern. Most milk is sucked in first 5 minutes, but 20 minutes should be enough for the suction of adequate milk amounts. The breast must be emptied completely by either feeding or manually. Do breast fed infants need supplements? Even breast fed infants need certain nutritional supplements. Vitamin C 25mg and Vitamin D 400i.u. are required on a daily basis, as they are not sufficiently present in mothers' milk. Advice for breast feeding mothers Mothers' diets should guarantee extra energy, protein and mineral requirement, since they are eating for two. Smoking should be stopped even before pregnancy. Mothers are Encouraged to lead a normal social life and exercise regularly. What are the advantages of breast feeding? It is one of life's greatest delights, successful breast feeding leaves mothers with the warm glow of skin to skin contact and establishes a bond between mother and the baby. It also offers protection for the baby against diseases like gastroenteritis, malnutrition, allergy, eczema, mal-absorption and dehydration. It aids the growth of the normal flora in the babies gut, in addition to its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Breast milk contains special proteins that prevent anemia and help in the synthesis of vitamin B12. It has curative properties against E. coli bacteria, which is commonly present on the skin of the mother and may infect the baby. The writer is a Pediatrician at My Care Medical Center, Jeddah, with an M.B.B.S., DCH (Dublin). __
