Complementary Foods For Infants : Theory And Practice Essay

It is said that breastfeeding is the best food source possible for infants, and that it is the most cost effective way to improve the health of both child and mother, while having the ability to lower rates of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases (Simard et al, 2005). One of their objectives throughout the years since 1995, was to establish the reason behind diminishing rates of lower income women in Quebec, who choose not to breastfeed their children despite the benefits of breastfeeding outweighing the negative effects. Florence Nightingale’s theory fits within establishing the promotion and understanding as to why some women decide not to breastfeed, as part of her theory believed in the role that the environment plays on our health and decisions regarding it (Alligood & Marriner-Tomey, 2013). It was said that one must move past understanding the person and look more into the environment they are placed within (Pirani, 2016). In the case of the Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program’s decision, to study this in order to reach the optimal nutrition to a group of women and children shows the influence Nightingale’s theory had on modern day programs. By studying a group of low income women in Quebec who showed the most diminish rates of breastfeeding and instead of focusing on the women individually; the program is able to find external factors

The World Health Organization suggests that mothers solely breastfeed for the first six months of life, and continue to use breast milk to supplement the child’s diet for up to two years and beyond. Despite this being encouraged all around the world, the percentage of mothers who actually follow this advice is only high in developing countries. In these countries, over 99% of mothers typically begin breastfeeding newborns, and many children continue to be breastfed through their second year (Brown, 2015). In developed countries, the percentage drops drastically. In the UK, and similarly in America, Australia, and much of Europe, the percentage of mothers who begin breastfeeding is high, 81%, but the percentage drops to just 55% at six weeks. Norway experienced similar percentages in the 1970s, but there has been a culture change that has led to 98% of mothers breastfeeding at

Christina McvayLisa Barrick English 101 September 19, 2017 Boobs Vs. Bottles All mothers want the best for their children. Multiple studies have shown that breastfeeding should be highly considered. Although, breastfeeding and bottle feeding are both alike in few ways, the numerous benefits of breastfeeding make it the best option for many mothers. Mother’s breast milk contains over 100 components, which therefore formula milk does not compete. Breastfeeding is a better option because of the cost, convenience, and all the wonderful numerous health benefits. Breast milk contains all the germ fighting antibodies that help prevent a child from getting sick. Breast milk contains antibodies. Antibodies, are passed from the mother to the child through the breast milk and help strengthen a child’s immune system. Antibodies, fight against numerous infections, viruses, prevent chronic conditions, and much more. More importantly, breastfeeding may perhaps protect babies against sudden infant death syndrome, more commonly known as, “SIDS”. Breast feeding is very beneficial for all premature babies. Breast milk naturally contains countless vitamins that a newborn requires, which formula does not contain. Breast milk contains protein that a child can easily digest, therefore breastfed babies are usually less gassy, spit up less, and less constipated. Breast milk helps give one’s child calcium and iron a lot faster with direct intake. Also, the fats from breast milk are very essential for the health and the growth of one’s baby. Likewise, breastfeeding is very beneficial for mothers, while formula is not. Breastmilk contains 20 calories per ounce, therefore, the more one feeds their child, the more calories the mother loses and increases weight loss. What mother does not want to lose the extra calories that she just ate from her last meal? Or the extra weight she may have packed on during her pregnancy? Can bottle feeding do that? No, probably not! Breastfeeding mothers can also see a change during ovulation. The more breastfeeding mothers are feeding their babies, the more prolactin their body releases. Prolactin keeps progesterone and estrogen steady, therefore the mother’s egg is not released, which would have triggered

Very few experts disagree with the fact that breastfeeding is the optimal choice for the infant. However, decreasing breastfeeding rates raise many questions as to why mothers are not choosing the best nutritional choice for their children. Despite breast milk being the obvious choice for infant feeding due to the health, psychological, and economic benefits, many mothers still decide to feed their infants formula due to lack of knowledge and support, difficulties with breastfeeding, and social embarrassment. Changes need to be made with formula companies, medical professionals, and the public opinion of breastfeeding in order to give nursing mothers the support they deserve.

A lot of mothers are not being told how wonderful breastfeeding is for their health. Whether out of inexperience or due to the impact of the artificial baby milk industry, many health care providers fail to let mothers know of the facts. As other new mothers find out about these facts, more mothers will not merely choose to breastfeed for a short period of time to provide early disease control for their baby, but will continue to breastfeed, providing the best results both for their child and for

Starting from infancy, parents have the right to make the decisions in their new child’s life, which includes breast-feeding their child. “Infant nutrition is important in development and

It was recommended that infants be breastfed exclusively for at least 6 months as this reduces the risk for obesity, furthermore, there is evidence that shows that for every month of breastfeeding, the child’s risk of becoming overweight reduces by 4 per cent. In similar studies, it is recommended that introduction to solid foods be delayed until at least 4 months, however, 6 months is preferred, this significantly reduces the risk for obesity. The average age of introduction to solid food was 20.49 weeks, which resulted in a healthy BMI at aged 10 years-old, and 18.67 weeks resulted in a higher BMI at aged 10 years-old. ‘A good start in early life means supporting mothers and young children: the health impact of early development and education lasts a lifetime’ (Wilkinson & Marmot 2003, p. 14).

The following review written in the Online Journal of Cultural Competence in Nursing and Healthcare articulated how the ANP’s role is vital for the support and need to educate oneself and others within healthcare for the cultural implications and beliefs of postpartum lactating women in Egypt and the use of Moghat (Aboul-Enein, 2013). The World Health Organization promote and support breastfeeding as a healthy function of postnatal women that advantage both the woman and the infant. The teaching and benefits of breastfeeding are expressed to many individuals within the community and healthcare but often it is not teaching specific cultural beliefs. Since 1932 Moghat was sundried, powered and mixed into a warm drink and consumed by postpartum mothers to stimulate lactation in nursing mothers (Aboul-Enein, 2013). This study’s intent was to incorporate cultural competence into health education interventions to expand patient centered care and outcomes. (Aboul-Enein,

Breast milk is widely acknowledged as the complete form of nutrition for infants with a range of benefits for infants’ health, growth, immunity and development (Breastfeeding- Natural Is Best). All these factors can decrease Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) and mortality. In serval meta-analyses babies that are breastfeed have a 36% decrease in the risk of SIDS. According to The Lives Saved Tool, an estimated 823,000 yearly deaths would be saved if breastfeeding was scaled up to universal levels. Disorders like necrotizing enterocolitis, that has a high case-fatality, showed a 58% decrease with breastfeeding (Victoria, Cesar G, et all.).

This paper will explain the benefits of breastfeeding and how it plays an extreme role in the long-term health of a child not only in the early stages of life but also into adulthood and how we as nurses can help promote this mode of nutrition.

Breast feeding has been in practice for a very long time, as early as 2000 BC. Before the invention of formula, bottles, and pumps this was the safest most common way for a mother to feed their infants. In fact, for 99% of human history breast milk was the sole source of nutrition for children until the age of two. In today’s society there are many different and opposing personal stand points on where or not a mother should breast feed their children. It is a very controversial topic with many variables. In breast feeding there are several benefits, reasons, and cultural effects that go into making the decision to engage or stay away from breast feeding. There is also historical causes and cultural differences that lead influence a mothers

Foods and their nutrients are essential to life. In the beginning years of life an infant’s nutritional health depends on the family unit. Parents must have knowledge of the changing food needs of the child and must also have sufficient resources to provide food, shelter, and clothing for the family. Equally important, parents create the cultural and psychological environment that influences the

“Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers” Statement taken from the world health organization publication on the nutrition of exclusive breastfeeding.

For thousands of years, breastfeeding has been the main source that women have had to feed their babies. In today’s society, however, breastfeeding has become a controversial issue due to the increased sexualization of the female body, especially women’s breasts. This same society has failed to consider the benefits that breastfeeding mothers offer to society and, most importantly, the benefits breastfeeding offers to children. It is important to consider and remember that breastfeeding is natural and nursing mothers should be free to nurse everywhere because it is their legal right, it is the first source of nutrition for their children, it eliminates excess waste in the environment, and it benefits society.

Any infant enters the world completely relying on their mother, whether it’s to provide security, comfort, or their first meal. Breastfeeding, although pretty self-explanatory, is the act of a woman feeding a baby with milk from her breast. It is recommended that a baby be breastfed for the first time within an hour of their birth and exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life (Belsky, 2012). However, there is a stigma attached to breastfeeding in some areas of the world, especially the United States, so a common alternative is formula. There are many benefits not only the infant can gain from being breastfed, but also benefits the mother can obtain from providing this nutrition for her child. This paper will discuss