The period between 1-7 October is considered "Breastfeeding Week". Breast milk, the first food that babies encounter, is truly a miraculous food with its content and benefits. Despite this, today some mothers may avoid breastfeeding due to psychological, physical and sociological factors. The World Health Organization recommends that babies be breastfed for the first 6 months. In our country, the rate of babies receiving breast milk for the first 6 months is only 9.5%. However, breast milk provides the emotional bond between the baby and the mother and plays an important role in maintaining the baby's development and health.
In addition to providing immunological development, breast milk has a nutritional pattern that will meet all the needs of the baby. The thick milk in the first 4-5 days immediately after birth is called "colostrum" and is defined as the baby's first vaccination. Vitamins A, D, E and K in colostrum are 5 times more than in mature milk. In addition, it contains more selenium, sodium, zinc minerals and vitamin B12.
5. Breast milk between day 1 and day 15 is called transitional milk. After the 15th day, breast milk reaches the mature milk structure. Mature breast milk is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and thus plays a very important role in the baby's brain development. According to a study conducted in America, breast milk protects the baby against infectious diseases. In addition, it has been observed that the risk of obesity in the future is lower in children fed with breast milk.
In addition to the benefits it provides to the baby, breast milk also creates great effects on the mother's life. It has been observed that the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer in the future is lower in breastfeeding women than in non-breastfeeding mothers. At the same time, it has been proven by research that the risk of osteoporosis in breastfeeding mothers is less in the post-menopausal period.
WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE MOTHER'S DIET DURING THE BREASTFEEDING PERIOD?
The nutritional content of breast milk is directly affected by the mother's diet. In particular, the mother's protein and fat consumption is directly reflected in milk. Therefore, the mother's adequate protein intake and the fat pattern of her diet are very important. Consuming oily fish 2 days a week increases the omega-3 content of breast milk. river. Omega 3 fatty acid plays an important role for the mental development of the baby.
Some vitamin deficiencies may occur in the mother during breastfeeding. Especially the need for vitamins A, E and C increases during this period. For this reason, yellow, orange and green fruits and vegetables should not be included in the mother's diet. Vegetable oils should be used in meals.
During breastfeeding, the mother spends extra energy. While breast milk is secreted, nutrients are provided from the mother's diet and stores. For this reason, the mother's energy deficit must be replaced and her stores must be filled. Otherwise, some health problems may develop in the mother due to nutrient deficiency.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO INCREASE BREAST MILK?
A healthy mother secretes 700-800 ml of milk per day. The most effective method to increase breast milk is to drink plenty of water. However, excessive water consumption can affect the composition of milk. Therefore, it is necessary to drink 3-3.5 liters of water a day. Breastfeeding the baby immediately after birth directly affects the amount of milk. Apart from this, breastfeeding the baby whenever it wants and performing breastfeeding correctly are also situations that increase breast milk. At the same time, the mother's psychological state directly affects the amount of milk. The biggest reason for stopping breastfeeding is that the mother thinks that she is not enough for her baby. It should not be forgotten that adequate milk secretion is affected by the age of the mother.
Nowadays, there are some traditional methods that are accepted to increase breast milk, especially in rural areas. The most common of these are herbal drinks such as linden, nettle tea, fennel and sage. There is no scientific evidence that these herbal teas increase breast milk, and their mechanisms are unknown. Especially teas sold openly and of unknown origin should definitely not be the choice of mothers.
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