10 facts about breastfeeding. A few will surprise you

In order to produce milk, a woman does not need to consume milk or Bavarian. The amount of milk depends on your hormone levels, not the amount and type of fluid you drink. Although, of course, mom should be well-nourished and consume the right amount of fluids throughout the day, it is best to choose low-mineralized spring water (2-3 liters a day).

The first food – the so-called colostrum has shades of yellow. Later, a few days after giving birth, mum’s milk has shades of white, in the first phase of the feeding session it is almost transparent, sometimes bluish, with time, white or yellowish milk (with higher fat content) flows from the breasts. The color depends on the composition of the milk, which also changes during a single feeding.

Breast milk contains tryptophan, melatonin, nucleotides and vitamin B12, ingredients to aid sleep. In addition, the moment when the baby cuddles up against the woman’s breast makes him rest in his mother’s arms. Interestingly, breastfeeding can also make mum sleepy, due to the production of oxytocin during breastfeeding.

Milk is also adapted to the sex of the child. Boys have a higher energy requirement, milk for them contains more fat and protein because they are growing faster than girls. Girl’s milk, on the other hand, contains higher amounts of calcium. Mother’s milk always adapts perfectly to the needs of the baby.

If the baby is older, he can still enjoy the benefits of mum’s milk. Milk for a larger baby is just as valuable as it is for a toddler, it has immune components, vitamins, minerals and the right amount of calories. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of a baby’s life. Then, introduce supplementary meals and continue breastfeeding for up to two years or more.

If mum has been nursing the older baby the entire time she is pregnant, she can still do so after the birth. Mum’s breasts are able to produce milk for both the newborn and his older brother or sister. After contact with the baby’s saliva, the receptors in the nipples already know what milk they will produce. The only thing worth remembering – in the first days after giving birth, it is better to feed your newborn baby first.

The first 1000 days of a child’s life, from conception, is a special time, a proper diet at this stage has an impact on the child’s health now and in the future. The health benefits of breastfeeding for a child include a lower risk of infection, overweight and obesity, and the prevention of lifestyle diseases. Feeding also affects the mother’s health, protects her, among others before developing breast or ovarian cancer.

First, the baby sucks more effectively than the breast pump. Secondly, milk is produced on an ongoing basis while sucking. It is possible that a woman cannot express milk with a breast pump, yet she can latch the baby to the breast and feed it.

This is normal, especially as babies often see their “favorite” breast that they are more likely to eat milk from. As a result, more of it is produced in one breast. This is positive information for mothers who have problems with one of the breasts, they can easily feed their baby.

Mother’s milk has antiseptic properties and can be used to heal irritated or injured nipples. It will also help in the treatment of the child’s skin: cradle cap, chafing, mosquito bites, cuts and scrapes. The gallery was prepared using the information contained on the website of the educational program on breastfeeding www.1000dni.pl