Breastfeeding and early childhood care will provide the child both food and emotional development, which are necessary ingredients in all human relationships.
Breastfeeding and adequate early childhood care have been described as practical parenting skills that would offer long term solution to the perennial problem of poor human capital development in the country.
Speaking in an interview recently, Project Coordinator, Colostrum International Dr (Mrs.) Bunmi Ogundinmu, said if breastfeeding and adequate early childhood care were conscientiously and consistently practiced, in another twenty to thirty years , Nigeria would begin to reap the benefits of the milk of human kindness .
“Our human relationships will be more qualitative , more productive and more responsive .Our identity would then begin to speak more of our, yours and theirs, rather than the present me, myself and mine. Then Nigeria of the future will emerge where truth and justice will reign.’’ She added.
Explaining further, the medical practitioner observed that the apathy for breastfeeding is partly responsible for most of the social ills that are negatively impacting on our collective prosperity index.
Breastfeeding, she also said, is known to provide the child with both food and emotional development, which according to her, are the most necessary ingredients in all human relationships.
She frowned at mothers who do not adequately breastfeed their children because they do not want their breasts to go flat.
“Breastfeeding your child has nothing to do with the shape of your breast. Breastfeeding is very essential because it will keep your baby healthy and you and it could be used as family planning method as there breastfeeding mothers who will not get pregnant until they stop lactating,” she added.
On how to achieve effective and smooth breastfeeding, she gave the following tips :
*The cradle hold: This classic breastfeeding position requires you to cradle your baby’s head with the crook of your arm. Sit in a chair that has supportive armrests or on a bed with lots of pillows. Rest your feet on a stool, coffee table, or other raised surface to avoid leaning down toward your baby.
*Hold her in your lap (or on a pillow on your lap) so that she’s lying on her side with her face, stomach, and knees directly facing you. Tuck her lower arm under your own.
If she’s nursing on the right breast, rest her head in the crook of your right arm.
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*Extend your forearm and hand down her back to support her neck, spine, and bottom. Secure her knees against your body, across or just below your left breast. She should lie horizontally, or at a slight angle.
*The cradle hold often works well for full-term babies who were delivered vaginally. Some mothers say this hold makes it hard to guide their newborn’s mouth to the nipple, so you may prefer to use this position once your baby has stronger neck muscles at about 1 month old. Women who have had a cesarean section may find it puts too much pressure on their abdomen.
*The cross-over hold: Also known as the cross-cradle hold, this position differs from the cradle hold in that you don’t support your baby’s head with the crook of your arm. Instead, your arms switch roles.
*If you’re nursing from your right breast, use your left hand and arm to hold your baby. Rotate her body so her chest and tummy are directly facing you. With your thumb and fingers behind her head and below her ears, guide her mouth to your breast.
*But be careful — don’t push her toward your breast so much that she resists and arches her head against your hand. Use your forearm to support her upper back.
You may want to try this hold if you’ve had a Cesarean section (to avoid having the baby rest on your stomach). And if your baby is small or has trouble latching on, the hold allows you to guide her head to your nipple. It also works well for women who have large breasts or flat nipples, and for mothers of twins.
*To nurse while lying on your side in bed, ask your partner or helper to place several pillows behind your back for support. You can put a pillow under your head and shoulders, and one between your bent knees, too. The goal is to keep your back and hips in a straight line.
