WHO recommends! Principles of healthy eating. Nutrition. New WHO dietary recommendations Feeding up to two years

Breast milk is an ideal product for feeding children, which fully contains the necessary vitamins and elements for the full development and growth of the baby. Mother's milk is called the ideal food for babies, because it performs a number of important functions:

  • Strengthens the child’s immunity, prevents the appearance and development of colds and viral diseases, allergies and dysbacteriosis;
  • Milk contains the necessary amount of substances for the normal development of the baby and changes with the age and needs of the child;
  • Provides emotional and physical contact between mother and child, which has a positive effect on the baby’s psyche and nervous system;
  • Normalizes microflora and intestinal function, which is so important for a newborn and baby in the first two to three months of life. Breast milk normalizes stool and makes it easier;
  • Breast sucking forms the correct bite and prevents tooth decay;
  • Forms the hormonal and reproductive systems.

WHO Research

The World Health Organization or WHO has conducted numerous studies on breastfeeding. In 2000, experts studied the effect of breast milk on baby development in the first year of life. Among other things, it was found that lack of breastfeeding in the first six months increases the risk of mortality as a result of the development of dangerous diseases.

Research has found that breast milk is a complete source of nutrition and reduces mortality among children who are malnourished. In the first six months, mother's milk provides 100% of the necessary nutrients! Up to one year – 75%, and up to two years – about 35%.

Scientists have found that breast milk prevents excess weight. The risk of obesity and infants is reduced by 11 times compared to artificial ones. In addition, natural feeding stimulates brain function and improves immunity.

In 2001, WHO compiled guidelines for feeding children, which contain general recommendations for nursing mothers, doctors and. The purpose of these recommendations is to promote breastfeeding and reduce mortality among children under five years of age. Let's take a closer look at the rules.

  • Put the baby to the breast immediately after birth;
  • Do not feed your baby expressed milk from a bottle until the baby is able to suck from the breast;
  • After birth, mother and baby should be close and in contact with each other;
  • You need to put your baby to your breast correctly. It is important that the baby grasps the nipple correctly and does not swallow a lot of air along with the milk. Incorrect attachment will result in the baby not receiving the required amount of food. In addition, such feeding often causes pain in the breasts and nipples, which is the cause of lactostasis and mastitis. How to properly put your baby to the breast, read;
  • Feed the baby on demand and in the amount he requires. Constant latching stimulates lactation and has a positive effect on the baby’s health and well-being;
  • Do not force your baby to eat when he doesn’t want to. This only traumatizes the psyche, after which the child will completely refuse to take the breast;
  • Do not take the baby off the breast until he releases the nipple on his own or falls asleep;
  • Do not replace night feedings with bottle feedings, as night milk has the highest value and nutritional value;
  • Do not give your baby extra food in the first 4-6 months and do not give milk, compotes or juices. Breast milk is a great thirst quencher! When you can supplement your child’s drinking, read the article “”;
  • Transfer the baby to the other breast only after he has completely emptied the first;
  • Do not accustom your newborn to a pacifier and bottle. This simplifies the feeding process, after which... Complementary foods can be given from a cup or spoon, syringe or pipette;
  • Do not wash your nipples frequently, do not use natural soaps and towels. Such products irritate the skin, and frequent washing washes away beneficial bacteria and washes away the protective layer around the areola. Wash your breasts no more than twice a day with neutral soap or just water. Use soft wipes. How to care for your breasts, avoid and treat cracked nipples, read;
  • This is only possible if absolutely necessary, since frequent pumping leads to hyperlactation. You should resort to this procedure only when the mother is separated from the baby for a long time (departure, going to work, mastitis, etc.);
  • Introduce the first complementary foods to infants no earlier than six months after the baby’s birth;
  • Ensure breastfeeding until two years of age. Many pediatricians recommend weaning after a year. However, WHO breastfeeding experts are confident that in order not to traumatize the baby’s psyche, breastfeeding should be continued for up to two years. However, this is an individual process and depends on the development and readiness for weaning of each child individually. It is important to gradually, over several weeks or even months, slowly reduce the number of feedings and introduce new complementary foods.


Each country issues its own breastfeeding guidelines. It should be noted that the United States, the former republics of the USSR and some EU countries refused to bring national recommendations into full compliance with the WHO strategy. Thus, some pediatricians believe that complementary feeding should be introduced starting from three to four months.

Official Russian recommendations also advise starting complementary feeding as early as four months. Interestingly, in the USSR it was recommended to use exclusive breastfeeding only in the first month of life, and as the main food for the first four months. It was advised to feed strictly on a schedule and to stop breastfeeding completely by 11-12 months. Soviet doctors recommended that mothers introduce vegetables and fruits, natural juices, and kefir into their infants’ diet already in the second month.

Modern Russian pediatricians categorically disagree with such recommendations for feeding children. Many experts support the rules drawn up by the WHO. They are confident that early complementary feeding leads to anemia and other diseases in children. The optimal age for introducing the first complementary foods is 6-7 months. Introducing complementary foods from 4-5 months is allowed if the child was on mixed or artificial feeding.

More details on the introduction scheme and diet of the first complementary foods can be found at the link.

The nursing mother decides for herself whether to follow WHO recommendations on breastfeeding. As practice shows, a woman finds the optimal way of feeding, because each baby is individual. What suits one child may not suit another.

WHO breastfeeding recommendations are written specifically for new mothers and health care workers. Their goal is to restore a feeding culture that has received too little attention in recent decades.

The benefits of breast milk for a child are incomparable, but for quite a long time society cared little about this. Breastfeeding was devalued and replaced by artificial feeding. Formula companies aggressively promoted the idea that breast milk was just a collection of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, it can easily be replaced with analogues. Although in reality, not a single, even the most advanced formula can give the baby what the mother’s breast gives him.

In the last two or three decades, new principles of successful breastfeeding have begun to emerge, and the idea of ​​natural feeding as the most beneficial for mother and child has begun to be promoted.

WHO's 10 core principles

UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) have jointly developed 10 principles for successful breastfeeding that help new mothers improve the feeding process. These principles and recommendations are actively disseminated among medical professionals, many of whom are still guided by outdated feeding models and cannot provide sufficient support to mothers who decide to undergo natural breastfeeding.

Initially, only 10 principles of breastfeeding according to WHO were developed, which continue to be relevant today.

The first is staying together after childbirth

The first of them recommends not separating mother and child after childbirth and ensuring that they live together around the clock. This promotes peace of mind for both mother and baby and facilitates the adaptation period.

Second - early breastfeeding

The first feeding always occurs within the first hour after the baby is born. At this time, only a few drops of colostrum are produced, but they contain a powerful dose of substances necessary for the baby’s immune defense and beneficial bacteria that populate his sterile intestines. In addition, colostrum promotes the rapid elimination of meconium from the body, thereby reducing bilirubin.

Third - correct application

It is necessary to learn correctly from the first hours to avoid problems. Incorrect attachment can not only cause cracks in the nipples, but also cause colic and insufficient saturation of the baby, since it will also capture air along with the milk.

Fourth – refusal of breast substitutes

Complete refusal of bottles and pacifiers. A baby gets milk from a bottle much easier than breast milk - you have to try hard to get it. Once introduced to the bottle, babies often wean themselves off the breast in order to get lighter milk. Pacifiers as a replacement for feeding also disrupt the lactation adjustment; the baby does not get enough to eat because he is put to the breast less often.

Fifth – feeding on demand

It is very important to abandon the usual “regime” feeding, when a “step to the side” was allowed for no more than 15 minutes. This reduced milk production and made the baby and mother nervous. The optimal feeding regimen, according to WHO recommendations, is exclusively at the request of the child. This helps to establish lactation and, as a result, the baby receives exactly as much milk as he needs, and with it the vital maternal warmth and closeness. Feeding on demand improves milk quality and reduces the risk of developing lactostasis.

Sixth - do not take the baby’s breasts

Feeding should continue until the baby releases the breast on his own. Interruption of feeding has a negative impact on both the physical and emotional state of the child. In addition, this leads to the fact that the child does not receive enough healthy and high-calorie “hind” milk.

Seventh - don’t drink too much

In the first six months, the child should be exclusively on the breast, without supplementation. After all, mother's milk is 88 percent water. Water disrupts the microflora of the stomach and intestines. It creates the illusion of satiety, and the baby eats less. Supplementation is permitted exclusively for medical purposes and in special cases. For example, if the child is at risk of dehydration due to high fever or vomiting.

Eighth – complementary foods are introduced only after 6 months

Until six months, the baby receives 100% of the necessary nutrients from mother's milk. From 6 months to a year – 75%, and from one to two years – 25%. This point is one of the most important WHO recommendations on breastfeeding. Therefore, the early introduction of complementary foods is completely meaningless - the child has already received everything he needs.

Early complementary feeding - up to 6 months - was very popular in Soviet times. Then it was recommended to introduce additional foods at the age of 2-3 months. However, this negatively affects the child’s digestion, since his intestines are not yet adapted to digest such complex food. The baby’s digestive system is not yet ready to digest something less adapted than mother’s milk.

Ninth – mom’s moral support

It is important to support the young mother, her self-confidence, and encouragement of breastfeeding. Many women are not confident that they will be able to breastfeed their child, that they will succeed and have enough milk. The incompetence of medical workers or relatives and friends who do not provide them with proper support or even offer to supplement the baby with formula, instead of establishing breastfeeding, often becomes the reason for refusing to breastfeed.

Tenth – giving up nipple ointments

It is recommended to avoid ointments and creams for nipples. They often give them an unpleasant taste or smell, which can cause the baby to refuse the breast. Their safety cannot be called absolute. It is also better to avoid frequent breast washing, especially with soap. This washes away the protective fat layer and leads to cracks and damage to the nipple. For hygiene, a daily shower or bath is enough. If cracks appear on the nipples, the reason is the baby’s improper attachment. And this main problem needs to be solved.

Over time, the list expanded, 12 principles of breastfeeding appeared, and then even more. Important points have been added to promote more productive feeding.

We feed at night

Maintaining night feedings necessary to maintain lactation. It is during the night period that the most intense production of the hormone responsible for lactation occurs. If you support him with feeding at this time, the milk will not go away too early.

Refusal to pump

By expressing milk, a woman misleads her body - it seems to him that the baby eats all this milk and begins to produce so much that he is full. That is, as a result of expressing milk, it becomes even more. And since the baby doesn’t actually need that much milk, stagnation occurs and the excess has to be expressed again, and so on in a vicious circle.

New WHO principles

Gradually, WHO recommendations on breastfeeding are expanding, more and more new points are being added to them. In particular, it is recommended to maintain breastfeeding for as long as possible - up to 2 years and even more. This helps the child build full-fledged immunity, since mother’s milk contains immune bodies. In addition, it still contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements necessary for full development.

Also, according to WHO breastfeeding guidelines, it is better to refrain from weighing your baby frequently. This does not provide critical information about his development, but it often irritates the mother, who begins to worry that her baby is malnourished or gaining weight too quickly.

Specialized support groups for mothers are important, in which they teach proper latching and help establish lactation. Participation in such groups is necessary both during pregnancy and after childbirth. Before the birth of a child, a woman has a lot of time and effort to obtain the necessary information, so she should clarify for herself as many important points as possible. After childbirth, the moral support of like-minded people will be important, especially if a woman is “unlucky” with a pediatrician or relatives, and they actively suggest that she switch the child to formula.

The principles of breastfeeding a newborn also include completely emptying the breast before placing the baby on another. If the baby requires more abundant feeding and is fed from the second breast, it is important to carefully monitor his behavior and not remove him too early so that he receives “hind” milk from the first breast - fattier and more nutritious. If the baby stops sucking, but does not release the breast, it means that the milk continues to flow and he is simply resting. It should be transferred to another breast after the first one is completely emptied.

However, even if a mother is determined to follow WHO recommendations for breastfeeding, sometimes situations arise when this is not possible:

  • during a difficult birth or caesarean section, it is not possible to immediately put the baby to the breast - the mother may be under anesthesia for several hours or medical indications do not allow leaving the baby with her;
  • not all maternity hospitals allow mother and child to be together around the clock. It is better to find out this moment in advance so that it does not become an unpleasant surprise;
  • the mother is forced to go to work early and cannot feed the child for a long time. Of course, it is advisable to spend as much time as possible with the child and postpone the return to “society” for several years. A child under one year old needs the constant, even 24-hour, presence of his mother nearby, literally like air.
  • the child himself refuses to breastfeed at the age of 1-1.5 years. In this case, of course, there is no need to force feed him, citing WHO. The baby himself knows how much milk he needs.

In any case, natural breastfeeding is always a dialogue between mother and child. It is very important, first of all, to learn to listen and understand your baby, then the process of adaptation to new conditions will be much easier and painless.

The culture of natural breastfeeding is gradually taking its rightful place in people’s minds, and WHO specialists have made a lot of efforts for this, creating and disseminating recommendations for breastfeeding. And although it is still quite common to find doctors of the “old school” who were brought up in different rules and try to impose them on young mothers, the situation is confidently improving and more and more babies are receiving mother’s milk, which is so important for them.

The leading role in analyzing the evolution of the influenza virus, determining its genetics, and the annual development of recommendations for the treatment and prevention of this viral infection belongs to the World Health Organization (WHO). Influenza, both seasonal and pandemic, has no equal in the speed of spread and scale of destruction of the population of our planet. Therefore, to minimize the adverse consequences of influenza epidemics and pandemics, WHO recommends a set of measures for all countries, which includes the use of antiviral agents and vaccines.

WHO specialists annually conduct an examination of the existing arsenal of medical antiviral drugs: they check their quality and effectiveness through randomized clinical trials. First of all, this applies to those drugs that do not have a patent. Such medicines are usually sold much cheaper than patented ones. Those flu medicines approved by WHO are high quality because passed more than one examination.

  1. It is impossible to start producing a vaccine in advance, as the most effective way to prevent severe infection and complications of infection. In order to do this, you need to know the enemy by sight. An outbreak or epidemic of influenza occurs around the world every year. And every year the strains of this virus change. Therefore, after determining the leading subtype that provides this epidemic. season, forecasting for the next epidemic is carried out. Every year in February, a meeting is held with leading pharmaceutical companies, where experts make recommendations on the most optimal vaccine composition for the next year in the northern and southern hemispheres.
  2. Over time, the virus becomes resistant to antiviral drugs. Thus, the drugs rimantadine and amantadine, widely used for preventive and therapeutic purposes, have become less and less effective in recent years.

Modern antiviral drugs based on oseltamivir and zanamivir against influenza, recommended by WHO, are currently highly effective and are not characterized by the resistance of the leading subtypes of viruses AH1N1, AH3N2 and type B to them. But no one excludes that in a few years pathogens will be able to adapt to these medications, so the drugs rimantadine and amantadine should not be written off.

WHO specialists are seriously working to develop recommendations on influenza

Medicines recommended by WHO for the treatment and prevention of influenza

After the H1N1pdm09 pandemic (a new dangerous strain of the seasonal H1N1 virus) swept the world in 2009, killing millions of people, experts from the World Organization conducted a large number of studies that proved the high effectiveness of oseltamivir, namely its patented drug Tamiflu.

A number of positive properties of this antiviral medicine have been established:

  1. The active substance penetrates well into the target organs of viral infection: lungs, middle ear, sinuses.
  2. Well tolerated by children and elderly people.
  3. Prevents the development of secondary bacterial complications.
  4. Significantly reduces the duration of the disease.
  5. Reduces mortality by 80%.

You need to know that the effectiveness of an antiviral drug is completely determined by the timing of its administration. When started in the first 12-14 hours, the duration of the infection is reduced by 3 days, the symptoms of intoxication and the rate of fever are reduced.

Not only Tamiflu, but also a number of other chemotherapy drugs are used to treat influenza.

  • Oseltamivir;
  • Zanamivir;
  • Peramivir;
  • Laninamivir.

The last two drugs are patented only in some countries, and in the Russian Federation you can buy Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir).

Tamiflu is one of the effective drugs recommended by WHO

Tamiflu

The mechanism of action of the drug is based on suppression of the production of the main viral antigen - neuraminidase. Thanks to neuraminidase, the virion multiplies inside the host cell and leaves it in the form of a new viral particle, ready to attack other healthy cells.

The active site of neuraminidase rarely undergoes mutation, so the effectiveness of Tamiflu has remained at a high level for many years.

Possible side effects:

  • Nausea and vomiting (dyspepsia);
  • Headache.

Undesirable effects go away on their own after a few hours and do not require stopping the medication.

Contraindications:

  • End-stage renal failure;
  • History of individual intolerance to components.

The medication is approved for cautious use in pregnant women when the pandemic strain is circulating (in animal studies, no teratogenic effects on the fetus were found). The substance can be secreted by the mammary glands, so its use when breastfeeding a child is possible only during a pandemic.

Release form: capsules of 30, 45, 75 mg, as well as suspension. If it was not possible to purchase the suspension, then dilute the powder from the capsules as indicated in the instructions.

Scheme for using Tamiflu

Purpose of use Categories by age Adults and children over 8 years old or weighing more than 40 kg Children over one year old
Treatment One capsule at a time. (75 mg) twice in a course of 5 days Less than 15 kg: one capsule each. twice (30 mg).

Weight from 16 to 23 kg: one capsule. twice (45 mg).

Weight from 24 to 39 kg: one capsule. twice (60 mg).

Course 5 days.

Prevention (no later than 50 hours from the moment of contact) One capsule (75 mg) once a day, ten days 15 kg or less: one capsule. per day (30 mg).

Weight from 16 to 23 kg: one capsule. (45 mg) per day.

Weighing from 24 to 39 kg: one capsule. (60 mg) per day.

Course for 10 days.

Prevention during the infection season One capsule at a time. per day, for six weeks In the above dosage 1 time per day, for a course of no more than 6 weeks

It is advisable to take the medication with meals.

For young children (6 months - 1 year) during a pandemic, to treat infection, the medicine is prescribed twice a day at the rate of 3 mg per kg. baby's weight course for 5 days.

The average estimated cost of the medicine per package is $20.

Relenza works similarly to Tamiflu.

Relenza

Relenza is limited in use in young children and the elderly due to inhalation use.

The mechanism of action of this drug is similar to that of Tamiflu.

A contraindication is a history of intolerance to the components.

Side effects include:

  • Swelling of the face and larynx;
  • Difficulty breathing, bronchospasm;
  • Allergic skin reactions.

As a rule, adverse reactions are extremely rare.

Scheme for using Relenza

The average estimated price of a medicine is $15.

WHO experts consider antiviral drugs as a factor curbing the epidemic

According to WHO experts, antiviral drugs have powerful epidemic-controlling potential. These chemotherapeutic drugs are active against all influenza viruses, including reassortants (mutant viruses of human and avian strains).

“Constipation” in a baby and “Internet articles” from “any monkeys”... with facts of evidence-based medicine from WHO

I went into the message. GV, there is a post, the GV child is 4 months old. and 3 weeks, the mother is worried that the child rarely poops, and know she is only trying to solve the “problem”. Of course, up to 4 months the child has already drunk liters of laxatives (without a stone belly, just a bloated tummy, but who has it not bloated for the first 6 months???). The pediatrician advised, you never know what WHO advises. Well, it’s true, a mother doesn’t have to be aware of everything that WHO recommends.

The question is different. When it becomes known that there was an alternative view of children's kaki a long time ago, there are still people who will resist and not hear it. For example, scientists have found that a child on breastfeeding can poop once every 7 days (provided that the stomach is not stone-free) as a variant of the norm, that supplementing with water during breastfeeding is harmful for up to 6 months, and some wanted to spit, well, they would spit quietly, about himself, but no, this ignoramus had to hint that the texts with sources are, it turns out, “Internet articles,” and the person himself who provided the facts turns out to be likened to “any monkey.”

Below is the correspondence, if anyone is interested in the topic of constipation in infants.

Cindy:

this is not constipation, you need to leave the child alone, remove all medications, suppositories, etc. A child on breastfeeding may not poop for 7-10 days, this is a variant of the norm, you should be happy :))).

Komarovsky, in my opinion, has an article on this topic, “hands off the child’s butt,” or something like that.

A breastfeeding child has the right not to poop for up to 10 days! If the baby is calm, farts on his own and without problems, keep your hands off his butt! The milk means it is completely absorbed and that’s it. You yourself said that even after the enema there was no result!!! So far we have only been on breastfeeding (up to 6 months), we could not poop for 5 days, then poop once (thicker, naturally) and again not poop for 4 days. Read more about the baby's stool! Everything about them is different from formula-fed babies!

Infant stool is one of the problematic issues for many mothers. In the mid-20th century, as formula feeding became more common than breastfeeding, a new stereotype of “normal” bowel movements emerged. Formula-fed babies poop differently than infants: formula-fed stool is relatively infrequent, comes out formed and smells bad, reminiscent of adult stool. While stool from breast milk in the first 6 weeks of life is usually liquid and frequent, later, on the contrary, it can be of normal consistency, but with delays. At the same time, often people who do not know that this is quite normal for infants begin to treat the baby either for diarrhea or constipation...

It is normal for a baby under 6 weeks of age to have bowel movements several times a day, little by little, with a yellow or mustard-colored mass without an unpleasant odor. In this case, the stool may well have a heterogeneous consistency, or cheesy inclusions, or - after some time, if the mother does not remove the diaper or diaper for a long time - you may notice that the yellow stool turns green; this is a completely natural oxidation process. All these are signs that are characteristic of a healthy infant! Signs that may make a mother wary:

  • Too frequent watery stools - 12 to 16 bowel movements per day, with a strong odor, indicate that the child actually has diarrhea (diarrhea). You should definitely consult a doctor, and it is very advisable to continue breastfeeding, because breast milk best fills the deficiency of the substances necessary for the baby.
  • frequent stools (8-12 times a day), which are green and watery, are often caused by sensitivity to foods or treatment of the child or mother; Often this reaction is caused by cow's milk protein.

Green, watery, foamy stools are usually a sign of something called anterior-hindmilk imbalance, which doctors like to call “lactase deficiency.” True lactase deficiency is relatively rare, and in the vast majority of cases, this condition of the baby can be corrected by allowing each breast to be emptied completely before moving to the next. In this case, the baby will receive a large portion of fatty “hind” milk, which contains little lactose (unlike the “front” portion that is rich in lactose) and is therefore easier to digest. Clarification so as not to get confused in terms: lactose is the milk sugar found in breast milk, and lactase is the enzyme that is required to break down lactose. The reserves of lactase in the baby’s body are relatively small, and if he receives a lot of “foremilk”, then there is not enough lactase for its normal absorption, so the baby suffers from gas, and the stool takes on a characteristic appearance. Another problem that often arises after 5-6 weeks of a child’s life is relatively rare bowel movements, which are often mistakenly considered constipation and the baby begins to be actively treated. At this age, milk finally becomes mature and the laxative colostrum component leaves it, and therefore most children begin to poop less often. Rare stool in itself is not a cause for concern; it’s just that the child’s body is figuring out how much it can accumulate in itself before pooping. If the process is not interfered with, the child may not poop even for up to 7 days once or twice, after which the normal frequency will be restored. If you constantly interfere, forcing the intestines to empty when they are not yet ready, constipation will become habitual. BUT: Indeed, the child may not poop for up to a week, and the mother does not have to worry under one essential condition: the child ALSO does not worry! If this obviously bothers the child, the mother, of course, should not hope that everything will “work itself out.”

You don’t need any water, it strengthens, in my opinion.

If a child is on breastfeeding, he does not need additional supplements until he is five years old, definitely until he is one year old. Mine didn't like water at all.

GM consists of 90% water, what does this mean? That water is not needed.

IGNORANT: Water strengthens????? Where did you read such nonsense))))) funny

Cindy: Where did you read the nonsense that weakens????????? I'm freaking out, it's not just funny, I'm rolling on the floor. See above what scientists write.

IGNORANT: Yes of course not, on the contrary it cleanses....

Cindy: what does it cleanse from, normal weight?

Quote: " Regular supplementation in significant quantities can cause poor weight gain."

And here is a list of scientific literature:

Bibliography

Mohrbacher N., Stock J. Breastfeeding Answer Book, Third Revised Edition, January 2003, La Leche League International, Schaumburg, Illinois.

Mohrbacher N. Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple. Amarillo, TX: Hale Publishing, 2010.

Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, 6th ed. La Leche League International, 1997

Sears, W. and Sears, M. “The Baby Book”

IGNORANT: you’ve got something in general))) you read the post, the child has problems with stool.... better give practical advice based on experience, and any monkey can quote Internet articles here.

I read the post, the child has no problems with bowel movements, the problem among adults is with the perception of the norm of bowel movements for a breastfeeding child up to a year and even longer, especially since here we are generally talking about treating a child almost from scratch, and now, up to 4 ,5 months. What are they treating for? A breastfeeding child has the right not to poop for 7 days; this is not constipation. And this is a scientifically established fact, and not an “Internet article” that “any monkey can allegedly quote” (by the way, the word “quote” is written without any “e”). Oh, just don’t write that when there are no arguments, they cling to words, I have arguments, and your mistakes also show the level of your education.

Moreover, you do not distinguish a “source of information” from a “carrier of information” - this is another gap in your education. A scientific study can be printed in a paper publication, it can be found in a library, the same study can additionally be found in an electronic library, or on the official website of a scientific organization, WHO, honey. database. Just because something smart is published in these places in electronic form, it does not automatically become Internet trash. Isn’t that obvious? And to compare this with those Internet articles that you read, along with all sorts of monkeys, is stupid and ignorant.

Practical advice based on experience, yes please, I did not treat my child’s physiological diarrhea (it was up to one and a half to two months, and my mother insisted that it was necessary to show the doctor, which is equivalent, apparently, to God, who sees and knows everything) , and would not treat any imaginary “constipation” if it lasted up to seven days. The only thing my child had was that one day he might not poop for some time and that’s all. And my friend and even two of them, the children were on breastfeeding, pooped once every 5-7 days, three children, three! And no one treated them for constipation, no one! Now they are 5-8 years old. Here, the personal experience of other mothers about the retention of feces for 5-7 days, knowledgeable breastfeeding mothers, if the child’s stomach does not turn to stone, do nothing with the poop, they do not lure it out of the child at all costs, together with the grandmother or pediatrician , all sorts of medications and irritating substances.

Healthy babies under six months of age do not need water. None and in no way. In the breast milk of absolutely every mother, without exception, regardless of the amount she drinks and eats, there is from 80 to 95% liquid. Namely water. That is, equating milk with cutlets is, at the very least, strange.
This liquid is in a bioavailable form. This means that the baby can absorb this water from breast milk and satisfy his need for it. Regular water (no matter what kind - filtered, boiled, special for children) the child cannot learn. That is, it lies empty in the stomach, displacing healthy mother’s milk.

The paradox is that by feeding their babies in hot weather, mothers increase the risk of dehydration. After all, he cannot yet absorb ordinary water due to the development of the gastrointestinal tract. Instead, he could receive breast milk, which contains fluid that is biologically available to him.
Studies have shown that in hot weather it is enough to simply put your baby to the breast more often.

What WHO recommendations on breastfeeding should every expectant and established mother know? What is the advice of the World Health Organization? How are they justified and supported? Ten principles for successful breastfeeding in recommendations adopted by the international community.

In 2003, at the international conference of the World Health Organization in Geneva, the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding was adopted. The document is intended to systematize and organize the knowledge of the international community about the value of breastfeeding. And to convey to medical personnel in all countries of the world the need to maintain it through training and informing mothers.

Ideal nutrition - saving lives

In 2000, WHO and UNICEF specialists began a large-scale study to find out how breast milk actually affects children in the first year of life. The results of the study were stunning.

  • Depriving children of the first six months of life from breastfeeding greatly increases the risk of mortality as a result of dangerous diseases. About 70% of children in the first year of life living in developing, socially disadvantaged countries of the world, suffering from diarrhea, measles, malaria, and respiratory tract infections, received artificial food.
  • Breast milk is a complete source of nutrition and reduces mortality among malnourished children. Studies have confirmed that until the child reaches six months of age, it covers 100% of the necessary nutrients. Up to twelve months it serves as a supplier of 75% of valuable substances, and up to twenty-four months it supplies the child’s body with almost a third of the necessary substances.
  • Breast milk protects against obesity. Excess weight is a global problem for humanity. The prerequisites for it are created by artificial feeding of newborns. These children are 11 times more likely to become obese in the future.
  • Breast milk develops intelligence. Naturally fed children exhibit higher intellectual abilities than artificially fed children.

The main message given by the World Health Organization in the Strategy is the promotion of breastfeeding in order to reduce child mortality among children from birth to five years of age. This problem is especially acute in socially disadvantaged regions of the planet. But even in developed countries its relevance is high. After all, breastfeeding is the basis of a healthy human life.

The strategy includes ten points that provide practical guidance for medical staff in maternity hospitals and women in labor. Let's take a closer look at WHO advice on breastfeeding.

The basic postulates of the Strategy are based on the principles of widely informing mothers about the benefits of natural feeding.

Supporting breastfeeding rules and regularly bringing them to the attention of medical personnel and mothers

A feature of medical institutions that adhere to the principles of the Strategy in their daily activities is their focus on creating favorable conditions for women in order to stimulate lactation in the first days after the birth of a child. It will be much easier for young mothers to establish natural feeding in such conditions. Health centers that use the WHO Strategy are considered Baby Friendly Hospitals.

Training of medical personnel in breastfeeding techniques

Past medical education programs paid minimal attention to breastfeeding issues. Over seven years of training for maternity ward doctors, literally several hours were devoted to this topic. It is not surprising that “old-school” doctors do not know the basics of natural feeding and cannot give professional advice to mothers.

In Russia, the issue of advanced training for doctors has not been resolved. Additional funds are needed for retraining and courses. Ideally, every employee of a Baby-Friendly Hospital, from the doctor to the nurse, should provide the woman after childbirth with all the information she needs about breastfeeding.

Informing pregnant women about the benefits of breastfeeding

A pregnant woman makes a decision about how exactly the baby will be fed long before giving birth. Various factors can influence this decision. For example, an expectant mother is often prompted to decide to feed formula by “horror stories” from older relatives about the constant crying of a hungry child or mastitis due to stagnation of milk.

Medical personnel should not only inform the young mother about the advantages of natural feeding. But also teach the technique of breastfeeding, which ensures full feeding without problems and discomfort.

Helping mothers in labor start breastfeeding early

The baby's first breastfeeding should occur within thirty minutes of birth. These WHO recommendations for breastfeeding are difficult to overestimate.

Nature has designed the activation of the sucking reflex in a baby during the first hour after birth. If the baby does not receive the breast now, he will probably fall asleep later to rest from the difficult work done. And he sleeps for at least six hours.

At this time, the woman will not receive stimulation of the mammary glands, which is a signal to the body: it’s time! The beginning of breast milk production and its quantity directly depend on the time of the first contact of the woman with the baby. The longer the first latch is delayed, the less milk the mother will receive and the longer she will have to wait for it - not two or three days, but seven to nine...

The first attachment provides the baby with the first and most valuable food for him - colostrum. And even though there is very little of it, literally drops, it has a colossal effect on the newborn’s body:

  • populates the food tract with friendly microflora;
  • provides immune, anti-infective protection;
  • saturates with vitamin A, which facilitates the course of infectious diseases;
  • cleanses the intestines of meconium containing bilirubin.

The first application, which took place within half an hour after birth, forms the body's immune defense against environmental hazards. The duration of suckling on each breast for a newborn should be 20 minutes.

Helping mothers conserve breast milk if they are temporarily separated from their babies

Some women are unable to start breastfeeding immediately after giving birth. However, waiting for doctors to allow breastfeeding is disastrous! Lack of breast stimulation leads to delayed lactation: milk comes later and in a much smaller volume than the baby needs.

Babies separated from their mothers are given formula before they are even breastfed. This leads to sad consequences. Once near the mother, the baby stubbornly refuses to take the breast, demanding to be fed from a familiar bottle. The minimum amount of milk in the mother’s breast is an additional factor in the baby’s dissatisfaction. After all, milk needs to be “extracted”, sucked out with effort, and the mixture flows on its own.

When mother and child are separated, breastfeeding recommendations suggest an alternative to feeding - pumping. They should be regular, every two to three hours for 10-15 minutes on each breast. Hand expression after childbirth is uncomfortable and painful. It is better to use a clinical or individual breast pump with a two-phase operating mode.

The amount of milk released is not indicative; do not pay attention to how much came out during pumping. A woman’s task is not to express as much as possible, but to give a signal to the body that it is time to produce milk in full.

Its success and duration largely depend on whether the start of breastfeeding is correct. However, after being discharged from the maternity hospital, the young mother is faced with many questions. WHO breastfeeding recommendations help answer some of these questions.

Lack of food and food other than breast milk

Unless otherwise indicated by individual medical conditions, WHO does not recommend giving children any other food or water until they are six months old.

In the first days of life, the child receives colostrum, rich in nutritional value. The small amount that is produced is enough to satisfy all his needs. There is no need to supplement your baby with anything! Moreover, this is fraught with negative consequences.

  • Too much water overloads the kidneys. Supplemental feeding with formula creates an unjustified load on the child’s immature kidneys, which have not yet adapted to living conditions in the environment. Adding water works similarly. The baby does not need additional water during the first days of life. He is born with a supply sufficient until the arrival of the mother's first full milk. Colostrum contains very little water, so it is ideal for the baby's body.
  • The mixture disrupts the intestinal microflora. Usually on the second day after birth, the baby begins to actively suckle at the breast. Inexperienced mothers immediately come to the conclusion that he is hungry and urgently needs to be “fed” with formula. In fact, this is how the baby encourages the mother's body to begin producing primary milk, which comes with colostrum. Neither the baby nor your body needs any help, everything will happen by itself! If you give the baby formula at this moment, the microflora of his intestines will change. Dysbacteriosis will develop, which is the main cause of intestinal colic and crying in infants up to three months of age. It will be possible to normalize the child’s condition, even if you adhere to exclusive breastfeeding, no earlier than in two to four weeks.

Of course, there are situations in which supplementary feeding is necessary. But only a doctor should give recommendations for its administration. Spontaneous decisions of the mother to feed her with formula “one time” are dangerous for the baby.

24/7 shared stay

In practice, it has been confirmed that babies who are constantly in the same room with their mothers are calmer, do not scream or cry. Women who have had time to get to know their children are more confident in their abilities. And even if it is their first baby, upon returning home the mother will not face the problem “I don’t know what to do with him.”

In addition, only staying together after childbirth provides the opportunity for the normal development of lactation.

Feeding on demand

Lactation consultants advise looking at your baby, not the clock. Your baby knows better when he's hungry than you or the hospital staff. On-demand breastfeeding provides several benefits.

  • The baby is always full, is gaining weight well.
  • The child is calm because he has no reason to worry or be upset. His mother is always nearby, and the breast, which has taken on the “role” of the umbilical cord during intrauterine development, will warm him up, help him sleep and cope with fear.
  • There is more milk. The amount of milk in women who feed “on demand” is twice as much as in women who adhere to the regime. This conclusion was made by doctors at Moscow perinatal centers based on an analysis of the condition of women in labor upon discharge home.
  • The quality of the milk is better. Feeding “on demand” enriches milk with valuable substances. It has been established that the level of proteins and fats in it is 1.6-1.8 times higher than in the product for “regular” feeding.
  • Prevention of lactostasis. The risk of milk stagnation in mothers who breastfeed “on demand” is three times lower.

The practice of feeding at the child's request should also be followed at home. Gradually, the baby will develop an individual feeding regimen that will be convenient for the mother.

Refusal of products and devices that imitate breasts

The use of pacifiers is possible in artificial babies, who should be offered an alternative to the mother's breast to satisfy the sucking reflex. For infants, this alternative is unacceptable, as it changes the sucking technique and becomes a reason for choosing between the nipple or the breast.

Feeding up to two years

WHO breastfeeding advice includes recommendations to breastfeed until age 2. At this age, mother’s milk plays a primary role in the formation of the baby’s brain, the formation of his nervous system, and the final development of the gastrointestinal tract to fully digest and assimilate “adult” food.

WHO recommends supporting breastfeeding after 2 years in developing countries with insufficient levels of medicine, hygiene, and a simple lack of quality products. It is better to continue feeding mother's milk than dangerous food that can lead to life-threatening diseases, say WHO and UNICEF experts.

It is necessary to maintain breastfeeding after 1 year, according to WHO recommendations. The complementary foods that a child receives are not intended to displace or replace mother's milk. He must introduce the baby to new tastes, unusual textures of foods, and teach him to chew. But the child should still receive the most important substances for the development of his body from his mother’s breast.

Following the recommendations of the World Health Organization will allow every mother to gain confidence in her own abilities. After all, the health of her baby depends on her, and not on doctors, baby food manufacturers or experienced grandmothers. It is based on “white gold” - breast milk produced by the mother’s body in the ideal quantity and composition for her baby.

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