Experts stress importance of ‘demand feeding' of newborn babies

The Hindu

a day ago

As part of various initiatives during the week-long celebration of World Breastfeeding Week recently, neonatologists and nurses have reiterated the importance of 'demand feeding' of newborn babies.
One of the central messages being propagated among expectant women and lactating mothers during this year's celebrations on the theme 'Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems,' is about picking up the baby's 'hunger cues'.
'Mothers should not wait to feed the baby until the baby cries; rather it is important to identify the early hunger cues and feed the baby,' said Manjubala Dash, professor of Nursing at the State-run Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences and national trainer for the Mothers' Absolute Affection-Infant and Young Child Feeding MAA/IYCF programme of the National Health Mission.
The signs of a baby's nourishment need have been classified as 'early cues' (stirring, mouth opening, turning head), 'mid cues' (stretching, increasing movement) and late cues (crying). 'Ideally, the child should be fed before it cries. Each mother needs to know about demand feeding', Ms. Dash said.
Neonatologists at Jipmer reiterate the importance of sustained awareness campaign on the critical importance of newborns being exclusively breastfed for the first six months and of breastfeeding being continued till the child is two years of age.
They cite the National Survey (NFHS-5) which found that only 41% of infants in India were breastfed within one hour of birth and only 64% were exclusively breastfed for six months.
Jipmer's Nursing department was joined by departments of Neonatology, Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynaecology as well as the College of Nursing to organise various programmes to raise awareness on breastfeeding.
Beginning with a rally flagged off by Vir Singh Negi, Jipmer Director, volunteers presented 'villu pattu', role plays, posters and artwork centred on breastfeeding through the week. Useful information regarding importance of breastfeeding and essential newborn care was imparted to the postnatal mothers. For mothers too, breastfeeding prevents the occurrence of breastcancer and ovarian cancers.
According to Jipmer doctors, breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition. Breastmilk contains the ideal ratio of nutrients and minerals and has immuno-protective properties that shield the infant from diarrhoea, pneumonia and ear infection. Optimal nutrition during the first two years of a child's life is crucial, as it lowers morbidity and mortality, reduces the risk of chronic diseases and fosters better neurodevelopment.
In fact, according to a recent Lancet series, breastmilk helps to prevent all forms of malnutrition, ensures food security for infants and young children, and thus helps to bring people and nations out of the hunger and poverty cycle.
Doctors also cautioned about breast-milk substitutes flooding the market and threatening to undermine efforts to improve breastfeeding rates and duration worldwide. Cow's milk, gripe water, formula feeds and bottle-feeding are harmful to newborns and should not be given, they said.
Doctors felt that in addition to increasing adoption of breastfeeding practices through awareness drives, it was also imperative for State-led policy actions, including implementation and oversight of national maternity protection laws.
Employers should create breastfeeding-friendly policies and spaces, sanction adequate paid maternity leave and set up clean, private, and well-equipped lactation rooms where mothers can breastfeed /express milk comfortably, introduce breastfeeding breaks for the working mother and have a creche facility.