Bengaluru: ‘‘I have got a three-month maternal leave package but thankfully I have a lot of leave accumulated so I can breast feed my baby for six months,’’ says 32-year-old Anju, a new mother. Just like Anju, there are many working mothers in the city who are trying their best to practice breastfeeding for the first six months.
‘‘Many new mothers and expectant mothers come in with the worry of how to optimally breastfeed their new-born evens after three months of leave. We do suggest certain measures that they can take to ensure that the essential six-month feeding is not hampered,’’ says Dr Joyce, Lactation consultant at Fortis Hospital.
With a demanding work culture, working women resort to various alternatives.
‘‘One of the most common problems that working mothers face is that of breastfeeding and hence we advise that if there is a creche in the workplace or somewhere nearby they can utilise it. Another option that many women use is ‘expressing’ of milk using either a machine or manually, which can be stored for 8-12 hrs in a refrigerator,’’ says Dr Susanth Shivaswamy, Consultant Paediatrician, Narayana Multi speciality hospital, Whitefield.
“Feeding in the first hour of life is highly significant as colostrum acts as the first immunization for the newborn because of its anti-infective components.
The sooner the baby comes in contact with the mother and is breastfed, the better are its prospects of survival and healthy development,” says Dr Prabha Ramakrishna, Senior Consultant & Head, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Sakra World Hospital.
‘‘Mother's milk has various nutritional and non-nutritional advantages and has the right combination of fat and proteins a baby needs along with the vitamins, calcium, hence we advise all expectant mothers to ensure that they breast feed for the first six months as it is the best combination for a developing baby,’’ says Dr Susanth.
