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  • Title: The first weeks of breast feeding.
    Author: King FS.
    Journal: IPPF Med Bull; 1984 Oct; 18(5):2-3. PubMed ID: 12266544.
    Abstract:
    The 2 main causes of the contemporary epidemic of breastfeeding failure appear to be urban life and hospital delivery. In rural areas, the majority of mothers breastfeed successfully. They have much emotional support from experienced women around them, and although some women experience problems, traditional birth attendants are skilled at both preventing and overcoming them. In town, a woman may be surrounded only by young friends as inexperienced as herself and a husband who is impatient of a crying infant. The most obvious solution to any difficulty is a feeding bottle which she can see many modern people using, including some health workers. Hospital delivery contributes to lactation failure by separating the mother and baby to allow them both to "rest," yet mothers who are separated from their babies for even 12 hours stop breastfeeding sooner than mothers who put their baby to the breast immediately after delivery. Possibly the emotional bonding that occurs during the 1st few hours gives a mother the motivation that she needs to persist with breastfeeding when it becomes difficult. In most societies it is customary to let the baby breastfeed immediately, and many traditional birth attendants are aware of how this helps both to stop uterine bleeding and to promote a better flow of milk. In hospitals a baby may be given feeds of formula milk or glucose water, while he/she "waits" for mother's milk to come in. Prelacteal feeds fill a baby's stomach, reduce his/her appetite, and make the baby less willing to suck at the breast. This delays the onset of lactation and increases the dangers of engorgement. If a baby is given his/her prelacteal feeds (or later feeds) from a bottle with a rubber teat, he/she is likely to develop "nipple confusion" and to fail to suck effectively from his/her mother. If hospitals are to be places in which babies may start to feed safely, the staff should let a mother suckle her baby immediately after delivery, and they should let her keep the baby with her and demand feed from the start. The majority of early breastfeeding problems are trivial and are easily if there is someone nearby who knows. Health service administrators should arrange for mothers to have care near home soon after delivery.
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