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Arrival of a new baby is a life changing experience to each and every woman. For most of the women it will be a dream coming true. It is the duty of all the parents to provide healthy and nutritious food for the successful psychological and physiological development of their baby.
Mother's milk is the best food for the infants for the first 6 months. After the 6th month you can introduce solid foods along with breast milk. Some studies reveal that babies who are consuming breast milk for long duration may have good IQ in future. Breast milk contains all vital nutrients for overall growth of the baby. Breast milk is the perfect combination of cells, hormones, antibodies, fat, sugar, water, proteins and other nutrients that help the baby to fight against various bacterial and viral diseases.
Just after the birth, mother's milk is very thick and yellowish in color which is known as "Colostrum". Some reports state that more than 50% of mothers are reluctant to give this first milk to their child. But this liquid will give strength to your baby and aids to buildup immunity to cop with the new surroundings.
Most mothers are in confusion that mother's milk is enough for their babies. During the first six months mother's milk is enough to meet all the needs of your baby; surprisingly your baby even does not require water for their survival in this period. Mother's milk is very easy to digest also.
Breast feeding is an easy task. Since the milk is directly given from breast to the baby's mouth, it is found safer than any other formula milk. It will also give protection against ear infections, pneumonia, allergy related diseases, leukemia, diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndromes etc. A joint research of WHO and US Agency for Health care Research and Quality (AHRQ) depict that breast milk has the capacity to reduce acute inflammatory disease in the intestines (Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) of premature babies. As per the study of University of Wisconsin, babies who have ideally feed with breast milk have the less chance of breast cancer, and cardiovascular diseases in future. According to the latest research, breast milk has the capacity to improve the growth of muscles and bone tissues of your baby. The nucleotides in the breast milk helps to regulate the sleep patterns of the baby.
While breast feeding the eye contact of mother and child is very important. Naturally baby will open mouth towards the breast for sucking the milk. At this time mothers should adjust the positions of the nipples correctly in order to ensure that the baby is getting enough milk. Your new born baby requires exclusive breast feeding for 6-10 time in a day. More than these, breast feeding is necessary to flourish an ever loving bonding in between the mother and baby.
