Research-backed
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One of the most magical experiences for a mother is breastfeeding. Nurturing your newborn baby from the time they are born and watching them grow is one of motherhood’s most fulfilling things. Breast milk is enriched with nutrients that are needed for an infant. When an infant is born, their immune system is immature and places the infant at a high risk of infections. However, they develop immunity and are protected against specific infections because of breast milk. It largely benefits infants as well as mothers, even beyond the lactation period. Breast milk is filled with nutrients required for diminishing morbidity and mortality, which reduces the risk of infections in infants (1).
Breast milk contains elements like antibodies and probiotics, which support your baby’s immune system. When a mother comes in contact with germs, her body produces antibodies to fight off the infection. While breastfeeding, these antibodies are passed on to the baby, protecting them from serious illnesses (2).
New mothers find it hard to deal with breastfeeding. Sometimes, babies take a while to start suckling and latching on to your breasts, which can be quite frustrating. However, your doctor will guide you through the process and ensure it happens smoothly, so do not worry. But during lactation, there are several things that you have to keep in mind to prevent you or your baby from any harm. Here are some of the dos and don’ts of lactation:
1. Birth Control Pills
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There is a lot of debate about this topic. Is it right to take birth control pills during lactation? Does it affect milk production? Is it safe for the baby? While there have been several studies on this topic, research suggests that birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin do not affect milk production (3). However, some other studies saw that milk production was suppressed in high-dose estrogen pills but not to abnormal levels. It was also observed that milk volume was more in women who did not consume any hormonal pills than women who did (4).
2. Over The Counter Medication
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Almost any medication you take will seep into your breast milk. It usually happens in small doses and might not pose a risk to infants. But in some cases, the medicines can become concentrated in breast milk (5). Therefore, every medication dosage should be considered separately and taken only after consulting with your doctor. Even though the quantity that will pass into the breast milk is small, it is recommended that you take medicine only if you have to. Consider alternative therapies and natural remedies before considering medication. If your baby is premature, newborn, or have poorly functioning kidneys, it can be harmful to have even tiny traces of medicine in the breast milk. Therefore, if your baby is younger than 6 months, it is best to avoid taking any form of medicine (6).
3. Feed Your Baby At Night
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You might not want to disturb your baby, who is enjoying their sound sleep. But in the first few months of your baby’s birth, it is important to feed them regularly, mostly to help them gain weight. Babies tend to lose one or two kilos after childbirth. Therefore, until they regain some weight and establish a birth-weight milestone, waking up your baby to feed them is a good practice. Besides, when you feed your baby frequently, it helps you produce more milk and enhance milk supply (7). After the first few months, when your baby has established a feeding pattern, you do not need to feed them at night. However, to keep your lactation levels high, you could schedule pumping time and store the milk to feed your baby later.
Lactation plays an important part in your baby’s life and enhances their growth and development. So this World Breastfeeding Week, let’s share this knowledge with mothers everywhere nurturing their babies every day.
