World Breastfeeding Week 2009
by Thilaka Ravi on Jul 31, 2009Advertisement
"Breastfeeding-A Vital Emergency Response. Are you ready?"
World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is officially celebrated from 1-7 August each year in over 120 countries to improve the health of the most vulnerable of world population-babies. World Breastfeeding Week is the greatest outreach program to promote feeding with breast milk which is the ultimate food to safeguard and nourish babies in their formative years.Importance of Breastfeeding
Mothers breastfed their infants for a year and sometimes longer, till the birth of the second child. But these days, due to paucity of time and as a matter of convenience, some mothers choose to shift to powdered, bottled milk as a substitute for breast milk. The crux of the matter here is to popularise breast milk simply because there is just no substitute that can be available for it.Breast Feeding and Problems
One can sight innumerable advantages and benefits of breast-feeding to the mother and the infant. But there are a few inconveniences caused to the feeding mother. In the first few weeks of breast feeding it can be painful and uncomfortable. A woman's nipples may become sore or cracked.Health Animation - Tips for Breast-Feeding
Breast-feeding newborn offers a variety of health benefits. Mothers should initially seek help from a lactation specialist to make sure they know the right breast-feeding technique and also make sure that the baby is latching on properly as it ensures a successful breast-feeding. Keep count of the number of wet diapers per day as this would help to know if the baby is feeding sufficiently or not.Health Animation - Breast Feeding - The Flow
Research spanning many decades and experience of many mothers and babies over the years, have established that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish infants and protect them from illness. The primary benefit of breast milk is nutritional. Breast milk contains about 100 components not found in formula milk.Health Animation - Breast Feeding - Preparation
Different babies have different feeding patterns. Many newborns nurse for about 10 minutes to 20 minutes on each breast. Your baby will let you know when he or she is satiated, by letting go of your breast. Most milk is sucked in during the first 5 minutes to 15 minutes of nursing. Signs that your baby is getting enough milk.Lactation Mastitis
Lactation Mastitis is an acute inflammation or swelling of the mammary gland that may or may not be accompanied by infection. The inflammatory condition of the breast may range from localized inflammation with minimum symptoms to collection of pus (abscess) and septicemia (bacteria in blood). If lactation mastitis is inadequately treated it may lead to severe complications.Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation
Nearly everything taken in by the nursing mother is likely to be found in her milk. Therefore any drug she may be taking will be present in it though its concentration may not affect the baby. Some common drugs, which pass into the milk.Health Calculators - Height 'n' Weight for Children
Height and weight for children can be easily calculated according to their age and sex of the child. The weight is calculated in kilograms and height is calculated in centimeters. The height and weight at each age can range from a lower limit to an upper limit of normal.Health Calculators - Nutritional Assessment
Do you wish to find out if your child is undernourished? It is important to know for a parent if their child is undernourished. The method to assess this state is called Anthropometry. The nutritional status of a child can be used by using parameters like.Advertisement