Useful properties of milk for children: contraindications, benefits and harms. Cow's milk in baby food: good or bad? What are the beneficial properties of milk for children
Many parents find milk to be incredibly healthy for children. It contains both calcium and bacteria that are useful for digestion. Naturally, from an early age, a child is taught to drink and eat dairy products, even if the toddler desperately resists and by all means shows that he does not like them. Is it necessary to insist and is milk so useful, as is commonly believed, says the famous pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky.
Good for children and harmful for adults
In order for milk sugar (lactose) to be absorbed in the body, a special enzyme is produced - lactase. In newborns, the level of lactase is very high, a lot of it is produced, since breast milk is the only food for crumbs. As they grow older, the amount of lactase produced decreases, and in an adult this enzyme is practically absent in the body, since it biologically no longer needs dairy food. But the adult body quite normally accepts and digests fermented milk products.
A decrease in the level of lactase in some people begins from the age of 3, in others from 10 years of age, in others later. This is an individual feature of the organism and there are no norms in this matter in principle.
If nature has provided for the child the opportunity to eat milk, this does not mean that you need to eat milk from farm animals. Nature made sure that the baby absorbs mother's milk well, and not goat's or cow's.
Benefit and harm
Milk of cows and goats for children of the first year of life is not just harmful, but dangerous, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. But this fact is rather difficult to explain to parents who, from their own childhood, remembered the statements that milk is a source of health and energy for a growing organism. It is very difficult to explain to parents that in the absence or lack of breast milk, it is best for a nursing mother to choose an adapted milk formula.
First, it is important in terms of composition. The mixture contains vitamin D, which prevents the development of rickets. But if you give a child to drink with cow's milk and give separately vitamin D preparations, then rickets develops very often. And this can be explained by the processes that take place in the body after the child consumes cow's milk.
Cow's milk contains more calcium, than in breast milk, almost 4 times. The phosphorus content is 3 times higher than that of breast milk. Such amounts of phosphorus and calcium are needed by the calf to grow bones faster. However, rapid bone growth for a human infant is not the preferred developmental option.
In addition, excess amounts of calcium and phosphorus that enter the child's intestines cannot be fully absorbed. The body will take only the amount it needs, the rest will come out with feces.
With phosphorus other story. His body takes not as much as needed for normal life, but about one third of the amount received. Thus, the consumption of cow's milk leads to an overdose of phosphorus. The kidneys of the child react to the increased content of this substance, which begin to quickly remove excess phosphorus from the body. Unfortunately, it leaves along with the calcium obtained, which is so important for the harmonious development of the baby.
The kidneys ripen closer to one year of age, at about the same time you can start giving the child milk, gradually introducing it into the diet.
It is not necessary to give a crumbs liters to drink, it is quite enough to give a one-year-old child about half a glass of milk a day, a two-year-old - 1 glass, and a two-year-old baby - no more than 2 glasses a day. By the age of 3, all restrictions lose their relevance, and children can be given this product, even a cow, even a goat, in any quantity that he is able and willing to “master”.
Another not the most "useful" aspect is the intolerance of cow protein, which happens quite often in children of the first years of life. It manifests itself in the impossibility of assimilating protein, which the body of the baby regards as foreign. Immunity is activated, an allergic reaction begins. If you have such a child, you should not give him any milk. Only adapted mixtures are suitable, preferably hypoallergenic, in which milk protein is processed in a special way and neutralized.
In recent years, cows and goats have also eaten little natural food, and many of the feed that owners give them contain hormones and antibiotics. Naturally, this entire set passes in certain quantities into the milked milk. This is another reason not to give this product to children under one year old, although the final decision remains with the parents. After all, it is quite difficult to dispute the fact that it is quite difficult to provide a varied diet to a child without milk.
Mix or milk?
If after 12 months a decision is made to introduce whole milk into complementary foods, Evgeny Komarovsky advises to make an informed decision. This product in metered quantities will no longer cause harm, but it will still be more useful to adapt infant formula, in which the amount of phosphorus is reduced, and calcium and vitamin D are increased.
The amount of iron in cow's milk is insufficient and regular consumption will lead to anemia. In adapted formulas, this composition parameter is provided, and the child will receive the amount of iron he needs.
If the family budget allows, it is better to choose a mixture that is appropriate for age - from 12 months. Usually such mixtures are designated by the manufacturers with the number “3”.
Fat or low fat?
The food industry today offers a variety of skim milk options. It is considered preferable for adults and children who do not tolerate high-fat cow's milk. However, in the very concept of "fat-free", according to Evgeny Komarovsky, there is a catch.
Baby milk is different from conventional UHT. The fat percentage in it is reduced, but not at the minimum mark. The box usually indicates from what age manufacturers recommend the product. Most often it is 8 months. Komarovsky urges to give such milk, if mom really wants to do it, no more than once a day and in small quantities.
After a year, children can dilute ordinary milk with 3% fat with ordinary water by about one third of the volume.
Dairy products
It is very good if mom learns how to make homemade dairy products for her child. For them, you can use ordinary store-bought cow's milk with a fat content of no more than 1.5%.
Complementary feeding in the form of fermented milk products is not very desirable for children with disorders of mineral metabolism, with signs of rickets. Therefore, it is advisable to consult a pediatrician before introducing such complementary foods.
Should milk be boiled?
Pasteurized milk, which is sold in any store, does not need additional boiling, says Evgeny Komarovsky. But if the product was bought on the market, from grandmothers who keep cows or goats on their farm, then it is imperative to boil.
If you buy a product from a neighbor whom you know well, and you know her cow almost personally, then you do not need to boil milk that was milked no more than 2 hours ago. It contains a large number of beneficial bacteria, the content of which decreases noticeably within a couple of hours after milking.
Olga Moiseenko
Is milk good for children?
Now many modern parents are thinking is milk good for their children? And I also thought about this question. Is it true that it contains those essential substances for growth and development that are so necessary? children?
Many nutritionists are confident that there is no food product that can compete with milk... It contains fatty acids, amino acids, milk sugar, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, proteins, various enzymes - a great many useful! For a newborn baby, breastfeeding milk - this is the only and complete food created by nature itself. Drinking a glass milk, a child of three gets half the daily value of calcium!
Research objectives:
1 Conduct a survey of parents;
2 Find out chemical composition milk;
3 Reveal how it affects milk for the child's body;
4 Find out how the deficiency affects (or lack) milk for the child's body.
Chemical composition milk
Study milk showed the presence of more than 50 elements in it. They share on:
Macronutrients Microelements
calcium iron
magnesium copper
potassium zinc
sodium manganese
phosphorus cobalt
sulfur molybdenum
aluminum salts
citrates phosphates tin chlorides
A survey was conducted, during which it was revealed that 88.2% of respondents believe milk useful product ... It strengthens bones and teeth and contains many vitamins. And only 12.8% think milk is a harmful product, since it is powder, or consider useful goat milk.
An experiment was also carried out for 1 part of children for three months, 500 ml was injected daily into the diet. milk(in the form of porridge, milk, their indicators (mental, physical development) improved, decreased the frequency of colds (medicinal product based on milk"Narin", "Biolact", increased immunity. The condition of the nails and teeth has improved in children.
Those children who did not receive milk lacked calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, trace elements. As a result, immunity is burned out, the construction and activity of vital enzymes, vitamins and hormones is disrupted, selenium deficiency causes slower growth. It was found that selenium is the most important antioxidant. That is, almost all vital functions of the body have suffered.
The Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences has developed the recommended consumption rates dairy products per person per year - 392 kg (in terms of milk)
Whole milk - 116kg;
Butter - 6.1 kg;
Sour cream - 6.5 kg;
Cottage cheese - 8.8 kg;
Cheese - 6.1 kg;
Ice cream - 8 kg.
Consumption of basic food products in the Russian Federation (per capita per year / kg) To maintain the normal functioning of the body, the diet of a child and adolescent should include 50% milk and dairy products.
Indicator 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Milk and dairy products 387 347 282 294 281 254 233 230 220
In terms of milk
Indicator 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Milk, kg 214 214 219 227 231 233 235 239 242 243
Currently, a whole discussion has unfolded on this topic. So American pediatricians doubt the need for "Lean on milk» ... They refute the well-known thesis about the benefits of cow milk for small children - the more the child drinks milk for the first seven years of life, the stronger his bones will be. They base their findings on a survey of 37 children over seven years of age. In 27 cases, there is no connection between an increase in the amount of alcohol consumed milk and the strength of the bones was not traced. Studies have shown that exercise is far more important for strengthening bones than increasing calcium intake. For a child to have healthy strong bones, exercise is necessary plus up to 1300mg of calcium per day.
Russian scientists believe that there is no such food product that could compete with milk... This is a treasure nutrients... So milk is a source of calcium, 97% of which is absorbed by the human body. Milk is healthy with colds, since its protein is absorbed more easily than other protein foods, it is from it that immunoglobulins necessary to fight a viral infection are formed. In addition, this property helps those childrenwho play sports and want to build muscle. Milk helps with insomnia, as it has a calming effect on nervous system (special warm milk is useful with honey 1 hour before bedtime). Milk is good for childrenhaving problems with the gastrointestinal tract (helps to lower the acidity of gastric juice) - a remedy for heartburn. Useful it is with gastritis with high acidity and gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. Milk is rich in vitamins, it helpful in the fight against excess weight, disorders of the immune and endocrine systems. Milk it helps well with severe headaches, migraines.
Through research, I have come to the conclusion that milk is among the most useful types of food, as it has all the properties necessary for the growth and development of the body.
Content:
Every year, the controversy surrounding milk in baby food only flares up. Today the menu of a three-year-old baby is so diverse that it seems that there is too much milk in it. So let's figure it out what milk is good for children to drink and what are the benefits of milk for the child's body.
Supporters of the "milk diet" recall their own childhood and grandmother's village, they list a long list of trace elements and vitamins contained in the white drink. Others claim that milk is no longer the same and for children it is useless, if not dangerous. Let's figure out who is right.
So milk gives us:
Of course, such a complex of useful components can be obtained from different products if the children's menu is carefully thought out. But parents know how difficult it is to get kids to eat a variety of foods. Capricious little eaters choose something familiar or tasty. Therefore, milk is a kind of super-food that allows you to deliver a full set of nutrients, vitamins, macro- and microelements to the child's body.
What kind of milk is good for children
Despite the clear benefits of milk for babies, the choice of milk drink also plays an important role.Fresh milk is completely unsuitable for baby food. It is "rich" not only in trace elements, but also in pathogenic bacteria (from E. coli to listeria and tick-borne encephalitis). Normal boiling relieves the product of harmful microorganisms, but also devalues \u200b\u200bit, destroying nutrients.
The pasteurization and homogenization that store milk goes through purifies the drink while maintaining its nutritional value. However, even such "adult" milk is not suitable for children over two years old. For example, a high fat content threatens a baby with obesity, especially if he has a genetic predisposition. And also, along with milk, antibiotics, which were fed to the cows, can enter the children's body.
Dairy products labeled "For Children" have a more stringent quality system for the selection of raw materials and production. Parents can be sure that there are no harmful substances in the "baby" drink. But even such labeling does not guarantee the optimal content of trace elements and vitamins necessary for. 
What are the benefits of a baby milk drink?
The best option for feeding children from three years old is specially developed dry milk drinks, balanced in terms of a set of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids. Friso Gold 4 Milk Drink is designed with the needs of children over 3 years in mind.Friso Gold 4 is enriched with omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in an optimal ratio. These elements serve as "building blocks" for the development of the brain - they are involved in the formation of nerve cells. Friso Gold 4 milk drink contains vitamins, minerals, probiotics (the very beneficial bacteria in our intestines) and prebiotics - food for microflora.
Parental concern manifests itself in different ways, including thoughtful baby food. Friso milk drinks for children over three years old are the right alternative to cow's milk, which will give babies all the necessary nutrients.
Content:
We have been told since childhood that milk is good for health. This unique product, created by nature, has a number of medicinal properties... In ancient times, people knew about the properties of milk, so they used it to feed young children. If a woman, for one reason or another, did not have breast milk, then it was replaced with ordinary milk, because in those days there were no special formula for feeding.
Milk is an irreplaceable drink in the diet of any person, it was not for nothing that it was called "white blood" before. This name emphasizes the importance of this product. Milk is rich in essential substances for a child's growth, development and health. It is rich in calcium, vitamins, enzymes, trace elements, protein, organic and mineral substances. It also contains important elements such as iron, phosphorus, sodium, manganese and potassium. Therefore, it is considered a very useful product for schoolchildren.
What is the use of milk for a student
First of all, milk is useful for a student because it contains a huge amount of calcium. In addition, it is absorbed by the body by 97%. Just 1 glass of milk meets 1/3 of a 10-year-old schoolchild's daily calcium requirement. The high digestibility of this element is due to the fact that the product also contains phosphorus. This combination of elements leads to the fact that calcium is almost completely absorbed. No other food product can boast of such a property. This element is essential for the correct formation of teeth and the entire skeleton. Protein and vitamins A and B contained in milk have a beneficial effect on the development of the body.Every parent should know that maintaining a healthy calcium level is vital. The fact is that its lack of childhood can lead to dire consequences. The mass of bones in a teenage body can decrease by 5-10%, and this, in turn, will affect the state of bones in the future, the bones will be more fragile by 50%. Problems with the musculoskeletal system are possible. It is believed that calcium affects the bioenergy field. It is noticed that people in whose body there is a sufficient amount of this element are always in a good mood, they are active and energetic. They are also less susceptible to the occurrence of infectious diseases.
In addition to calcium, this product is rich in milk protein. For example, this type of protein, such as casein, is practically in no way inferior to the protein of meat, fish and eggs. It contains the amino acid methionine, which is involved in the proper functioning of the kidneys and liver. The other proteins lysine and tryptophan are essential for the development of the student. This drink also contains B vitamins, which have a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
For a child's body, milk fat saturated with fatty acids that are perfectly absorbed by the body is no less useful. They protect against harmful effects, so children who eat dairy products are less sick. These children are not overweight, but all because calcium actively burns fat in the body. Milk helps the development of mental abilities, thereby increasing the student's academic performance.
Experts say that a student should drink a liter of milk every day. However, this is almost an impossible task, unless your child cannot live without milk and is ready to drink it regularly. Such children are rare, so you can drink 1-2 glasses of milk, and the rest of the need for calcium can be replenished with other types of milk products. Thus, the child's diet will be varied and healthy.
Which milk to choose
It is worth knowing that calcium is well absorbed only from food that has not been processed by high temperatures. That is, there are very few nutrients in boiled milk. At the same time, raw milk is also not recommended to drink, since it has bacterial contamination. It is worth choosing dairy products that have undergone special processing, in which they do not lose their value. Store products are processed, as a result of which pathogens of various diseases, bacteria, etc. die.If it seems to you that milk bought from the hands is more useful, then make sure first that the owner of the cow has a veterinary certificate in his hands. This document authorizes the sale of milk and confirms the health of the cow. And still it must be boiled.
The most useful is fresh milk. It contains antibodies that help the calf grow healthy and develop properly. They are useful for people too, but such milk should be purchased in trusted places. Sterilized milk has a long shelf life, but due to processing at high temperatures, it loses a large amount of substances. Pasteurized milk is much healthier, since its composition is almost as good as fresh milk. It has excellent taste. 
In any case, you yourself must decide which milk is best for your baby. In stores, as a rule, cow's milk is sold, but goat's milk is considered more useful. It is also high in calcium and fat, however, it is better absorbed by the body. Even the smallest children are allowed to use it. Flavored milk can also be found on the shelves. It has the same properties as regular milk, but it contains sugar and flavors that are not always natural.
Many children love milk, but there are also those who cannot be forced to drink a glass of milk. Then the parents will have to contrive so that the student receives the required amount of nutrients. You can cook porridge in milk or sauce, replace milk with cheese or yogurt. Do not forget about cocoa, this drink is also beneficial for the student. Try to pay due attention to your child's diet. A sufficient amount of essential substances in the body will help it to be healthy, strong, energetic and cheerful.
Benefit and harm breastfeeding - a topical issue for young mothers, causing a lot of controversy. To understand it to the end, you need to study all the advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding.
Breast milk composition
The benefits of breastfeeding newborns are rarely disputed. The fact is that breast milk is an ideal nutrient mixture that contains all the necessary substances. It contains the following useful components:
- water - it occupies 88% of the total volume and fully satisfies the baby's fluid needs, so there is no need to water the baby additionally;
- carbohydrates - they occupy 7% and consist mainly of;
- fats - 4% of the composition is allocated to their share, cholesterol, basic hormones and bile are present among fats;
- proteins - they are 1% in milk, they are represented by taurine, nucleotides, lactase, lactoferrin, lipase and whey protein;
- minerals, vitamins, leukocytes, antibodies and growth hormones - they occupy 0.2% of the total volume.
It is very important that the composition is perfectly balanced - the child receives useful components in exactly the proportions in which it is necessary.
Types of breast milk
The unique properties of breast milk lie in the fact that during feeding it slightly changes its useful composition. There are three types of it:
- Colostrum - This milk is produced during the first few days of breastfeeding. Colostrum contains an increased content of salts, vitamins and proteins, while less fat and lactose are present in it. In the first days of life, it is the calorie content of nutrition that is very important for a child, and nature has made sure that the baby receives all the necessary benefits.
- Transitional milk - Approximately 5 days after delivery, the fat content in milk increases, and the balance of the remaining components approaches that of normal breast milk.
- Mature milk, it appears 2 or 3 weeks after giving birth, and this is what the baby eats until the end of breastfeeding. The composition and properties of such milk continue to change slightly, the volume of fat in it increases, but not so much as to further distinguish separate categories.
Why breast milk is good for your baby
The main argument for breastfeeding is the benefits of breastfeeding for the baby. It has been proven that not artificial formula, but mother's milk in the first months of life, has the most positive effect on the health of the child.
Strong immunity
When breastfeeding, the baby is much less susceptible to viruses and infections. Vitamins and special enzymes in breast milk are beneficial in that they strengthen the baby's immunity - he grows quickly, gets sick less often, does not lag behind the age norm. Breastfeeding prevents the development of anemia and diabetes in a child, numerous ailments of the stomach and intestines.
Establishing contact
A useful property of breastfeeding is that it helps establish a deep emotional connection between mother and baby. A baby attached to the breast on the first day after childbirth grows much calmer than bottle-fed peers. Subsequently, the child feels stronger attachment and love for the mother.
Reducing the risk of developing diseases
Beneficial features breast milk protects the developing body of the baby from many ailments. Since the composition of the natural nutritional formula is perfectly balanced, the child does not experience a lack of vitamins and minerals and does not suffer from an excess of them. The intestinal, nervous, cardiac, musculoskeletal systems develop correctly and without hindrances, so the child grows healthier.
Weight control
In healthy breast milk, fats are presented exactly in the amount in which they are not capable of harming the baby. With natural feeding, muscle and fat tissues are evenly distributed in the child's body. The baby does not suffer from obesity, the risk of acquiring early diabetes or hypertension is reduced.
Healthy sleep and wellness
The benefit of breastfeeding is that it has a calming effect on the baby. Due to its properties, the child sleeps better and wakes up less often at night, does not cry so often.
Attention! With natural feeding, children are less likely to experience colic and regurgitation.
But after the use of artificial mixtures, they arise often, store-bought baby food can harm the body.
Healthy teeth
In the process of sucking on the mother's breast, while feeding, the baby forms the correct bite. In the future, this allows you to avoid the development of caries - bacteria do not accumulate in hard-to-reach places, and teeth cleaning becomes as effective as possible.
Why breastfeeding is good for moms
Breastfeeding a baby is a process whose properties benefit not only the baby, but also the woman herself. Research confirms that feeding protects young mothers from many diseases and helps maintain well-being.
Fast recovery after childbirth
In the first time after childbirth, a woman's body experiences deep stress. Healthy feeding helps to cope with it easier and faster. So, immediately after childbirth, breastfeeding promotes separation of the placenta, and this reduces the risk of further bleeding and prevents the development of anemia.
Also, when feeding, oxytocin is produced in the mother's body, a useful hormone responsible for the contraction of the muscles of the uterus and its return to its normal state. When breastfeeding, the abdominal organs that have slightly shifted during pregnancy return to their natural position more quickly.
Prevention of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer
Several studies have shown that breast and reproductive cancers often develop in women with an increase in the hormone estrogen. Since during breastfeeding, prolactin is actively produced, which suppresses estrogen, the risk of breast cancer is reduced by 50%, and the risk of cancer of the ovaries and uterus - by 22%.
Prevent osteoporosis and strengthen bones
During breastfeeding, a woman's body absorbs calcium especially well. In addition, this substance is present in the diet of a young mother in an increased volume - after all, for healthy feeding, a woman must carefully monitor her diet.
Calcium not only benefits the baby - there will be no harm to the mother. The risk of developing joint diseases is reduced by about 25%.
Faster weight loss
At the moment, science cannot explain exactly why when breastfeeding, a woman's excess weight goes away faster. But research confirms this fact. If a mother feeds her baby with breast milk for more than 3 months, then she manages to return to prenatal form faster than women who almost immediately weaned the baby.
Reproductive health
In the first time after childbirth, a woman's reproductive system needs a break, and breastfeeding allows for such rest in natural ways.
When breastfeeding, prolactin is produced, which suppresses the hormones estrogen and progesterone. For some time, usually for six months, ovulation in a young mother does not occur, and menstruation does not begin. Accordingly, the body during this period is not capable of a new conception.
Reducing the risk of postpartum depression
Due to the dramatic change in life circumstances, many young mothers fall into depression, even those who planned, wanted and expected a child. Breastfeeding can eliminate potential emotional harm. When feeding a baby, the mother produces a huge amount of endorphins - as nature intended. A woman often feels happy and calm, does not get annoyed with others, and the situation in the family does not become tense with the birth of a child.
Reducing the risk of diabetes
The beneficial properties of breastfeeding protect a woman from developing diabetes. It has been proven that if a mother naturally feeds her baby for at least six months, her blood sugar level drops, and the risk of diabetes becomes 47% lower.
Even short-term breastfeeding is not harmful, but beneficial. Women who have breastfed a baby for less than six months are also much less likely to develop diabetes - the risk of developing it is reduced by 25%.
The benefits and harms of breast milk after a year
Weaning a baby too early is harmful. The fact is that after a year of life, the baby's body is not yet ready to fully assimilate "adult" food. He still needs a lot of milk to develop.
Usually, parents try to transfer their children to or goat milk. But the composition of these products is different from the composition of healthy breast milk. Children often have allergies that do not go away even in adulthood, which is unconditional harm.
The beneficial properties of breast milk after a year are that with prolonged feeding, even in the second year of life, it is not necessary to introduce regular milk into the baby's diet. The child's immunity does not experience unnecessary stress, acquaintance with "adult" dairy products occurs at an older age, and, as a rule, allergies do not arise after that.
As for the harm from long-term feeding, the negative properties are reflected rather in the mother's condition. In the second year, a woman simply gets tired of feeding a child - after all, you need to constantly be near the baby, refuse your favorite products that can potentially harm.
However, in this case, the problem can be solved with the help of expressing - the child is not deprived of proper nutrition, and the woman may feel a little freer. The benefits of expressed breast milk are not much less, and the baby still receives essential nutrients with it.
When to end breastfeeding
In order for the child to have time to get more useful properties in the process of feeding, it is recommended to finish it no earlier than one and a half years after giving birth. If you wish, you can continue latching the baby to the breast for longer - the benefits of long-term breastfeeding are undeniable. However, there are some risks when the baby needs to be finally transferred to normal food, this can become noticeable stress.
Important! In any case, it is recommended to breastfeed the baby for at least six months.
Breastfeeding should only be interrupted early for very good reason.
Breastfeeding rules
In order for the child to receive the maximum benefit during natural nutrition, and there is no harm to the body, basic rules must be observed when breastfeeding.
- The benefits and properties of breast milk are largely determined by the woman's diet. The diet should be varied and balanced, potentially harmful foods should be avoided during lactation.
- It is important to feed your baby according to the schedule, but you also need to take into account the child's wishes. It is usually recommended to feed your baby every two hours, including at night. However, if the child wanted to eat earlier than usual, he must be fed, there will be no harm from this.
- A young mother should carefully monitor breast hygiene. The mammary glands and nipples should be washed with warm water and neutral soap twice a day, if cracks appear, the nipples should be treated with healing agents. If an infection gets into the wounds, this will not only cause severe discomfort to the mother, but also harm the baby.
Despite the fact that the beneficial properties of breast milk are in demand by a child up to 2 years old, it is still necessary to introduce the first complementary food no later than six months. From this time on, milk should gradually become only an addition to the diet.
Breastfeeding Myths
There are many myths surrounding breastfeeding, and most of them are completely untrue.
- Breast milk loses its beneficial properties after the first year of a child's life. In fact, everything is exactly the opposite - the beneficial properties of the nutrient mixture remain the same. Long-term feeding does not bring harm, but benefit, since it protects the baby's immunity and prevents the development of allergies.
- The amount of milk a woman has depends on how much she eats. The statement is also very far from the truth - the quality of lactation does not depend in any way on the amount of food consumed. The beneficial hormone prolactin is responsible for milk production, and its concentration is determined by how often the mother brings the baby to the breast. Thus, the more often you feed, the better your milk production. However, one cannot argue with the fact that the quality and properties of milk depend on a woman's diet - food should be moderate, but varied and healthy.
- The properties of breast milk change during storage and it becomes useless. In fact, storing expressed breast milk at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or even in the freezer hardly diminishes its benefits. Rather, on the contrary, for example, freezing reduces the number of bacteria that can potentially harm.
Advice! If milk needs to be expressed, it is best to store it in the refrigerator at 4 ° C for up to 8 days.
The nutritional mixture also retains its beneficial properties in room heat - up to 4 hours, then it does not begin to harm, but loses its benefits.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of breastfeeding depend mainly on the quality of the woman's diet and on how well prolactin is produced in her body. Contrary to popular myths, the feeding properties are beneficial even one year after giving birth.
