By Richard Oloo
World Breastfeeding Week is a global campaign observed annually from 1st to 7th August, to raise awareness on themes related to Breastfeeding. As we commemorate this year’s with the theme ‘ Support Breastfeeding for a Healthier Planet, we encourage breastfeeding and highlight its peripheral contribution to the growth and development of infants and the benefits to the mother. Breastfeeding is considered an infants first vaccine and its supply when demanded is crucial.
We share a few tips on how to keep the flow on check and highlight the benefits.
1. Drinking more water : This assists in milk production as water is one of the main components of milk .
2. Eat lactation friendly diet: These include oats, carrots , spinach ,garlic as well as fruits and vegetables.
3. Warm your breasts: This can be achieved by taking warm or hot showers. Also, a mother can compress her breasts before pumping milk.
4. Feed baby on both sides : It is advisable to let the infant nurse on one side for 10 minutes before popping her over to the other. Moreover, during the next feeding, the baby can start feeding on the side they last stopped.
Breastfeeding presents benefits to the mother as it helps lower the risk of chronic illnesses like breast cancer and diabetes. Post- pregnancy weight loss is also an advantage of breastfeeding to the mother.
The Writer is the current Mr. University Kenya and a Student at Multimedia University in Kenya.
