Breast feeding'I think I should breast feed Joanna,' Karen said, as she looked happily at her tiny baby, now a few days old. 'I mean, properly, not for just a week or two like some of my friends, but for as long as I am capable. Is that a good idea?' 'It's an excellent idea,' I replied, and I meant it. 'I am always pleased to hear young mothers opt for this sensible, safe and perfectly natural form of baby care. Breast milk is meant for human babies. Cow's milk, as I've said for years, is great, but it is meant for baby cows.' 'What are the chief advantages of breastfeeding?' Karen asked. 'I know there are lots, but I would like to hear the reasons doctors give.' 'There are many,' I answered. 'The obvious ones are that the milk is just the right consistency for your baby. It is manufactured strictly for her. It contains all the nutritional needs she will have for the first several months. It comes ready made, free from germs, and there is no messy fiddling around with bottles and teats and the need to cleanse, wash and sterilize these. It contains the correct amount of most of the vital vitamins, proteins and other foods the baby needs. It is also manufactured in a form that is acceptable lo her, and does not need modification or diluting or anything else. The temperature is just right. And as one proud father once said with a sigh, "it comes in very attractive containers, too".' 'Isn't breast milk supposed to contain protective chemicals?' Karen cut in. 'I've heard that breast-fed babies are less likely to develop certain illnesses.' That's true. It contains special products called antibodies, and these can guard against certain potentially serious infections. It is well known that gastric infections, sometimes life imperilling, seem much less common in breast-fed babies. 'This is sometimes because germs are present in milk. Keeping milk is sometimes difficult, especially if there is inadequate refrigeration during hot summer weather. Germs causing gastric: upsets breed rapidly in milk products in the heat. These were once a serious cause of death for babies, though happily not so commonly seen today. But it is still a plus for breast feeding, because no special storage or refrigeration is needed. 'What's more, it is claimed by many doctors that "cot deaths" are less likely in breast-fed babies. Nobody knows what causes this terrible condition. The baby simply dies in his sleep, even though he appeared quite well when put to bed. It occurs during the first six months of life. It is not common, but still, many babies die.' 'Don't you agree that a mother can get closer to her baby if she is actively breast feeding her?' *7\87\2* General Health «Canada Online Pharmacy» |
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