After giving birth, mothers are strongly advised to breastfeed their babies. Not just for food and drink, but breast milk and breastfeeding provide a myriad of benefits for babies and mothers alike. Let's refresh our memory with a glimpse of information about ASI.
What is breast milk?
Mother's Milk (ASI) is a liquid produced by the mammary glands of the mother since she was carrying her little one. Breast milk is perfectly designed to meet a baby's needs. Breast milk can satisfy the baby's thirst and hunger. Breast milk from mothers who have just given birth is different from breast milk from babies who are 3 months old. Breast milk from babies born at full term is different in composition from breast milk from premature babies. Breast milk changes from time to time according to the needs of the Little One. Breast milk is suitable for healthy babies, and for babies who are sick.
The milk that comes out in the first few minutes of breastfeeding is different from that that comes out in the last minutes of one breastfeeding session. When a mother hasn't breastfed for several hours and her breasts are full, the milk that comes out in the first minutes contains a lot of water, then slowly its composition changes to become thicker and contains more protein, carbohydrates, fat, and so on. Because of that, mothers are advised to finish one breast first before offering the other breast, so that the baby gets everything he needs, both fluids and other nutrients.
What are the benefits of breastfeeding?
Mothers who have just given birth and then breastfeed their babies, their uterus will return to its non-pregnant state more quickly. Breastfeeding saves the mother because the baby's suction stimulates the mother's uterus to contract, helping the bleeding to stop quickly and the uterus to quickly return to its original size. In the long term, mothers will also be protected from many diseases such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, osteoporosis, and
others. Breast milk is also psychologically beneficial for the mother.
For babies, breast milk provides a lot of protection. Breast milk protects babies through living cells and active substances that make babies strong from exposure to germs, which are difficult for formula milk to replicate.
In addition to infectious diseases, breast milk also reduces the risk of allergies and various cancers in childhood. The baby's brain cells will be more optimal when he is breastfed thanks to the nutrition from breast milk and from the touch and hugs he gets when he is breastfed. Babies also reduce the risk of obesity thereby reducing the risk of various obesity-related diseases.
How to make breast milk have optimal content?
Our body will try to make the best breast milk. Mothers who are adequately nourished and mothers whose nutrition is moderately breastfed can be just as good. If something is lacking in the mother's nutrition, the body will take it from the substances in the mother's body. Therefore, mothers need to eat balanced nutrition so that babies and mothers are both healthy. Poorly nourished mothers may experience reduced milk production
than it should. Eating nutritious food needs to be done by the mother before pregnancy so that the baby's growth is optimal from the start.
If the mother is sick, the mother's milk contains antibodies from the mother's disease which can be transferred to the baby, so it is generally recommended that mothers continue to breastfeed. Diseases have different modes of transmission, generally transmission of disease from mother to baby can be prevented by keeping the mother's hands clean and the tools used to feed the baby, using a mask will prevent transmission when the mother's disease is transmitted through splashes of saliva. There are some maternal diseases that can limit the mother's freedom to breastfeed, for example mothers with HIV, or mothers suffering from diseases that require very strong drugs.
When the mother works, the mother can continue to provide breast milk. Mothers can pump breast milk at work and give it to the baby when the mother is not at home. Continuing to breastfeed when the mother is at home, including at night, will help maintain the mother's milk production. Paying attention to how to express/pump breast milk and how to store it will help the breast milk to remain optimal even though it is being expressed.
How to get breast milk out smoothly?
Various ways can be done to expedite the production of breast milk. Understanding how to position the baby comfortably at the breast and management of breastfeeding is very important. Likewise with eating nutritious food and getting enough rest and good stress management. Breast milk boosters might help.
Apart from that, there is a fun way to try, namely oxytocin massage. Oxytocin massage can be done after the mother gives birth, the point is to provoke the oxytocin hormone which makes it easier for milk to flow from the breast. This hormone is also known as the love hormone because it makes you happy, and it is also the hormone that makes the mother's uterus contract and stops postpartum bleeding.
When and how do you give breast milk to your baby?
Mothers who deliver babies by normal means or caesarean section will generally be given the opportunity to breastfeed the baby in the first hour. Use this golden opportunity to train your baby to suckle. On the mother's chest, the baby will actively reflexively look for its food source.
After two hours the baby will usually fall asleep long enough. Breastfeeding immediately in the first hour is one that reduces newborn mortality.
If the mother is comfortable, happy and happy, the mother's milk will flow more smoothly. Positioning the baby so that he can latch on easily will also make it easier for the baby to get milk. A good position is when the mother supports the baby's entire body so that he feels safe and comfortable, the baby's body is in a straight line so that his neck does not turn when drinking, the baby's body is held very close to the mother so that the breast can enter deep enough into his mouth.
Like adult humans, babies have a natural instinct to survive. Among them when he needs nutrition he will feel hungry and look for food. If the mother recognizes the baby's hunger signs and responds to these signs by breastfeeding, the baby will get enough nutrition and grow healthy and strong. A hungry baby will make movements for the nipple, make small sounds, put his hand in his mouth, then when he is very hungry he will cry. It is very important to feed the baby according to his hunger signals before he cries. That's the recommended breastfeeding schedule, by breastfeeding as the baby pleases. We'll know when he's full as he lets go of his own breasts, falls asleep, looks satisfied, and is growing well. Monitoring their weight in the early weeks of life and every month will help us ensure that the baby is getting enough nutrition.
The world body recommends that babies only get breast milk for up to 6 months, after which they need to be supplemented with quality complementary foods, while continuing to breastfeed until at least two years or more.
After knowing everything about breast milk and breastfeeding, of course we don't hesitate to make sure the baby gets the best food for him. Some mothers may meet with a few challenges, but statistics say 98% of breastfeeding problems can be overcome if assisted by trained breastfeeding personnel.
Written by dr. Fitra Sukrita Irsal, IBCLC (Breastfeeding Counselor at EMC Sentul Hospital) .