Feeding is one of the most important
preconditions of child care. To get a beautiful and healthy baby, proper food
is essential. A child takes only liquid food up to the age of two or three
months. Afterwards, it gradually begins to take semi-solid and solid foods.
After birth, mother's milk is the best food for the child. This is particularly
so due to the fact that mother's milk is liquid, easily digestible,nutritious
and suitable for the growth of the child. The necessary elements for the
physical development of a child like protein, carbohydrate, fats, vitamins,
mineral salts and water are present proportionally in mother's milk. So, in
various research and studies it has been found that breast feeding directly and
indirectly benefit both the child and the mother. For its existence, a baby
gets its nourishment from mother's milk. There is no substitute for mother's
milk because the other kinds of milk that we get from cows or goats or tinned
powdered milk cannot ensure resistance and fitness concurrently to the child.
It is only mother's milk that can be termed as a full and complete food.
Properties/merits of
breast milk
● Mother's milk is produced
naturally for the baby. It contains the requisite amount of various growth
elements that are necessary for the development of the child. Iron is present
in breast milk as a mineral and it can be easily absorbed to from blood. As a
result, it protects the child form the adverse effects arising out of iron deficiency.
Vitamin C present in mother's milk in a proportionate way is necessary for the
child. A child reared through mother's milk does not need extra vitamins and
irons.
● Mother's milk is easily
digestible and so there is no scope of constipation. This is because the fatty
materials are present in mother's milk in liquid form and the lactoalbumin
(protein of mother's milk) is also present in it in a maximum quantity and is
easily digested whereas clasein (protein of cow's milk) is not.
● The child's habit of
sucking milk helps to develop the lower part of its face properly.
● Mother's milk is pure as it
is produced inside the mother's body. For this reason, there is no possibility
of germs and bacteria entering into it. This cannot be said with confidence in
case of other sources of milk.
● There is no possibility of
mother's milk getting decomposed. It remains fresh as ever.
● Mother's milk helps to
develop the power of resistance to various diseases and protects the child from
them. The milk that is first produced in mother's breast just after child birth
is known as colostrum. Colostrum appears to be sticky and is yellow in colour.
This contains more protein in it than it does at later stages. Colostrum
produces disease resistant power within the child's body.The protein of milk
that we get from cows generally cause allergies which may lead to eczema and
other types of skin diseases as well as asthma. However, the children receiving
mother's milk up to the age of five to six months are less likely to get such
diseases.
● Mother's milk does not cost
anything. Keeping her mental and physical health intact through regular and
requisite food, a mother can provide sufficient milk to her child. This does
not need any extra expenditure.
● Mother's milk saves both
time and energy and does not require any of these in excess. But this is not
the case of other sources of milk.
● Quite a significant number
of mothers believe that they will be confined to their homes if they do breast
feeding. Although such an idea is partially true, examples against it can be
cited. One of such an example is that during the time of traveling, this habit
of breast feeding makes the journey easy and comfortable to a great extent and
is safe for both the mother and the child. Besides, the mother can easily
breast feed the child at night, too.
● Breast feeding helps both
the mother and the child in attaining emotional fulfillment. It also helps in
the development of interrelationship between the mother and the child in a
better way. A heavenly comfort prevails between the giver and the receiver of
breast milk. The child finds happiness, comfort and assurance within the
mother's lap.
● Breast feeding helps to
develop a sense of security in the child. It has been found that children
reared through breast feeding have less tendency of thumb-sucking. This type of
thumb-sucking is a symbol of insecurity among the children.
● There is a common belief
that a mother will not conceive again so long as she continues breast-feeding
to her child. In other words, it can be said that breast feeding acts as a contraceptive
too.
● Some mothers believe that
breast feeding may harm their physical beauty. But such an idea is wrong.
Moreover, it has been found that the possibility of deadly cancer becomes less
if breast feeding is done.
● The uterus and the abdomen
of the mother return to their normal shape because of breast feeding.
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