Dr. Khushbu Suthar
The benefits of breastfeeding of your newborn extend well beyond the basic nutrition and health benefits attached to it. The process of giving birth to a child is truly an extraordinary feeling.
The time off from the conception to the baby is born is very precious and you need to give all your attention to your mental and physical piece but what about after birth? The real transformations in life start after little angel is born. We need to do simple things in a different manner because everything will be affecting the child, even the thoughts of the new mother make an impact.
Psychologically talking from 0-7 years child is an extension of mother and from 7-14 years the child is the extension of the father and in that how important it is for the mother to keep her behavior, thought and lifestyle in check. Hold on a beautiful woman! These things are not to scare you but to inform you how important it would be from now onwards to have a self-care session.
Although there are many stages in the process of pregnancy and childbirth a woman faces a lot of physical changes. During pregnancy, the child derives essential nutrients from his or her mother and after birth through mother’s breast milk.One of the most important nutrients utilized during this phase is calcium nothing else. Being a mineral calcium is needed in small amounts to your body but it is important whenever we talk about the mineral group in body’s nutritive science.
Therefore, after childbirth, the importance of calcium intake cannot be overlooked by mothers. From the diet to need for external supplementation is also needed.
But most importantly before giving you some important facts about calcium let me tell you something about VITAMIN-D.
VITAMIN-D
We know after reading this blog you all will pay a careful attention to calcium regulation but what is important here also is Vitamin D. Vitamin D is the element which helps in absorption of calcium, with its presence in the body Calcium can be regulated well.
The prime source of VITAMIN -D is the sun, so from tomorrow onwards give your self-time and stand beneath the sunrays at the time of 6-8 am and soak Vitamin D from the sun to make your bones healthy and strong.
With regular doing of this exercise, a body will be able to absorb calcium well and your body will have Vitamin D in good amount.
Here are some points which explain why calcium is an important nutrient during breastfeeding and how it is essential for the better development of your baby’s physical and mental growth.
These are six Facts That You May Not Know!
1. Increased Requirement of Calcium
In India Most of the pregnant and breastfeeding, women have low dietary calcium intake. Data from some Indian States is collected which shows that intake of calcium for women during pregnancy and lactation is very low. In India women intakes only 400 mg of calcium and they need 1200 mg of calcium per day.
2. The Calcium Requirement of the Baby
A newborn baby requires 200-300 mg of calcium daily from breast milk for the first six months. This calcium helps the baby in developing strong bones and teeth because teeth and bones comprise 99% of the body’s calcium. Therefore calcium is required in a proper way without failing a newborn baby in developing bones and teeth.
3. Postpartum Decline of Calcium is Higher
Loss of calcium is four times higher during the nine months of lactation than during pregnancy. This loss in bone mineral density can be prevented with the intake of calcium.
4. Calcium is Lost on Daily Basis
As exclusive breastfeeding is a must for babies, a lot of calcium is lost from a mother’s body on daily basis. A lactating woman can lose 200-300 mg of a calcium per day during the lactation phase.
5. Adequate Calcium Intake is a Must.
Adequate intake of calcium by the breastfeeding mother is important for calcium-rich breast milk and for prevention of osteoporosis which is a medical condition caused due to calcium deficiency.
6. Loss of Bone Mass
A mother’s body has to work overtime for meeting the breastfeeding requirements. As studies have shown that women often lose 3 to 5% of their bone mass during six months of breastfeeding to meet the baby’s growing need for calcium, nourishment of a mother is important for the nourishment of the baby.
Breast milk gives the baby nutrition to grow and develop with a perfect mix of calcium, vitamins, fat, and protein. All these nutrition packed in the form of breast milk is easier for a baby to digest than formula milk. Babies who are breastfed are more likely to gain the right amount of weight as they grow to protect them from becoming overweight or underweight.
There are some antibodies present in the breast milk which help to fight off viruses and bacteria that may affect the baby’s health and causes harm. This also decreases the risk of your baby having asthma and allergies. Babies who are breastfed in their first 6 months without introducing milk from outside have been noticed to have fewer episodes of infections and respiratory illnesses.
Breast milk is a perfect panacea for a newborn baby who gives him or her great immune system and baby stays fit and fine without taking any medical treatment.
Benefits of breastfeeding
1. It helps the baby to see the world friendlier because it boosts production of oxytocin which is a feel-good hormone.
2. Breastfeeding fora longer time can cause periods to delay after the childbirth which can be twice as long than those don’t breastfeed.
3. It makes feeding in a night a lot easier and very convenient as this milk is always safe at the normal room temperature and fresh.
4. It is also an eco-friendly option as there are no bottles to wash or formula cans to throw away.
It helps in managing the postpartum hormones.
IMPORTANT POINTS FOR BREASTFEEDING.
• Watch out for the baby’s signs of hunger and feed as and when your baby is hungry. This is called “feeding on demand”. First few weeks after birth you may be feeding at least 8 to 12 times a day. Do not wait for your baby to cry as it is a sign that he or she is too hungry.
• Every time you breastfeed you should do it as long as your baby wants it and wait for the baby to unlatch. Do not hurry the baby to finish fast. Babies do take their own time in feeding, around 10-20 minutes at least so you need to be patient through that.
• This is very important. Place some comfortable pillows on your back and neck and to support your arms before you start feeding.
Let’s discuss some of the good dietary sources of calcium with the information you have gained with breastfeeding and Calcium.
- There is a lot of calcium coming from milk and milk products, you can have paneer especially home-made daily.
- A glass of milk will do wonders, have it with a source of fats that is dry fruits especially cashew to increase the calcium intake.
- Having green leafy vegetables especially spinach in forms like soups, salads.
Now that you have gained enough information with the calcium and vitamin with some facts about breastfeeding. It is also important to cherish this phase and enjoy the time of bonding with your little one.
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