JSS2: English Language – Exclusive Breast Feeding for Infants

Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with breast milk directly from the female human breasts (i.e. via lactation) rather than from a baby bottle or other container. Babies have a sucking reflex that enables them to suck and swallow milk. Breast milk is made from nutrients in the mother’s bloodstream and bodily stores. Breast milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein needed for a baby’s growth and development. Because breastfeeding uses an average of 500 calories a day, it helps the mother lose weight after giving birth.

          Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is the optimal way of feeding infants. Thereafter, infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond.

To enable mothers to establish and sustain exclusive breastfeeding for six months, WHO and UNICEF recommended:

• Initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of life.
• Exclusive breastfeeding – that is the infant only receives breast milk without any additional food or drink, not even water.
• Breastfeeding on demand – that is as often as the child wants, day and night.
• No use of bottle, teats or pacifiers.

          Breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development, and protects the infant against infections and chronic diseases. Exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant mortality due to common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea or pneumonia, and helps for a quicker recovery during illness.

          Breastfeeding contributes to the health and well-being of mothers; it helps to space children, reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancers, increases family and national resources, is a secure way of feeding, and is safe for the environment.