“BreastFeeding –The mother’s gift to every child!! “– UNICEF
Numbers of PediatricAcademy recommend breast feeding is sole source of nutrition to about six-month child, in Hindi or mystical word one can say “Amrit”.
Breastmilk or Colostrum is the first milk which provides rich nutrition,and help the baby to grow healthier and developed perfectly.
So, here we are to celebrate the World Breastfeeding Week 2020, which is celebrated from 1st– 7th of August every year to encourage the breastfeeding worldwide, and to spread awareness about how it is important to breastfed a new born baby, its benefits and it effects globally by knowing and understanding lots of facts. As well we get to know how we can improve it and the challenges facing by our dearest mother during breastfeeding in the society.
In this first blog, we’ll come to know about few basic facts viz. what is breastfeeding as well how it becomes gift from mother to child as in
“bachhe ki pehla poshit khurak hai maa ke doodh”.
As per recommended by WHO, Breastfeeding starts within one hour of child birth untill it grows of six-months old and it will continue upto two years or beyond with other nutritve supplements.

It is being said from centuries that mother’s milk is a boon that ensures child health and survival.
However global statistics of breastfeeding raise a great concern, as per WHO report published in 2018 “If breastfeeding were scaled up to near universal levels, about 820 000 child lives would be saved every year. Globally, only 40% of infants fewer than six months of age are exclusively breastfed”. It is high time to understand the importance of breastfeeding and support this cause.
What is breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding, also known as nursing.It is feeding of the new born baby that begins from first one hour of birth untill the child growth upto two years or beyond with milk from woman’s breast (mother milk). Breast milk consist rich nutrients and antibodies that are helpful for a child to fight off with bacteria and viruses. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of having any allergies and asthma as well protects from many unlike infections.
How breastfeeding or breast milk benefits your baby?
Breast milk is ideal nutritive supplement for a baby from first one hour to six-months without any other supplements such as say no to juice, vegetables etc. The first milk which is a thick yellow liquid known as ‘Colostrum’ contains equal proportion of vitamins, proteins, minerals, fats, amino acids, oligosaccharides, enzymes, growth factors, hormones and microRNA’s which helps baby to grow properly. On the other hand, breast milk comprises the white blood cells and antibodies which were generated in mother to fight different infections in her life time, with the breast milk these antibodies and white blood cells directly transfers to the baby and boost his immunity to fight against various bacterial and viral infections. It works like a natural vaccination. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of baby to be attacked by allergies and asthma. However, breastmilk has been categorized basically as colostrum-for first few days; transitional milk- for next couple of weeks; mature milk-four week onwards, which are slightly different in their composition, volume and thickness as per the requirement of a growing baby. Therefore, breastfed for up to six months is highly recommended and it is better to continue till two years along with food.
Breast feeding is also a great way to develop the bond between mother and a child. It helps child to feel secure and prevents from sudden infant’s death syndrome (SIDs), also increase in higher IQ level in later childhood according to source.
How breastfeeding benefits mother?
Before and after delivery of a baby mother’s is on rest with a good diet which increases the ratio of fat in mother’s body and increases the weight. Breastfeeding burns an extra calorie which helps in losing pregnancy weight faster. It releases the oxytocin hormone, which helps uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and may reduce uterine bleeding after birth. Breastfeeding also lowers your risk of breast and ovarian cancer. It may lower the risk of having osteoporosis.
I hope this basic information will help and motivate our readers to support breastfeeding.
In our next blogs we’ll come to know about its ABC’s, types of breastfeeding and position of breastfeeding as well how long and how often breastfeeding is enough for one time.
By Sugandha
Associate Software Engineer, VnC Digitals Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore