Spreading Awareness about Breasfeeding | Apollo Cradle | Bangalore

258 child births happen every minute globally and over 60% of them are not breastfed. Over 2,20,000 number of children can be saved every year, if they are breastfed within an hour of their birth. To address this issue and to build awareness about the importance of breast feeding for both mother and the child, Apollo Cradle organised an influencer outreach campaign in multiple cities to discuss and educate people about this precious phase of life.

The event was conducted in Bangalore on the 1^st of August 2018 where over 10 influencers who write about motherhood, health and nutrition were present. 

It was driven by 3 top doctors of Apollo Cradle who spoke about various aspects of breast feeding – Dr. Aparna Jha, Sr. Consultant Gynecologist & Obstetrician, Dr. Mohanieshwari, physiotherapist, Child birth educator & lactation consultant and Dr. Srividya, Nutritionist and lactation expert.

Top takeaways of the session:

• A child’s nutrition starts right from the womb.
• It is very important for a pregnant woman to EAT RIGHT AND HEALTHY to avoid maternal and child complications during and post-delivery.
• Breast Milk is the perfect food for a neonate. It is the best gift a mother can give to her baby. Recommendation to start the breast feeding is “As Soon As Possible after Birth” exclusively till 6 months and to be continued till 2 years of age.
• Exclusive Breastfeeding for more than six months is an independent predictor of better medical health through childhood and adolescence
• Skin-to-Skin contact of the mother and the baby(Kangaroo Care) increases the bonding
• Long term benefits of breast feeding includes Reduction in the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer.
• The golden hour of breast feeding- The first few minutes after a baby’s birth are a magical time.Skin-to-skin contact stabilizes the baby’s temperature, respirations and heart rate.
• There are 4 different positions for breastfeeding – Cradle position, Cross-cradle position, Clutch position and Side-lying position which aims at comfort for both the mother and child.
• Exclusive Breastfeeding IS NOT A CHOICE, IT’S A RESPONSIBILITY – irrespective of the mode of delivery and the post op diet. What is lagging in today’s scenario is a mother’s determination to exclusive breast feed.

Myths about breastfeeding busted! 

• Colostrum should be discarded
  • Colostrum is the power-house of immunity and should definitely be provided to the baby when possible.
• Even after breast-feeding, baby cries because it is not getting enough milk
  • Babies crying does not always mean that it is hungry. When the baby is taken away from breast milk, it generally cries for the warmth of the mother
• Baby needs water apart from breast milk
  • Nature provides breast milk to every mammal according to its baby’s need. Mother’s foremilk contain enough water for the baby and the baby does not need any kind of external fluid for its healthy survival.
• Small breasts cannot provide enough milk
  • Size does not have to do anything with the functionality of the breast. Every mother is capable of producing enough milk for her baby
• Breast milk causes deformity in the shape of the breast
  • Baby adapts its mouth to the shape of mother’s breast. It does not deform the organ
• Mother has to stop breastfeeding if she conceives
  • Mother only has to take care of her nutrition and she can continue feeding while she is pregnant without any adverse effect on the present pregnancy.
• After six months of exclusive breast feeding, baby will not accept formula milk
  • Baby is adaptive enough to accept the subtle changes of breast and formula milk
• Breast feeding mother cannot take any medication
  • Very few medications are contra-indicated during breast feeding
• Mother cannot breast-feed when she is sick
  • Mother may breast-feed even when she is sick

Disclaimer : This article is intended for informational purposes only and is not considered to be a review or a recommendation.