Fortis Hospital, Mohali Super Speciality in Heart
Sector 62, Phase - VIII
Mohali - 160 062 Punjab, India
Tel: 91-172-5096222
91-172-5096400
Fax: 91-172-5096221
Emergency No
91-172-5096700
What's New
Breast-feeding good for both newborn, mother: Doctor
Chandigarh Tribune
6th August 2007
Mohali
"Breast-feeding helps mother lose 500 calories per day and protect the new-born baby form bronchitis, ear infections, pneumonia, diarrhoea and urinary tract infections besides boosting the IQ of the baby." This was stated by Dr.Swapna Misra, obstetrician and gynaecologist, Fortis Hospital, in a communication sent to members of health clubs in the tri-city by the hospital as part of the International Breast-feeding Week, which ends on August 7th.
According to Dr.Misra, "For both mother and baby any bit of breast milk helps, but more is always better. Breast-feeding protects the mother from developing cancer and bone disorders and reduces the fat deposit that has accumulated during pregnancy.
"The colostrum that a baby receives during his first days of nursing provides immediate benefits. The American Academy of paediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months, followed by breast-feeding in conjunction with iron-rich foods until the first birthday." she added.
Citing statistics, Dr.Misra said: "It has been researched that babies who are not breast-feeding have an 80 percent increased risk of developing diarrhoea and a 70 percent increased risk of developing ear infection. Important long-term benefits include a reduced risk for asthma, allergies, childhood obesity and some childhood cancers. Data shows clearly that if an infant is exclusively breast-fed for four months, the probability of childhood-onset diabetes is greatly reduced."
Dr.Misra said, "Combining working and breast-feeding sound much easier than done. It can be difficult for a breast-feeding mother to leave her baby for more than a couple of hours as no one else can feed the baby unless she leaves expressed milk. Also some women may find breast-feeding painful, stressful and tiring. Nevertheless, considering the endless benefits, it offers to both baby and as well as the mother, breast-feeding is surely worth considering." She opined.
Tips for Mothers
Commit to breast-feeding your child, no matter what.
Nurse within and hour of delivery.
Let the baby take a good grip of nipple while sucking.
Make baby stay in your room even after the C-section, unless separation is indicated.
Establish a good milk supply by letting your baby nurse whenever she/he wants.
Eat nutritious meals, take adequate milk and get adequate sleep.
Take pain medication.
Do not use bottles for at least two weeks after delivery or else baby will have nipple confusion.
If newborn wets six-eight diapers/day and three stools she is getting enough to eat. Consult Paediatrician for weight check.
Get help from obstetrician in case of problems in breast-feeding.
Milk Enhances Immunity
A seminar was held at in Mata Kaushalya Government Hospital on the Occasion of "World Breast-feeding Week", here yesterday.
The theme this year is "Support women to save babies."
Child Specialist Dr.Anoop Modi, while addressing the seminar, said mother's milk enhanced the immunity of the babies against infection.
Medical Superintendent Dr.D.S.Gill said breastfeeding helped the baby recognize the mother's smell and enhanced the emotional bonding.
