dari petikan email yg diforwardkan kepada saya
Beberapa hari lepas saya dikunjungi oleh seorang pelajar lelaki tahun akhir. Sudah beberapa bulan pelajar ini tidak bertemu dengan saya.Pelajar ini mengemukakan beberapa masalah kumpulannya untuk diselesaikan oleh saya sebagai seorang penasihat akademiknya.
Alhamdulillah masalah dapat diselesaikan.Selepas hajat terlaksana, pelajar ini yang saya namakan sebagai Ahmad menukar topik kepada topik kesihatan dirinya. Beliau mengadukan masalah dirinya. Beliau dapat merasakan kemerosotan tahap kesihatan dirinya.
Berikut adalah antara tanda-tanda yang dapat dikenalpasati:
Kerap berdebar tidak menentu masa.
Kadang-kadang waktu membaca tiba-tiba jantung / dada berdebar dengan laju.
1. Bila jantung berdebar ini berlaku, ia akan diikuti dengan dahi berpeluh
2. Beliau juga kerap merasakan kesakitan pada dadanya.
3. Sering mencungap dan kadang-kadang kala sewaktu sembahyang pun mencungap.
4. Semakin tidak tahan atau alah dengan panas terik matahari dan jikalau kena panas, badannya akan banyak berpeluh dan tidak selesa.
5. Jikalau tahun lepas, kekerapan simptom-simptom di atas agak jarang namun kebelakangan ini, kekerapan kejadian semakin kerap sehingga satu kali serangan dalam setiap 2/3 hari.
6. Tapak tangannya.semakin basah.Berdasarkan simptom yang saya perolehi saya terus menyoal tabiat permakanannya.
Selepas mendapat data yang dikehendaki saya punmemberikan penjelasan 'Ahmad, engkau ni walau pun usia masih muda, jantung engkau sudah bermasalah. Punca masalah engkau ini adalah kerana engkau kerap meminum Nescafe 3 in one. Nescafe adalah tidak baik dan merosak buah pinggang manakala krimer yang terdapat di dalam campuran ini sangat merosak jantung. Krimer ini bukan diperbuat dari susu tetapi adalah dibuat dari kelapa sawit (non dairy creamer)'
Selanjutnya saya menasihati Ahmad untuk melakukan perkara berikut untuk merawat jantungnya:
1. Elakkan dari meminum Nescafe yang merosak buah pinggang dan elakkan sama sekali apa jua jenis krimer yang dibuat dari selain susu(non dairy creamer)
2. Elakkan dari mengambil coffee mate kerana ia adalah non dairy creamer
3. Elakkan makan ais krim kerana mengandungi krimmer yang tinggi
4. Elakkan susu pekat manis yang mengandungi krimer dari selain susu.
5. Elakkan memakan sebarang makanan yang mengandungi margarine
6.Elakkan memakan burger, naget, kentang goreng, potato chip dan segala yang sewaktu dengannya
7. Elakkan mandi selepas makan
8. Amalkan amalan: Ambil segenggam kacang hijau, rendam dalam air kira-kira 10 minit,selepas itu rebus asal masak dan bukan rebus sehingga pecah tanpa membubuh garam. Selepas itu buang air rebusan dan makanlah kacang hijau ini dan amalkan amalan ini setiap hari.
9. Boleh beli jintan hitam dan makan setiap hari atau pun belilah yang sudah siap diproses atas nama habbatussauda
10. Amalkan makan sayuran pahit seperti kailan, peria, pegaga, daun ubi, pucuk betik, ulam-ulam dsbnya.
11. Kurangkan makan nasi lemak terutama sekali nasi lemak di kedai kerana mereka mencampurkan minyak masak kepada nasi lemak agar nasi lemak ini kelihatan cantik berderai dan tidak melekat.
Kepada yang mulai menghadapi masalah dengan jantungnya atau yang sudah lama bermasalah jantung, bolehlah mengamalkan amalan di atas.
Friday, November 28, 2008
{ NESCAFE 3 IN 1 MEROSAKKAN JANTUNG & BUAH PINGGANG }
{ KOPI BUAT PAYUDARA KECUT }
LONDON: Pengambilan hanya tiga cawan kopi sehari dikatakan mampu mengecutkan buah dada wanita kerana kafein yang terlalu banyak boleh menjejaskan hormon dalam badan dan menggugat saiznya.
Kajian terbaru yang dijalankan sekumpulan penyelidik menunjukkan lebih banyak kopi yang diminum, lebih kecil saiz buah dada mereka.
Hampir 300 wanita yang mengambil bahagian dalam kajian itu dan mereka ditanya purata jumlah pengambilan kopi sehari dan saiz payu dara mereka diukur.
keputusan kajian itu yang disiarkan Jurnal Kanser Britain mendapati bahawa dengan hanya meminum sekurang-kurangnya tiga cawan kopi atau lebih sehari sudah cukup untuk mengecilkan saiz buah dada mereka.
Kesannya meningkat bagi setiap cawan kopi yang diminum.
Hampir separuh daripada wanita dalam kajian itu menunjukkan perubahan gen yang dikaitkan dengan pengambilan kopi dan saiz payu dara mereka.
"Meminum kopi boleh memberi kesan besar terhadap saiz buah dada," kata Helena Jernstrom dari Universiti Lund, Sweden, yang mengetuai kajian berkenaan.
"Wanita yang minum kopi tidak perlu bimbang buah dada mereka akan mengecut dengan cepat dalam masa semalaman. Ia akan menjadi lebih kecil tetapi tidak terus menghilang," katanya.
"Bagaimanapun, mereka yang berpendapat boleh meneka wanita mana peminum kopi hanya melalui ukuran baju dalam mereka akan silap.
"Masalahnya, ada dua ukuran bagi sehelai baju dalam iaitu saiz mangkuk dan ukur lilit jadi tidak mudah untuk anda meneka."
Wanita yang minum lebih tiga cawan kopi sehari mempunyai purata 17 peratus saiz buah dada lebih kecil berbanding mereka yang minum kurang tiga cawan sehari.
Wanita yang mempunyai saiz buah dada lebih besar paling berisiko tinggi, kata saintis berkenaan.
Bagaimanapun, kajian itu tidak dapat merumuskan sama ada meminum jumlah kafein yang banyak setiap hari juga boleh menjejaskan kepadatan buah dada. - Agensi
{ BLOOD CLOTS - STROKE }
STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters.... S.T.R.
My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree.
If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.
Seriously..
STROKE IDENTIFICATION
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ....she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.
They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die.... they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
It only takes a minute to read this...
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
T * Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) ( i.e. It is sunny out today)
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 999/911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher..
New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue
NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue..If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other , that is also an indication of a stroke.
A cardiologist says if everyone tell this to 10 people, you can bet that at least one life will be saved.
{ INTRODUCTION TO HEALTHY EATING AND WEIGHT LOSS TIPS }
from Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Medical Review Board
Living a long, healthy life depends largely on what you put into your body over your lifetime. You can make simple changes that will help you develop healthy eating habits.
How to Use These Healthy Eating Tips
Browse through these tips and select 2 or 3 that you think will work for you. Write each on a card and it near your food as a reminder. Putting a card in the silverware drawer, in the napkin holder or on your place mat can be great places to remind yourself. Try the tip. If you like it, keep using it until it becomes a habit. If you don't like it, pick another one.
Treat it like an experiment where you can learn about yourself and your habits. Don't get discouraged -- keep trying.
Below are the tips broken down by category. Use this list or browse until you find something you like:
How You Eat
These tips focus on your eating behaviors and habits like speed, cleaning your plate and more:
Slow Down Your Eating
Watch Your Liquids
Chew More to Feel Full
Don't Drink and Eat
No Clean Plate
Count When Snacking
Mind Over Food
These tips look at ways you can use your mind to out-smart your stomach:
Food Thoughts Make You Hungry
Expect Unhealthy Food to Taste Bad
Avoid Using Food as Reward, Punishment, or Comfort
Control Food Decisions
Don't Diet: Change
Set a Pause Point for Cravings
Stop When You Are No Longer Hungry
Confuse Your Nose
Serving and Storage
These tips use your dishes, storage containers and pantry as your allies in eating less:
Move Your Food Around to Remind You About Your Goals
New Plate or Glass
No Bag Eating
Use Tall Skinny Glasses
Small Packages
See No Snacks
No Serving Dishes
Iced Drinks Burns 1 cal/oz Extra
Make It a Challenge to Get to Your Food
Food Choices
These tips look at ways to change what you eat:
Increase the Variety of Healthy Foods
Reduce the Variety of Unhealthy Foods
Make Healthy Food Look Smaller
Make Unhealthy Food Look Bigger
Dish Out 20% More Vegetables
Dish Out 20 Percent Less of Most Foods
Distraction
These tips emphasize limiting distraction to help you focus while eating:
Do Nothing But Eat During Meals and Snacks
Watching TV and Eating Adds Extra Calories
Put Your Fork Down Between Bites
Eat Your Meals and Snacks at the Table
Slow Down and Pay Attention By Using Chopsticks
Friday, November 21, 2008
{ NUTRITION, EXERCISE & WEIGHT LOSS WHILE BREASTFEEDING }
Most mothers are highly motivated to eat a nutritious diet during their pregnancies. Assuming that you ate an adequate diet while you were pregnant, you can produce plenty of milk for your baby by keeping up this motivation and making sure that you continue your healthy eating patterns during lactation. While you should attempt to eat a "good diet" while you are nursing, you need to be aware that your diet doesn't have to be perfect in order to support lactation. You can still breastfeed even if your diet is less than ideal. You may be surprised to learn that studies have shown that maternal nutrition has only a minor effect on the composition and quantity of breastmilk produced. Usually, unless a mother is severely malnourished, her milk is fine. Mothers whose diets are poor deplete their own energy levels, and may become anemic, but their bodies will continue to produce the milk their baby needs by pulling from the mother's energy stores at her expense, but not her baby's. Most women in this country don't suffer from a lack of food, but rather from eating too much of the wrong kinds.
There are no special dietary rules to follow during lactation. If your eating habits are fairly healthy, there is no reason to change them while you are nursing. There are no special foods to avoid, or certain foods that you need to eat (like milk) in order to produce a plentiful supply of nutritious breastmilk. With rare exceptions, nursing mothers can eat pretty much anything they want to eat - including chocolate, broccoli, pizza, and diet soda - in moderation. Some dieticians and lactation experts feel that one advantage to breastfeeding may be that the milk is flavored by the foods the mother eats, so the baby becomes used to a variety of taste sensations, and tends to have fewer feeding problems as he gets older. One famous study showed that when mothers ate lots and lots of garlic, their milk tasted and smelled like garlic. Not only did the babies who drank the milk not have any digestive problems, but they actually preferred the garlicky milk over the unflavored milk. Think about it - women in South America who eat lots of peppers, or women in India who eat lots of curry don't have babies any more colicky or fussy than babies in the U.S. You've probably heard that eating "gassy" foods like cabbage, beans, or broccoli will make your baby gassy. I believe that this is one of many "old wive's tales", because gas is produced when bacteria in the intestine interact with the intestinal fiber. Neither gas nor fiber can pass into breastmilk, even when you have gas.
Although it is possible for a baby to be sensitive to a food in his mother's diet, he is much more likely to react to a food given to him directly. I suspect that most mothers who swear that they can't eat (pizza, Mexican food, broccoli, cabbage, beans, chocolate, etc.) while they are nursing are actually overreacting to their baby's normal behavior on any given day. There is a natural tendency for every nursing mother to attribute every little thing her baby does to nursing. ALL babies have days when they are gassy, fussy, and spit up. Some babies have sensitive digestive systems, and no matter what you feed them, they will experience bouts of intestinal upsets. The one thing you can be sure of is that there is nothing you can put into a sensitive infant's stomach that will be easier to digest than breastmilk.
When you are nursing, you start to think "…he's so gassy today…must be something I ate…yep, I had pizza for dinner last night…that must be it. I can't eat pizza from now on." When taken to extremes, this sort of thinking can lead to a diet of nothing but boiled chicken and polished rice.
In nearly 25 years of experience in working with nursing mothers I have seen very few cases of food sensitivity. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, just that it is highly uncommon. It is estimated that only 3-7% of babies will have any type of food sensitivity or allergy. Signs of food sensitivity can include: inconsolable fussiness, suddenly waking in obvious distress, skin rashes, wheezing, and green mucousy stools. A strong family history of allergies (food or other) can also increase the possibility of food sensitivity. If you think your baby may be having problems with a food you have eaten, remember that it takes 4-6 hours after ingestion for a food to affects your breastmilk. Try eliminating the food you suspect from your diet for a minimum or 2-3 weeks. It may take a while for your baby to improve. Of course, during that time, he may outgrown his sensitivity anyway as his digestive system matures.
The one food that is the most common offender in causing problems with sensitivity and allergies is cow's milk. That's why it's the first food you should work on reducing or eliminating if you suspect your baby has a food sensitivity. It may take ten days to two weeks to eliminate cow's milk protein from your diet, so wait at least two weeks before you decide whether cow's milk is the problem. The problem with cow's milk is the protein, which is difficult for babies to digest, not with the lactose. Human beings are not born lactose intolerant, unless they are born with a rare metabolic disorder. Lactose intolerance is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose (milk sugar) so it can be easily digested. Mammals are born with this enzyme in their intestines. As they grow older and wean, the lactase enzyme decreases. That's why lactose intolerance rarely shows up in humans before age 3, since that's the average age of weaning (if that shocks you, check out the article on "Weaning".) Lactose intolerance is more common in Asian and African adults.
The proteins in cow's milk are primarily caseins, which are harder to digest than whey proteins, which are more prominent in human milk. The proteins in cow's milk pass into your milk, and can cause digestive problems for your baby. These proteins can even sensitize your baby before birth if you drink lots of milk during your pregnancy. If you decide to reduce or eliminate dairy products, remember than processed milk presents less of a problem than whole milk.
You may be able to continue eating yogurt and cheese while cutting back or eliminating milk. Since milk and milk products are important sources of calcium, be sure to calcium from other sources, such as broccoli, nuts, spinach, and canned salmon. Taking a calcium supplement would be a good idea if you are limiting your intake of dairy products. You need about 1,000 mg of calcium each day if you are between 18-50 years of age, whether you are lactating or not. While nursing mothers do lose some bone mass during lactation, by the time your baby has been weaned for a year, this lost bone mass in not only completely restored, but research has shown that women who breastfeed have half the risk of bone fractures as women who never breasted, and the longer you nurse, the lower the risk. Breastfeeding actually protects you from osteoporosis.
If you are anemic, don't worry that your milk won't have enough iron for your baby. Breastmilk contains less iron than formula, but the iron is used more efficiently, so your baby is less likely to become anemic, even if your iron levels are low. You will need to make iron supplements to make you feel better, but they will not affect the level of iron in your breastmilk.
The guide to how much fluid to drink while nursing is to "drink to thirst". There is no evidence to show that forcing fluids will increase your milk supply. (Another "old wive's tale".) Drinking too much water (over 12 glasses a day) can actually decrease your milk supply. The current recommendation is to drink 6-8 ounces of water each day. The problem is that when you are a new mom, you often forget to take care of yourself while you are so immersed in taking care of the baby. Try drinking a glass of water or juice whenever you sit down to nurse your baby. Most mothers find that they are thirstier when they are nursing. If you produce large amounts of pale urine and are not constipated, then you are probably drinking enough. If your stools are hard and dry, and your urine is concentrated and dark, then you may need to increase your fluid intake. Remember that it is normal for your first void of the morning to be darker and more concentrated than at any other time during the day.
A good rule of thumb is to take in 200-500 calories in excess of what you needed to maintain your weight before you were pregnant while you are nursing. Breastfeeding doesn't make you gain weight - in fact, you use up calories when you nurse, and helps you get rid of extra weight more quickly while you are nursing. Your body stores up fat during your pregnancy to provide the extra calories needed for milk production. It is easier to lose lower body fat (hips, buns, and thighs) when you are breastfeeding compared to the mom who is formula feeding.
If you are a vegetarian, you probably will not need to change your diet unless your diet doesn't include any animal protein (vegan and macrobiotic diets). If you do not want to consume any animal products, you should consider taking a vitamin supplement containing vitamin B12. If you don't eat any dairy products, you should make sure to get enough calcium. I recommend that every nursing mom continue taking prenatal vitamins for as long as she lactates.
Just like "drinking to thirst", you should "eat to hunger" while nursing. Studies have shown that most nursing mothers tend to lose up to one and a half pounds a month for the first 4-6 months after giving birth, and continue to lose weight at a slower rate beyond that time. They tend to lose more weight than formula feeding moms who take in fewer calories. If you want to lose weight (and most of us do - how depressing to still be wearing those old maternity clothes we got so sick of after the baby is born…) plan to do so slowly. It's best not to try to aggressively lose weight during the first couple of months after birth, because during that time your body needs to recover from childbirth and establish a good milk supply. Losing weight too quickly (more than one to one and one half pounds per week) has been associated with the release of environmental contaminants stored in body fat into the milk.
Begin your weight loss program slowly when you are breastfeeding. Increase your activity level and eat less fat and sugar and more fruits and vegetables. Try to take in at least 1,800 calories each day, and definitely no less than 1,500 calories. Even moderate dieting during lactation can help you lose 4-5 pounds each month, but don't expect to lose body fat until about 2 weeks postpartum. The weight you lose immediately after birth is usually fluid loss. Mothers who breastfeed more frequently lose weight faster than mothers who nurse less often, and mothers who nurse for shorter periods of time tend to lose weight more slowly than mothers who nurse longer. You may get lucky and find that you can eat more than you ever could before and still lose weight while nursing. That was the case with me, but I did find that eating a whole container of Ben and Jerry's before bedtime every night kept me from losing weight as quickly as I would have liked.
Despite one highly publicized but very questionable study about exercising during lactation, there is NO evidence that moderate exercise is anything but beneficial for nursing mothers (or anyone else, for that matter.) Plan to exercise after nursing so your breasts won't be full and uncomfortable. Wear a supportive sports bra. Drink a glass of water before and immediately after exercising. Drink more in hot weather. If you regularly lift weights or do other exercises involving repetitive arm movement, start slowly. If you develop plugged ducts, cut back and start again more slowly. Rinse off your breasts before nursing - some babies don't like the taste of the salt. Take walks with your baby. If you carry him in a backpack, his extra weight will use up even more calories. Weather permitting, go for lots of walks - this counts as exercise and gets you out of the house as well. It the weather keeps you inside, try carrying your little one in a sling while you do housework - and try dancing with him. You may feel silly, but he'll love it and so will you. Nobody will see you, and postpartum mothers are supposed to act a little bit goofy - the technical term is "baby brain".
In summary: try to eat a nutritious diet while you are nursing, for your sake and your baby's. Don't worry if your diet isn't perfect, your milk will still be fine. If you want to lose weight, you will probably lose it without radically altering your diet while your are nursing. If you want to lose weight faster, start slowly, increase your activity level, and eat nutrient dense and healthy foods. Moderate exercise is good for both you and your baby. Try to make it fun so that you'll stick with your exercise program. Eat anything you want to in moderation, and remember that many mothers lose weight while lactating even without modifying their diet or exercise regimen. You will usually keep about three pounds of extra tissue in your breasts as long as you are nursing, so factor that into your weight loss goals. Enjoy nursing your baby, eat a healthy diet, and you most likely will lose weight while eating more food than you were used to eating before your little one arrived.
Sources include: Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, 2nd Edition, Riordan an Auerbach, 1999LLLI The Breastfeeding Answer Book, revised edition, 1997The Complete Book of Breastfeeding, 3rd edition, Eiger and Wendkos olds, 1999
{ BREAST MILK - MIRACLE GIFT FROM MOMS TO BABIES }
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A controversial Swiss restaurateur has created a menu based around foods cooked in human breast milk.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
{ BREASTFEEDING - HOW DO I TREAT SORE NIPPLES? }
Some amount of tenderness at first is normal, but if the baby is held in the correct position, nipples should never blister, crack or bleed. If your nipples do get sore, you should do the following:
*Change positions at every feeding. This puts the pressure of the baby's gums on a different spot each time. (Cradle hold, lying down and football hold.)
*Nurse more often, but for shorter lengths of time. If you go longer between feedings, the baby will be hungrier and nurse too hard and make your breasts even more sore.
*Rub breast milk on the nipple after each feeding and let dry. It actually helps heal them.
*Don't use soap or alcohol on the nipples.
*If the pain is severe, take a mild painkiller about 30 minutes before nursing.
If your nipples are CRACKED OR BLEEDING, rub a small amount of medical grade modified lanolin (made specifically for breastfeeding mothers) on the nipples. This treatment, called "moist wound healing," will relieve pain, and provide a moisture barrier that will slow the evaporation of moisture that is present in the skin. It will allow the wound to heal much faster without forming a scab. Pure lanolin does not have to be removed before the baby nurses.
"Nursing to me is painful (baby bites down and sucks hard in any position), inconvenient when we are out and busy, and is not a bonding experience for me. My husband also feels helpless when our son is crying because he is hungry and I am the only one that can help him. I want to switch to bottles. How often do I need to pump per day?"
My heart goes out to you. I had such a bad experience with my first daughter that I actually said I would never try breastfeeding again. My two daughters are 15 years apart though, and time has a way of dulling memories, so I decided to give it another try. Pain again!
This time I got help, and after I found out that breastfeeding could be pain-free, I began to enjoy it. As time went by, I began to love it, and as you can see now, I decided to change professions!
There is nothing in the world more wonderful than breastfeeding your baby--but it will never be understood when you are in pain. Feeding time with your baby should be happy and fun, so of course yours hasn't been a bonding experience! I understand your decision to change to bottle feeding, but would encourage you before you do to try to find help. Breastfeeding is meant to feel good! If breastfeeding hurts, it's WRONG.
It could be simply a positioning problem-- something that a lactation consultant could help you with very quickly. It could also be a yeast problem (very likely) which causes exquisite pain. It could be a suck problem. But regardless of what is causing the pain, there is help available. La Leche League can also be a great help to you. It was there that I learned how to breastfeed my baby when I was out and about and later even to discretely nurse in public. (No bottles to fool with).
As to your husband feeling helpless, he can certainly give your baby a bottle. It is only during the early weeks that women should avoid bottles because of nipple confusion. Once a baby is a month old, he should be able to go back and forth from one to the other.
If you are sure that you don't want to seek further help with breastfeeding, and you want to change to pumping bottles, my first advice to you is to get a good hospital-grade breast pump with double pumping. Double pumping has been shown to actually help increase supply, in addition to cutting your pumping time in half. You will need to pump on a similar schedule to what your baby has been doing--approximately every 3 hours during the day, and at least once at night. As your baby grows and you need more milk, you can increase frequency for several days (every 2 hours while you are awake) to help increase your supply. Double pumping only takes 10-15 minutes total.
Cher Sealy, RN, BSN, IBCLC, LLLL
{ BREASTMILK - NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION }
Thanks God I finally found the right place to get enough information about THE NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF BREAST MILK. I grabbed this info from here
Thanks to scientists and baby-formula manufacturers, the nutritional composition of breast milk has been de-mystified. So what exactly is in breast milk to make it the "perfect food" for babies?
FATS
The nutritional composition of breast milk begins with fat. If you take all the water out of breast milk, half of what's left behind is fat. And, there's lots of cholesterol too. Don’t worry: babies, infants, and young children need fats because it is needed for the development of the nervous system. Specifically, fats are need to cover & protective nerve cells. They are also integral parts of cell membranes.
Researchers have found that breastfed babies grow up to be adults with lower cholesterol. It is suggested that exposing babies to cholesterol in the breast milk allows their bodies to learn how to regulate cholesterol so that as adults, they have lower cholesterol levels.
In breast milk, there is an enzyme called lipase. Lipase breaks down fat so that the fat is in small globules. This allows for better digestion and absorption in Baby’s stomach. In contrast, the fat globules in baby-formula are large because they are from cow’s milk (cow's milk is used to make most formulas). The fat from cow's milk is not absorbed as well by human babies. Formula manufacturers have tried to correct this by replacing cow’s milk fat with plant oils (corn, coconut, olive, peanut, and others).
CARBOHYDRATES
The next big component of breast milk is carbohydrates (37%). Most people know carbohydrates as the macromolecule found in bread, pasta and rice. But in breast milk, most of the carbohydrates are in the form of lactose. Lactose is a disaccharide: it is made up of two sugars (galactose and glucose) linked together.
Lactose provides Baby with energy so that he can do the things that babies do: breath, eat, cry, wriggle, poop, learn, grow, and develop.
Lactose is converted to lactic acid by the Lactobacillus (a naturally occurring gut bacterium). The lactic acid makes Baby’s stomach acidic. This in turn prevents the growth of harmful bacteria that are not supposed to be in Baby’s stomach.Cow’s milk (used to make baby formula) has less than 10% lactose. Formulas manufacturers try to match the nutritional composition of breast milk by adding more lactose.
PROTEINS
There are high levels of protein in colostrum and the levels gradually decrease as Baby grows older and older. By six months of age, Baby should get an external source of protein, for example in baby cereals or other solid foods.
Mature milk has many different kinds of proteins but the two major players are whey and casein. Whey is a smooth, liquidly-type of protein whereas casein is a coarse protein that tends to curdle. In breast milk, 60% to 80% of the proteins are of the whey type. Whey is easier to digest and it is absorbed well in Baby’s stomach. Because of this, babies fed on breast milk will have runny poops, and be hungry more often.
Cow’s milk has more casein and less whey. Casein is harder to digest & absorb because it clumps in Baby’s stomach. Formula-fed babies are hungry less often because the formula isn't being digested. As well, when the Babies poop, the poops are more solid. Formula manufacturers try to correct for this by adding emulsifiers to help break apart the casein.
Other than whey and casein, there are many other important proteins:
- antibodies (helps fight against bacterial and viral infections),
- lactoferrin (binds to iron and helps Baby absorb iron. It also prevents the growth of harmful microorganisms that use iron),
- bifidus factor (encourages the growth of lactobacillus which helps prevents the growth of other harmful stomach bacteria),
- lipase, amylase, lysozyme, and other enzymes (helps in digestion and creates a healthy environment in Baby’s intestines).
VITAMINS, MINERALS AND MORE...
Breast milk contains vitamins and minerals which, for the most part, can be simulated in formulas. However, the nutritional composition of breast milk includes over 100 different components most of which we still do not know how they affect Baby’s growth and development. Currently, formula manufactures have not been able to recreate, exactly, the nutritional composition of breast milk. Click here to compare of breast milk with cow’s milk, goat’s milk, and baby-formula.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
{ BREASTFEEDING – THE REMARKABLE FIRST HOUR OF LIFE }
THE FIRST HOUR OF LIFE : REASONS TO BREASTFEED
1. The mother’s body helps to keep the baby appropriately warm, which is especially important for small and low birth weight babies.
2. The baby is less stressed, calmer and has steadier breathing and heart rates. 3. The baby is exposed first to the bacteria from the mother which are mostly harmless, or against which the mother’s milk contains protective factors. The mother’s bacteria helps to prevent infection in her baby by colonising the baby’s gut and skin; as well as competing with more harmful bacteria from health providers and the environment.
4. The baby receives colostrum for the first feeds – liquid gold, sometimes called the gift of life.
- Colostrum is rich in immunologically active cells, antibodies and other protective proteins.
Thus it serves as the baby’s first immunisation and protects against many infections. It helps to regulate the baby’s own developing immune system. - Colostrum contains growth factors, which help the infant’s intestine to mature and function effectively. This makes it more difficult for micro-organisms and allergens to get into the
baby’s body. - Colostrum is rich in Vitamin A, which helps protect the eyes and reduce infection.
- Colostrum stimulates the baby to have bowel movements so that meconium is cleared
quickly from the gut. This will help reduce jaundice in the baby. - Colostrum comes in small volumes, just right for the new baby.
5. Touching, mouthing and suckling at the breast stimulates oxytocin release – this is important for many reasons:
- Oxytocin causes the uterus to contract. This may help delivery of the placenta and reduce
maternal bleeding after the birth. - Oxytocin stimulates other hormones which cause a mother to feel calm, relaxed, and some
would say “in love” with her baby. - Oxytocin stimulates the flow of milk from the breast.
6. Women experience incredible joy with this first meeting of their child! And fathers often share this delight. The process of bonding between mother and baby begins.
- When healthy infants are placed skin-to-skin on their mother’s abdomen and chest
immediately after birth, they exhibit remarkable capabilities. They are alert. They can crawl, stimulated by mother’s gentle touch, across her abdomen, reaching her breast. - They begin to touch and massage the breast. This first gentle touch of a baby’s hand or head at the breast stimulates release of maternal oxytocin, thus beginning both the flow of milk and enhancing the feelings of love for the baby. Then the baby smells, mouths and licks the mother’s nipple. Finally, he or she attaches to the breast and feeds.
- Overall, skin-to-skin contact and early feeds with colostrum are associated with reduced
mortality in the first month of life. They are also associated with increased exclusive
breastfeeding and longer duration of breastfeeding in the following months, leading to
improved health and reduced mortality later on as well. - For the first time, researchers have assessed the effect of the timing of the first breastfeed on newborn mortality – showing that mortality may be less if infants start to breastfeed in the first hour.
THE FIRST HOUR OF LIFE: INITIATING BREASTFEEDING
- Provide appropriate, culturally sensitive and supportive labour companionship to mothers.
- Encourage non-pharmacologic measures to help support women through labour (massage,
aromatherapy, water injections, movement). - Allow delivery to occur in the position preferred by the mother.
- Dry the baby quickly, preserving the natural white cream (vernix) that soothes a baby’s new skin.
- Place the baby naked skin-to-skin on mother’s naked chest, facing her, and cover them
together. - Allow the baby to seek the breast. The mother will stimulate the baby with her touch and may help position the baby closer to the nipple. (Do not force the baby to the nipple)
- Keep the baby skin-to-skin with the mother until the first feeding is accomplished and as long as she desires thereafter.
- Women who have surgical births should also have their infants skin-to-skin after delivery.
- Delay intrusive or stressful procedures. The baby should be weighed, measured, and given
preventive medications AFTER the feed. - No pre-lacteal liquids or feeds should be given unless there is a clear medical indication.
{BREASTFEEDING - FAMOUS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES}
Gwyneth Paltrow said "I'm not in my pre-pregnancy state. I'm trying not to rush myself. I want my food to be high quality as I'm feeding Apple. I'm not into dieting. Now I'm able to exercise, I'm shrinking back down a little bit. It's a very slow process."
Catherine Zeta-Jones said "I'm going to do it as long as I can, there is something so intimate about it. For the one hour or 45 minutes it's just wonderful. It's wonderful bonding and you know they're getting all those antibodies."
Jodie Foster said "I just can't stop losing weight with the breastfeeding. I ate as much as I possible could, but kept losing. You'll see why when you meet Charlie."
Nancy O'Dell said "Breastfeeding is the best diet. I want to eat healthy for her, so it's easy to say no to pizza."
Tory Spelling said "Yes, it's hard, but I love it. That's our time together, and I can give him the one thing he wants...food! Dean took a photo of me nursing, and I was horrified. I was thinking this poor baby must be so scared of this giant thing coming at him"
{BREASTFEEDING - METHODS AND CONSIDERATIONS}
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
EARLY BREASTFEEDING
In the half hour after birth, the baby's suckling reflex is strongest, and the baby is more alert, so it is the ideal time to start breastfeeding. [56]. Early breast-feeding is associated with fewer nighttime feeding problems [57]
TIME AND PLACE FOR BREASTFEEDING
Breastfeeding at least every two to three hours helps to maintain milk production. For most women, eight breastfeeding or pumping sessions every 24 hours keeps their milk production high.[9] Newborn babies may feed more often than this: 10 to 12 breastfeeding sessions every 24 hours is common, and some may even feed 18 times a day.[58] Feeding a baby "on demand" (sometimes referred to as "on cue"), means feeding when the baby shows signs of hunger; feeding this way rather than by the clock helps to maintain milk production and ensure the baby's needs for milk and comfort are being met.[8] However, it may be important to recognize whether a baby is truly hungry, as breastfeeding too frequently may mean the child receives a disproportionately high amount of foremilk, and not enough hindmilk.[59].
"Experienced breastfeeding mothers learn that the sucking patterns and needs of babies vary. While some infants' sucking needs are met primarily during feedings, other babies may need additional sucking at the breast soon after a feeding even though they are not really hungry. Babies may also nurse when they are lonely, frightened or in pain.[3]"
"Comforting and meeting sucking needs at the breast is nature's original design. Pacifiers (dummies, soothers) are literally a substitute for the mother when she can't be available. Other reasons to pacify a baby primarily at the breast include superior oral-facial development, prolonged lactational amenorrhea, avoidance of nipple confusion and stimulation of an adequate milk supply to ensure higher rates of breastfeeding success.[4]"
Most US states now have breastfeeding laws which allow a mother to breastfeed her baby anywhere she is allowed to be. In hospitals, rooming-in care permits the baby to stay with the mother and improves the ease of breastfeeding. Some commercial establishments provide breastfeeding rooms, although laws generally specify that mothers may breastfeed anywhere, without requiring them to go to a special area.
LATCHING ON, FEEDING & POSITIONING
Correct positioning and technique for latching on can prevent nipple soreness and allow the baby to obtain enough milk. [60] The "rooting reflex" is the baby's natural tendency to turn towards the breast with the mouth open wide; mothers sometimes make use of this by gently stroking the baby's cheek or lips with their nipple in order to induce the baby to move into position for a breastfeeding session, then quickly moving baby onto the breast while baby's mouth is wide open. [61] In order to prevent nipple soreness and allow the baby to get enough milk, a large part of the breast and areola need to enter the baby's mouth.[60][62] To help the baby latch on well, tickle the baby's top lip with the nipple, wait until the baby's mouth opens wide, then bring the baby up towards the nipple quickly, so that the baby has a mouthful of nipple and areola. The nipple should be at the back of the baby's throat, with the baby's tongue lying flat in its mouth. Inverted or flat nipples can be massaged so that the baby will have more to latch onto. Resist the temptation to move towards the baby, as this can lead to poor attachment.
Pain in the nipple or breast is linked to incorrect breastfeeding techniques. Failure to latch on is one of the main reasons for ineffective feeding and can lead to infant health concerns. A 2006 study found that inadequate parental education, incorrect breastfeeding techniques, or both were associated with higher rates of preventable hospital admissions in newborns.[63]
The baby may pull away from the nipple after a few minutes or after a much longer period of time. Normal feeds at the breast can last a few sucks (newborns), from 10 to 20 minutes or even longer (on demand). Sometimes, after the finishing of a breast, the mother may offer the other breast.
While most women breastfeed their child in the cradling position, there are many ways to hold the feeding baby. It depends on the mother and child's comfort and the feeding preference of the baby. Some babies prefer one breast to the other, but the mother should offer both breasts at every nursing with her newborn.
When tandem breastfeeding, the mother is unable to move the baby from one breast to another and comfort can be more of an issue. As tandem breastfeeding brings extra strain to the arms, especially as the babies grow, many mothers of twins recommend the use of more supporting pillows.
EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING
Exclusive breastfeeding is when an infant receives no other food or drink besides breast milk.[8] National and international guidelines recommend that all infants be breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life. It is generally accepted that newborns should be exclusively breastfed for around 6 months. Breastfeeding may continue with the addition of appropriate foods, for two years or more. Exclusive breastfeeding has dramatically reduced infant deaths in developing countries by reducing diarrhea and infectious diseases.
Exclusively breastfed infants feed anywhere from 6 to 14 times a day. Newborns consume from 30 to 90 ml (1 to 3 US fluid ounces). After the age of four weeks, babies consume about 120ml (4 US fluid ounces) per feed. Each baby is different, but as it grows the amount will increase. It is important to recognize the baby's hunger signs. It is assumed that the baby knows how much milk it needs and it is therefore advised that the baby should dictate the number, frequency, and length of each feed. The supply of milk from the breast is determined by the number and length of these feeds or the amount of milk expressed. The birth weight of the baby may affect its feeding habits, and mothers may be influenced by what they perceive its requirements to be. For example, a baby born small for gestational age may lead a mother to believe that her child needs to feed more than if it larger; they should, however, go by the demands of the baby rather than what they feel is necessary.
While it can be hard to measure how much food a breastfed baby consumes, babies normally feed to meet their own requirements.[65] Babies that fail to eat enough may exhibit symptoms of failure to thrive. If necessary, it is possible to estimate feeding from wet and soiled nappies (diapers): 8 wet cloth or 5–6 wet disposable, and 2–5 soiled per 24 hours suggests an acceptable amount of input for newborns older than 5–6 days old. After 2–3 months, stool frequency is a less accurate measure of adequate input as some normal infants may go up to 10 days between stools. Babies can also be weighed before and after feeds.
EXPRESSING BREASTMILK
When direct breastfeeding is not possible, a mother can express (artificially remove and store) her milk. With manual massage or using a breast pump, a woman can express her milk and keep it in freezer storage bags, a supplemental nursing system, or a bottle ready for use. Breast milk may be kept at room temperature for up to ten hours, refrigerated for up to eight days or frozen for up to four to six months. Research suggests that the antioxidant activity in expressed breast milk decreases over time but it still remains at higher levels than in infant formula.[66]
Expressing breast milk can maintain a mother's milk supply when she and her child are apart. If a sick baby is unable to feed, expressed milk can be fed through a nasogastric tube.
Expressed milk can also be used when a mother is having trouble breastfeeding, such as when a newborn causes grazing and bruising. If an older baby bites the nipple, the mother's reaction - a jump and a cry of pain - is usually enough to discourage the child from biting again.
"Exclusively Expressing", "Exclusively pumping" and "EPing" are terms for a mother who feeds her baby exclusively on her breastmilk while not physically breastfeeding. This may arise because her baby is unable or unwilling to latch on to the breast. With good pumping habits, particularly in the first 12 weeks when the milk supply is being established, it is possible to produce enough milk to feed the baby for as long as the mother wishes. Kellymom [5] has a page of links relating to exclusive pumping.
It is generally advised to delay using a bottle to feed expressed breast milk until the baby is 4-6 weeks old and is good at sucking directly from the breast.[67] Because It takes less effort to suck from a bottle, a baby might lose its desire to suck from the breast. This is called nursing strike or nipple confusion. To avoid this when feeding expressed breast milk (EBM) before 4-6 weeks of age, it is recommended that breast milk be given by other means such as feeding spoons or feeding cups. Also, EBM should be given by someone other than the breastfeeding mother (or wet nurse), so that the baby can learn to associate direct feeding with the mother (or wet nurse) and associate bottle feeding with other people.[citation needed]
Some women donate their expressed breast milk (EBM) to others, either directly or through a milk bank. Though historically the use of wet nurses was common, some women dislike the idea of feeding their own child with another woman's milk; others appreciate being able to give their baby the benefits of breast milk. Feeding expressed breast milk—either from donors or the baby's own mother—is the feeding method of choice for premature babies.[68] The transmission of some viral diseases through breastfeeding can be prevented by expressing breast milk and subjecting it to Holder pasteurisation.[69]
MIXED FEEDING
Predominant or mixed breastfeeding means feeding breast milk along with infant formula, baby food and even water, depending on the age of the child. Babies feed differently with artificial teats than from a breast. When feeding from the breast, the tongue massages the milk out rather than sucking, and the nipple does not go as far into the mouth; when feeding from a bottle, an infant will suck harder and the milk may come in more rapidly. Therefore, mixing breastfeeding and bottle-feeding (or using a pacifier) before the baby is used to feeding from its mother can induce the infant to prefer the bottle to the breast. Orthodontic teats, which are generally slightly longer, are closer to the nipple. Some mothers supplement feed with a small syringe or flexible cup to reduce the risk of artificial nipple preference.
TANDEM BREASTFEEDING
Feeding two children at the same time is called tandem breastfeeding The most common reason for tandem breastfeeding is the birth of twins, although women with closely spaced children can and do continue to nurse the older as well as the younger. As the appetite and feeding habits of each baby may not be the same, this could mean feeding each according to their own individual needs, and can also include breastfeeding them together, one on each breast.
In cases of triplets or more, it is a challenge for a mother to organize feeding around the appetites of all the babies. While breasts can respond to the demand and produce large quantities of milk, it is common for women to use alternatives. However, some mothers have been able to breastfeed triplets successfully [70][71] [72].
Tandem breastfeeding may also occur when a woman has a baby while breastfeeding an older child. During the late stages of pregnancy the milk will change to colostrum, and some older nurslings will continue to feed even with this change, while others may wean due to the change in taste or drop in supply. Feeding a child while being pregnant with another can also be considered a form of tandem feeding for the nursing mother, as she also provides the nutrition for two.[73]
EXTENDED BREASTFEEDING
Breastfeeding past two years is called extended breastfeeding or "sustained breastfeeding" by supporters and those outside the U.S.[74] Supporters of extended breastfeeding believe that all the benefits of human milk, nutritional, immunological and emotional, continue for as long as a child nurses. Often the older child will nurse infrequently or sporadically as a way of bonding with the mother.[citation needed]
SHARED BREASTFEEDING
It used to be common worldwide, and still is in developing nations such as those in Africa, for more than one woman to breastfeed a child. Shared breastfeeding is a risk factor for HIV infection in infants.[75] A woman who is engaged to breastfeed another's baby is known as a wet nurse. Islam has codified the relationship between this woman and the infants she nurses, and also between the infants when they grow up, so that milk siblings are considered as blood siblings and cannot marry. Shared breastfeeding can incur strong negative reactions in the Anglosphere[76]; American feminist activist Jennifer Baumgardner has written about her experiences in New York with this issue[77].
WEANING
Weaning is the process of introducing the infant to other food and reducing the supply of breast milk. The infant is fully weaned once it relies on other food for all its nutrition and it no longer receives any breast milk. Most mammals stop producing the enzyme lactase at the end of weaning, and become lactose intolerant. Many humans have a mutation that allows the production of lactase throughout life and can drink milk - usually cow or goat milk - well beyond the age of weaning.[78]
In the past, bromocriptine was sometimes used to reduce the engorgement experienced by many women during weaning. However, it was discovered that when used for this purpose, this medication posed serious health risks to women, such as stroke, and the U.S. FDA withdrew this indication for the drug in 1994.[79]
NURSING BRAS
A nursing bra provides the baby with easier access to the breast, but are not always necessary and certainly not required. Wearing a bra will not affect how the breast changes with pregnancy and breastfeeding, although an ill-fitting bra can cause plugged ducts or mastitis. Many women find that the size of their breasts change dramatically, necessitating a bra fitting after childbirth rather than before. When pregnant a women's breast can fluctuate one to three cup sizes an hour.
{ BREASTFEEDING - BENEFITS FOR MUMS }
Mothers who breastfeed longer than eight months also benefit from bone re-mineralisation[43] and breastfeeding diabetic mothers require less insulin.[44] Breastfeeding helps stabilize maternal endometriosis,[9] reduces the risk of post-partum bleeding[45] and benefits the insulin levels for mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome.[46]
Women who breast feed for longer have a smaller chance of getting rheumatoid arthritis, suggests a Malmo University study published online ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (See Women Who Breast Feed for More than a Year Halve Their Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis). The study also found that taking oral contraceptives, which are suspected to protect against the disease because they contain hormones that are raised in pregnancy, did not have the same effect. Simply having children but not breast feeding also did not seem to be protective.
If the mother is away, an alternative caregiver may be able to feed the baby with expressed breast milk. The various breast pumps available for sale and rent help working mothers to feed their babies breast milk for as long as they want. To be successful, the mother must produce and store enough milk to feed the child for the time she is away, and the feeding caregiver must be comfortable in handling breast milk.
Friday, November 14, 2008
{ BREASTFEEDING - BENEFITS FOR THE INFANT }
During breastfeeding nutrients and antibodies pass to the baby[12] and the maternal bond can also be strengthened.[13] Research has demonstrated a variety of benefits to breastfeeding an infant. [14] These include:
Superior nutrition
Breast milk contains the ideal ratio of the amino acids cystine, methionine, and taurine to support development of the central and peripheral nervous system. Children aged seven and eight years old who were of low birthweight who were breastfed for more than eight months demonstrated significantly higher intelligence quotient scores than comparable children breastfed for less time, suggesting breastfeeding offers long-term cognitive benefits in some populations.[15]The quality of a mother's breast milk may be compromised by stress, bad food habits, chronic illnesses, smoking, and drinking.[16]
Less Diarrhea
Breastfeeding protects infants against diarrhea as compared to formula-fed peers;[17] compared to formula-fed peers, death rates due to diarrhea in breastfed infants are lower irrespective of the development level of the country.[6]
Greater immune health
Breast milk include several anti-infective factors such as bile salt stimulated lipase (protecting against amoebic infections), lactoferrin (which binds to iron and inhibits the growth of intestinal bacteria)[18][19] and immunoglobulin A protecting against microorganisms.[20]
Despite also being a factor in the transmission of HIV from mother to child, some constituents in breast milk may be protective of infection. In particular, high levels of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids in breast milk (including eicosadienoic, arachidonic and gamma-Linolenic acids) are associated with a reduced risk of child infection when nursed by HIV-positive mothers. Arachidonic acid and gamma-linolenic acid may also reduce viral shedding of the HIV virus in Breast milk.[21]
Breastfeeding does not appear to offer protection against allergies.[22]
Higher Intelligence
Babies with a specific variant of the FADS2 gene (approximately 90% of all babies) demonstrate an IQ an average of 7 points higher if breastfed.[23]
Long term health effects
Breastfeeding has been proven to lower the risk of asthma, protect against allergies, and provide improved protection for babies against respiratory and intestinal infections.[24]
Infants exclusively breastfed have less chance of developing diabetes mellitus type 1 than peers with a shorter duration of breastfeeding and an earlier exposure to cow milk and solid foods.[25] Breastfeeding also appears to protect against diabetes mellitus type 2,[26][27] at least in part due to its effects on the child's weight.[27]
Breastfeeding appears to reduce the risk of extreme obesity in children aged 39 to 42 months.[28] The protective effect of breastfeeding against obesity is consistent, though small, across many studies, and appears to increase with the duration of breastfeeding.[29]
A review of the association between breastfeeding and celiac disease (CD) concluded that breast feeding while introducing gluten to the diet reduced the risk of CD. The study was unable to determine if breastfeeding merely delayed symptoms or offered life-long protection.[30]
Fewer Infections
Breastfeeding reduced the risk of acquiring urinary tract infections in infants up to seven months post-partum. The protection was strongest immediately after birth, and was ineffective past seven months[31] Breastfeeding appears to reduce symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections in premature infants up to seven months after release from hospital.[32] Increased duration of certain types of middle ear infections (otitis media with effusion, OME) in the first two years of life is associated with a shorter period of breastfeeding, in addition to feeding while lying down and maternal cigarette smoking.[33] A reduced proportion and duration of any otitis media infection was associated with breastfeeding rather than formula feeding for the first twelve months of life.[17]
Less Atopy
In children who are at risk for atopy (defined as at least one parent or sibling having atopy), atopic syndrome can be prevented or delayed through exclusive breastfeeding for four months, though these benefits may not be present after four months of age. [34] However, the key factor may be the age at which non-breastmilk is introduced rather than duration of breastfeeding.[35] Atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, can be reduced through exclusive breastfeeding beyond 12 weeks in individuals with a family history of atopy, but when breastfeeding beyond 12 weeks is combined with other foods incidents of eczema rise irrespective of family history.[36]
Less necrotizing enterocolitis
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NC), found mainly in premature births, is six to ten times more common in infants fed formula exclusively, and three times more common in infants fed a mixture of breast milk and formula, as compared to exclusive breastfeeding. In infants born at more than 30 weeks, NC was twenty times more common in infants fed exclusively on formula.[37]
Possible protection from sudden infant death syndrome
Breastfed babies have improved arousal from sleep, which may reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.[38]
