BREASTFEEDING

It is important for new moms to breastfeed their babies rather than give them milk from bottles. This means to keep our babies immunity factor from any diseases during their growth. When the baby is applied to the breast for the first time, it must be nursed upon a certain plan. It is required for the well doing of the baby, and will contribute essentially to maintain the health of the mother, who will result a good nurse, and at the same time she shall enjoy her duty.

However, the mother who gives a careful attention on this part to her own health because considering her child is essentially dependent upon it. Healthy, nourishing, and digestible milk can be procured only from a healthy parent. On the other side, if a mother impairs her health and digestion by improper diet, ignoring exercise, and impure air, she will provide as wholesome and uncontaminated fluid for her infant. So she should diligently concerned to these important points. Every example of reluctance in nursing is liable to affect the baby.

In west culture, it is a common mistake to opine that, because a woman is nursing, she should therefore to live very fully, and to bring an allowance of wine, porter, or other fermented liquor, to her usual diet. But as a result, it caused an unnatural level of fullness in the system, which places the breastfeeding on the brink of disease, and which of itself frequently puts a stop to the secretion of the milk, instead of increasing it. The right step of proceeding is clearly, just give attention to the ordinary laws of health, and moms ought to have a sound constitution for making a better nurse, than by any foolish deviation of ignorance and unreasonable impulse.

The following example proves the correctness of this statement:

A new mom confined with her first child, left the lying-in room at the expiration of the third week, a good nurse, and had a perfect health. She had got some slight trouble with her nipples, but it was overcome shortly.

Now the porter system was begun, and from a pint to a pint, a half of this drink was taken in four and twenty hours. It was happened not because there was any deficiency in the supply of milk, for it was ample, and the infant thriving upon it; but because she was told that it was usual and necessary in nursing, and that without it her milk and strength would go bad.

After this program had been followed, just in a few days mom became drowsy and disposed to sleep in the daytime. Headache, thirst, a hot skin, in fact, fever supervened; the milk decreased in quantity, then the stomach and bowels of the baby became disordered for the first time. The porter had consistently to be left off, remedial measures were prescribed and all symptoms, both mom and baby, were after a while removed, and health restored.

From an advice from her former about dietetic plan, that becoming a mother, it is a habitual to take a glass or two of wine, and occasionally a tumbler of table beer, but with the addition of half a pint of barley-milk morning and night. Both parent and child kept going in excellent health on the remaining period of breastfeeding, and the latter did not taste artificial food until the ninth month, the parent's milk being all-sufficient for its wants.

No doubt that the porter was in this case the root of the mischief. The patient had gone into the lying-in-room in full health, got a good time, came out from her bedroom, comparatively as strong as she entered it. Recurred childbearing had not previously worn them down and nursing, she had an ample supply of milk, and was fully capable. Therefore, by doing the duties which now passed upon her, without repairing to any unusual stimulant. Her previous habits were fully adopted the plan, her system became too full, disease was produced, and as a result there was nothing more than what might be expected.

The program was adopted for the first six months. It may not be until the second or third day the breast-milk is fully established (almost invariably in a first confinement). The baby must be fed upon a little thin gruel, or upon one-third water and two-thirds milk, sweetened with sugar loaf.

The breast must obtain its nourishment, and for a week or ten days the appetite of the infant must be the mother's guide, as to the frequency in breastfeeding. The stomach at birth is feeble, and so far unaccustomed to food, hence, are easily fulfilled, but they are frequently renewed. However sufficient for digesting the little swallowed, is obtained before the appetite revives, and a fresh supply is needed.

From the first day of suckling, it must be done with safety. Then nursing the infant at regular intervals of three or four hours, day and night. It allows sufficient time for each meal to be digested, and inclines to keep the bowels of the child in order. Moreover, this regularity will do much to eliminate fretfulness, and also the constant cry that could be managed only by constantly putting the child to the breast. A young mom very frequently encounters a serious error in this detail, considering every expression of uneasiness as an indication of appetite. Also whenever the baby cries offering it the breast, although ten minutes since its last meal may not have elapsed. It is a harmful and even dangerous practice for, by overloading the stomach, the food remains undigested; the child's bowels are always out of order. It shall become restless and feverish, and eventually maybe lost. The infant might have become healthy and vigorous by simply practicing to the above rules of breastfeeding.

For the same reason, the baby who sleeps with its parent must not be allowed to have the nipple remaining in its mouth all night. If nursed as suggested, it will be found to awaken, when the hour for its meal approaches, with great regularity. When doing a night nursing, it is suggested to breastfeed the infant as late as ten o'clock p. m., and not putting it to the breast again until five o'clock the next morning. Many moms have adopted this step, with great advantage to their own health, and without disappointing the child. After it soon becomes a habit, however it must be taught early to induce it.

The foregoing program without variation, must be followed to the sixth month.

To the time of weaning after the sixth month, if the parent has a large supply of good and nourishing milk, and her child is healthy and apparently flourishing upon it, no change in its diet ought to be made. If otherwise, however the child may be fed twice in the course of the day and that kind of food chosen which is found to agree best after a little trial.