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If you are having a child,
breastfeeding is the best give that you can give to your child. Here is some
information that will be helpful to you:
The
human breast
The
human breast, like most other parts of the human body, is a miracle of
adaptation to a specific purpose. At puberty, around ten to fourteen years old,
the breasts enlarge and grow into their adult size and shape. The size is very
dependent on the amount of fatty tissue in the breast. Embedded in this fatty
tissue are the milk-secreting glands. It is untrue that small breasts (which
merely have less fatty tissue) preclude the ability to breastfeed. The ducts
from the glands join together to form the lactiferous (milk-bearing) ducts which
then open on to the surface of the nipple. The size and shape of the nipple is
of great importance to the success of breastfeeding. Ideally the nipple should
be long and erect enough to reach to the back of the roof of the baby's mouth.
The nipple itself is surrounded by a darker area of specialized tissue, known as
the areola. The pressure of the baby's lips on this areola squeezes the milk
into his mouth from the lactiferous ducts just under the areola.
Colostrum
Colostrum is secreted during the first day or two following a baby's birth. It
has a high protein content, and also supplies the baby with valuable antibodies
to any disease which the mother and baby begin a life-long acquaintance, this
reason many doctors and midwives encourage mothers to put their babies briefly
to the breast soon after birth. At the same time the mother and baby begin a
life-long acquantance, and the essential bonding gets off to a good start. A
mother's breasts continue to secrete colostrum for forty-eight to seventy-two
hours after the birth. Then, under the action of hormonal changes in the body,
the milk begins to come in.
Milk
Production
Quite
unlike the yellowish, creamy color of cow's milk, breast milk is rather watery
looking and of a bluish color. It is, however, exactly tailored to a baby's
needs.
'Draught reflex'
As the
milk comes into the breasts before each feed you will often be aware of a
tingling sensation around the areola, and milk will sometimes leak from the
breasts. This is a reflex action—under the influence of a hormone —known as the
'draught' or let-down' reflex.
'After
Pains'
When nursing newborn in the early days
after baby's birth, you
may be aware of cramping pains in the lower part of your tummy. These are known
as 'after pains' and are due to a further action of the hormone, oxytocin, which
causes the draught reflex. Under the action of oxytocin, the womb contracts down
to its normal pre-pregnancy size. |