The importance of breast milk
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The doctor. Vicente Molina Morales is a pediatrician and belongs to Top Doctors. Next, we will talk about breastfeeding .
The Departament de Pediatria of the Quirón-Dexeus University Institute aims to provide comprehensive assistance in childhood and adolescence. This means that we cover from the pre-natal period, making consultations with obstetricians to newborn care, neonatal intensive care unit, hospital emergencies, hospital admissions and after a very extensive assistance in outpatient consultation where ten pediatricians work in addition specialists in different areas of pediatrics from dentistry to psychiatry and psychology with the idea of being able to provide comprehensive assistance of the highest quality.
Why is breastfeeding so important?
Breast or human milk is very important because it is milk of the same species and, therefore, does not introduce foreign proteins into the baby's diet. Because it is proven to protect against infections during the first months of life. It is also very likely to protect from infections in adult life: diabetes, obesity ... And finally, because it favors a very close, very special bond between the mother and her baby.
What is the best way to do it?
Although breastfeeding is a very natural act and should be very easy, it is not always. 25% of first lactations are difficult to establish. It is essential to get a good posture to hold the breast and always carry out demand schedule at the beginning so that the milk production of the mother adapts well to what the baby needs. And for that, it is very important to have a good support at the beginning of breastfeeding, professionals or specialized people for it.
How long should the breast be given?
The easy answer would be: "the more the better", but finally it is the time that the mother can and wants. Being clear that any time of breastfeeding is advisable for short that it is. The standard recommendation is to try six months of breastfeeding exclusively and then prolong it along with other foods until 12, 18, 24 months.
What is the crisis of the three months?
In the course of breastfeeding, there are times when the baby and the mother become unfit. Either because the baby to grow older increases their needs, either because the production of the mother fluctuate and decrease a little and at that time the newborn what it does is increase their demand until they are balanced. We also know this as "growth crisis". It is important to know that this exists so as not to become disoriented when it occurs and to allow that again, making a demand schedule restore the balance. On the other hand, as the baby gets older he changes his breastfeeding pattern, he tends to take much shorter shots, but it satisfies him equally and a little more spaced or frequent and that change of behavior also sometimes disorients is completely normal .