Breast Feeding V' Bottle

"Breast Feeding gives your baby all the nutrients he/she needs for the first 6 months of life. It helps to protect him/her from infection and other diseases. And it reduces your chances of getting some illnesses later on in life". (Department of Health, (DH)

For the first 4 to 6 months there is rapid growth.

Some of the different dietary Reference Values (DRV's) for lactation;

Vitamins Minerals

Thiamin (+0.2 mg/d) Ca (+550 mg/d)

Riboflavin (+ 0.5 mg/d) P (+440 mg/d)

Niacin (+2 mg/d) Mg (+50 mg/d)

Vit B12 (+0.5 ug/d) Zn (+6.0/2.5 mg/d)

Folate (+60 ug/d)

The nutrients your baby receives in womb, (fetus) and in the first few years has a significant impact on the rest of their live's.

- brain development - depriving a child of nutrition in the fist 5 years is a problem, because your brain can not get the maximum development your brain needs.

Breast milk is complete food and is ideal as the breast milk is easily digested by the baby/infant.

Fatty acids contained in the mothers milk contain long chain fatty acids, essential for brain development

Health benefits for your baby

Successful studies showing strong evidence for child development, cognitive development and essential development with avoiding of critical illnesses found in;

- Gastrointestinal infections; bottle fed infants were 5 times as likely to be developing gastro intestinal illnesses

- Respiratory infections

- Urinary Tract Infections; breastfed babies had significantly lower incidence of acute otitis media at every stage

Breast feeding could have an important role to play in the prevention of other conditions, such as; breast cancer (47 epidemiological studies across 30 countries

Ovarian Cancer (The WHO collaborative study of Neoplasia and steroid contraceptives).

Advice;

Avoid strict reducing diets and

Check weight gain against pre pregnancy weight;

Normal Weight Mothers 24-28 Lbs or 11-13 kg

Obese Mothers <24 Lbs or 11kg

Lean Mothers 30 - 35 Lbs or 13.5 - 16.5 kg