BREAST FEEDING

Breast Feeding

Breast Feeding

Introduction

Breastfeeding behaviors are neither clearly defined nor consistently operationalized in much of the literature. Some studies of feeding practices define breastfeeding as exclusive (infants receive only human milk, with no water, other liquids, or solids), others permit water to be included in 'exclusive' breastfeeding, and others allow any amount of human milk to constitute the equivalent of 'breastfeeding,' even if human milk substitutes (HMS, also referred to as 'formula') or other liquids and solids are also part of the child's diet (Apple, 1987, 10).

Initiation Of Breast Feeding In The Postnatal Period

Some studies define successful initiation of breastfeeding as having 'ever breastfed,' even just once, while others require that breastfeeding lasts a specific number of days or weeks to meet the criteria for successful initiation, and others fail to define how 'breastfeeding' is measured. Another consideration is the way in which the milk is being given, and whether the child is fed directly from the breast or fed human milk from a bottle (Avishai,2007).

Continuation Of Breast Feeding

Inconsistent definitions of breastfeeding make it difficult to compare and interpret study findings. Additionally, carefully identifying when and why women discontinue exclusive breastfeeding may permit development of specific interventions to prevent untimely weaning. Women who discontinue exclusive breastfeeding in the first week postpartum may have experienced feeding technique difficulties, whereas women who stop exclusively breastfeeding later may do so because they are returning to work or school and have no place to express their milk. Different strategies are needed to address each of these situations (Wolf, 2007, 95).

Role Of The Midwife/ Nurse

One of the most important factors in promoting infant health is breastfeeding, which provides strong health protections for infants and has the advantage of being more convenient than bottle feeding. In developing countries, young children are often breastfed for extended periods because breast milk is their primary source of nutrition (Avishai, 2007, 135). Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) encourage breast feeding for at least two years. In industrialized nations, most infants are weaned by the end of the first year of life, if not sooner (World Health Organization, 2002, 70). Breastfeeding rates are as high as 98 percent in countries such as Sweden and Norway where government policies encourage the practice. In the United States, 70.0 percent of women breastfeed newborns, but only 36.2 percent continue breastfeeding until the baby is 6 months old. Working mothers (such as Susan in this case) who choose to can use a breast pump to express breast milk to be fed to infants by other caregivers. Solid foods are introduced as instructed by pediatricians, beginning with cereals and progressing to vegetables, fruit, and meats. Only one new food should be introduced at a time to make it easier to identify allergies that may develop and to determine whether certain foods can be tolerated by individual infants (Bartlett, 2005, 85). By 8 to 12 months, infants may eat soft or pureed table ...