Initiation: Milk for Child

Initiation:

After delivery when the mother is still in the delivery room, she should have an opportunity to hold her baby for 10-15 minutes.

As soon as the mother is ready to feed, she should be encouraged to give breast-feeding.

The first milk:

Toward the end of the pregnancy, the alveolar cells secrete a yellow fluid called colostrum. It contains fluid secretion partly of whole and fragmental alveolar cells and some white blood cells. These cells produce antibodies, which can protect both the breast itself and the intestines of the baby against infections.

During the pregnancy, the hormones produced by the ovary and placenta inhibits milk production. Immediately after delivery, there is a rapid decrease in the inhibitory hormones. With the stimulus of sucking by the newborn, the production of milk starts. The mature and full milk production may occur within about 10 days. The milk secretion depends on reflexes as follows:

1. The milk producing reflex:

The breast of the mother produces milk for the baby, according to baby's need and demand in response to its sucking. When the baby suckles, the sensory nerves ending in the breast are stimulated and impulses are carried by the vagus nerve to the hypothalamus.

This causes the anterior pituitary to release prolactin into the blood. Prolactin acts on the milk producing cells of the breasts. The more the baby suckles, the more the milk is secreted.

2. The milk-ejection reflex ("Let-down" reflex)

The sensory nerve impulses that start when the baby suckles on the nipple, cause the posterior pituitary to release oxytocin, make the myoepithelial cells around the alveoli and ducts contract. This squeezes milk from the alveoli, ducts, and sinuses toward the nipple. Therefore, when the baby suckles at the nipple, it stimulates the nipple that produces milk flow. The ejection reflex is called Factors affecting let-down reflex

When the mother thinks happily or affectionately about her baby, milk may start to flow.

A hungry baby suckles more often more vigorously and longer than the satisfied baby. The baby's hunger is therefore the regulatory mechanism of the milk production.

Fear, excitement, anger, and embarrassment may inhibit let-down reflex and prevent milk present deep in the gland from coming down to the nipple.

Composition of the milk per 100 milliliters

Nutreint :    Human milk         Cow' s milk

A proteins : 1.2 gm        3.5 gm

Casein         : 0.4 gm     2.8 gm

B Lactalbumin        :  0.8 gm   0.7 gm

Lactose :     6.5 g  4.5

C Fat :  3.5 gm 3.5 gm

D Calcium / Phospate : 34 mg / 15 mg 22 mg / 90 gm

Calories :    67      67

Human milk:

Colostrum (the first milk) is the yellow, thick milk secretion of the breast in the first three days after delivery. It has high content of antibodies, proteins, minerals, and less carbohydrates and fats. Fourth day onward, a good quantity of transitional milk is produced and by three weeks, it is converted to mature milk.