Medical Questions & Answers » child health

Brest freeding essentiality

medicalquestions — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:00:43 +0000

Question: Is breast feeding absolutely essential? Can one give top milk or powder formula available in tins, immediately after birth?
The newborn babe must be breast fed. Mother and child who have to turn to any other milk are unfortunate indeed. Mother’s milk is custom-designed by Nature for her child, just as cow and buffalo milk is meant for their respective young ones. Providing food and nourishment is not the only function of breast feeding. It is advantageous to both mother and child. The child feels secure and fulfilled. The touch is as comforting as the food is nourishing. The mother is similarly affected. Physical proximity lays the foundation for a unique bond. A mother who can feed her child acquires confidence. Not only this, she is also gratified about the success of her motherhood. This feeling of satisfaction plays a positive role in moulding the future mental make-up of the child. Breast milk is not just a mixture of protein, sugar and fat but contains the same percentage of white blood cells as is present in the blood. This reduces the danger from infection and viruses and helps to ward off diarrhea, cough, fever and other illnesses. A suckling child is less likely to suffer from ailments like skin diseases, allergies and breathlessness (asthma). The warmth of bodily contact and the magic touch help to create the bond of intimacy between mother and child.

Position while breast feeding

medicalquestions — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:00:18 +0000

Question: Should the mother adopt a sitting or sleeping position while breast feeding?
Feeding while lying down and turning over on one side is fairly prevalent in many villages. In the south, there is great insistence on the lying-down posture. The mother is not allowed to sit up and feed. However, it is wise to adopt a sitting position right from the word go. For the first 1-1/2-2 months, the baby’s body is soft and supple and easily bent. The mother should sit comfortably on the floor or the bed with legs crossed and with the support of a cushion. To hold the baby at breast :
(a) Place a pillow in your lap.
(b) Keep the child on a small quilt and lift him towards the breast.
(c) Support the head with the crook of your arm and make sure the body inclines downwards from the head.
(d) Direct the nipple to the child’s mouth.
At around 3 months, the child’s body gets heavier and firmer and is, therefore, easier to handle. The pillow is no longer needed. The mother can sit in a chair and feed the baby.
If the mother wishes to lie down and feed the baby, she must use a pillow, turn on her side and incline her body towards the child. The baby’s head should rest in the crook of her arm. The other hand should hold and direct the breast towards the baby’s lips. Immediately after a feed, the child should be held upright with the head resting on Mama’s shoulder and be made to burp. Hold the child until it burps. This is to prevent vomiting. During breast feeding a little air does enter the stomach. Burping is necessary to get rid of this air.

Breast feeding mothers diet

medicalquestions — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:00:14 +0000

Question: How does the mother’s diet affect breast milk?
In a majority of cases, the child gets maximum nutrition from its mother. Although all these nutritive elements may not be present in the mother’s meal, her milk usually contains everything that is present in the milk of a relatively better fed mother. However, a mother who consumes more fatty food is likely to have a greater percentage of fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E) in her milk than the lesser nourished mother. Medicines also enter the milk. Small doses do not have adverse effects but if the mother has to be on long-term medication, she should consult her doctor about the advisability of breast feeding.

Feeding a child by both breasts

medicalquestions — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:00:07 +0000

Question: Is it necessary to feed the child at both breasts? How long should a feed last?
Whether or not both breasts must be emptied while feeding, will depend on the child’s hunger and the amount of milk. If the milk is flowing adequately, the child may be satisfied with a feed from just one breast. If not, the child may wish to continue sucking and appears to ask for more. It should be put to the other breast immediately. A child is usually satisfied after 10 minutes at each breast. Some babies seem to suck greedily and quickly swallow the milk like little gluttons. Their hunger is appeased in less than 10 minutes.
If, even after feeding for 20-25 minutes, the child appears dissatisfied and hungry or continues to make sucking sounds or cries at being parted from the nipple, you may presume that lactation is inadequate. Do not be tempted to start on top milk in such a case. Rather, increase the frequency of breast feeds. The frequency of sucking and the periodic emptying of breasts facilitate the flow of milk. Instead of keeping the child for a long time at the breast and giving widely spaced feeds, reduce the interval between the feeds, making them shorter and more frequent. This serves the dual purpose of fulfilling the child and increasing the flow of milk.

Lactating mother diet

medicalquestions — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:00:45 +0000

Question: Is a special diet necessary for the lactating mother? Is there anything particularly harmful?
It is not necessary for a lactating mother to have a special diet. An ordinary, middle-class vegetarian meal with the daily consumption of 3 glasses of milk is good for the health of both, the feeding mother and her sucking infant. Various communities all over the world are rife with superstitions and beliefs regarding food requirements of delivery and breast feeding — avoid sour food, take less ghee, take more ghee, avoid cold drinks and many others. Certain substances in the mother’s diet enter the milk and thereby reach the child’s stomach. Keeping this in mind, it is beneficial to take dill seeds, bishopweed seeds, garlic and dry ginger over and above regular meals. These, indirectly exert a good influence on the child as well.
Any food which causes indigestion and gas or does not suit the mother’s system may, similarly affect the child and, cause diarrhea, stomach ache, cold and other ailments.
In short, a routine, square meal with fair amounts of pulses and vegetables, in addition to adequate consumption of milk ensure proper lactation and prevents weakness. It is the practice in many families to give porridge, gruel and similar preparations to the feeding mother. It’s fine to take these if possible. Remember, any medicine taken is going to reach the child in greater or lesser proportion and should not be taken without medical advice.

Milk Bank

medicalquestions — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:00:36 +0000

Question: What is meant by a milk bank?
It is the practice in many hospitals to store excess breast milk in sterilized glass bottles and preserve it in a refrigerator.
A mother who has delivered a still-born child may add her milk to this store. Mothers who need to extract excess milk before feeding the child so as to prevent hardening and engorgement of the breasts may also similarly donate the extra milk. Just as extra money is saved in the bank, so extra milk may be stored in a milk bank.
A mother who does not lactate satisfactorily or is in a serious condition following a Caesarean or for any other reason, or has undergone sterilization surgery simultaneously with the delivery could, instead of taking recourse to top milk (cow milk, buffalo milk or milk powders) give human milk stored in the “bank”. This milk can also be given to premature babies or very weak infants who need to be tube-fed.

Care at Birth

medicalquestions — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:40:41 +0000

As soon as the head of the infant is delivered, wipe its eyes clean with sterile saline. Maintain its head lower than the body to allow drainage of mouth secretions and keep the infant lower than the mother until the cord is cut. This way the baby will get more blood and will be stronger.
• Suck infant’s throat with sterile catheter.
• At birth the cord pulsates and it, is fat and blue, wait till it becomes thin and white and stops pulsating.
• Clamp the cord between two artery forceps and cut it with sterile scissors or tie it in two places with ribbon and cut between the ties with clean unused razor blade under aseptic precautions. Always cut cord close to the body of the baby, leaving about 2 cm attached to the abdominal wall. Cover the cut end of the cord with clean beta dine soaked swale on Tincture Benzoicco.
• Baby should cry immediately if its condition is satisfactory. If it does not, it might need resuscitation. Rub his back with towel or a cloth. If still does not breathe then suck the mucus from nose and mouth with suction or clean cloth wrapped around your finger. If he does not breathe within one minute, then start mouth to mouth breathing at once. When spontaneous breathing is established, place infant in a prewarmed cot with head one side tilted down to allow drainage of secretions from respiratory tract. In many hospitals all infants are given one dose of 1 mg of vit. K to prevent hemorrhagic disease of new born but remember, if you give milk in higher doses it can lead to severe jaundice.

Vomiting in the newborn

medicalquestions — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:35:39 +0000

The vomiting in newborn babies is common. It may be caused by conditions ranging from merely trivial to life threatening. The cause of vomiting is easily diagnosed from correct history, physical examination and performing few investigations. Many infants are required to be admitted in the hospital for close observations in order to save them from severe dehydration. The conditions which lead to vomiting in neonates are grouped under medical or surgical causes.

Newborn Behavior

medicalquestions — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:30:53 +0000

If you concentrate on your baby and observe him carefully over the first two or three days of life you will become familiar with normal infant behavior and will get accustomed to your baby’s idiosyncrasies. It is essential that you learn to understand your baby’s signals to you, and the only way to do this is to stay with him as much as possible, to watch him, nurse him, play with and look after him.
If you watch him closely you may notice that he does several unexpected things: he may shiver quite suddenly for no reason; he may make such snuffling noises that you wonder if his nose and air passages are blocked; he may even stop breathing all together for several seconds. None of these is abnormal.