Breastfeeding facts
Modern technology has not yet found a way to replicate breast milk in its purest form, and so doctors today still maintain that milk produced by a mother is better than anything else one could ever find on the supermarket shelf.
Although formula has come a far way in terms of the fact that they have added all sorts of things to help with brain development, it still can’t match up with the breast milk.
But there is so much more to understand about breast milk and breastfeeding, beyond the “breast is best” mantra often preached to new mothers.
1. Why is the breast best?
Apart from its nutritional properties, breast milk is a baby’s best defence against infections, allergies and a number of chronic conditions. Breastfeeding also allows for better bonding between mother and child and offers higher immunity coverage. It’s very convenient and you won’t have to be sterilising bottles, boiling water and it is readily available at the right temperature for the baby.
2. What’s the correct storage for breast milk?
Milk can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Breast milk can be kept in the body of the fridge for five days, in a freezer for two weeks, and for up to three months in a deep freezer. If you are freezing it, you should store in small quantities so that you won’t have to defrost the entire container, because once you have defrosted it, you really should discard it after.
3. Why shouldn’t I serve my baby leftover milk?
The milk in the bottle from which the baby drinks should be discarded. However, it is okay to store the larger container from which this milk was poured from to the baby’s bottle. Babies should not drink leftover milk, since the saliva would have run down in it, so the risk of contamination is greater.
4. Is it okay to feed my child over three years old breast milk?
Some mothers breastfeed way past six months, however, some experts feel there is nothing wrong with this once the baby is not being breastfed exclusively.
5. Will I need to give up drinking while breastfeeding?
Although doctors advise that you do not consume alcohol during pregnancy, having one glass of wine every now and then while nursing is very unlikely to harm your baby, especially if you have been nursing for more than six months. To be on the safe side, however, it is best to breastfeed your baby first before you consume any alcohol or at least two to three hours after drinking, since a small percentage of alcohol consumed by a nursing mother would reach her blood and milk.
