BENEFIT OF BREASTFEEEDING

For infants :

Provides the appropriate composition and balance of nutrients with high bioavailability. Provide hormones that promote physiological development. Improves cognitive development. Protects against a variety of infection. Protect against food allergies.

For mothers :

contracts the uterus

delay the return of regular ovulation thus the lengthening birth intervals .
conserves iron stores may protect against breast and ovarian cancer and reduce the the risk of diabetes (type 2 )

Others :
cost saving from not needing medical treatment for childhood illness or time work off to care for them. cost saving from not needing to purchase formula environmental savings to the society from not needing to manufacture, package, and ship formula and dispose of the packaging. convenience of not having to shop for and prepare formula

TEN STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL BREASTFEEDING

Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should: Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half an hour of birth. Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated. Practice rooming-in - that is, allow mothers and infants to remain together - 24 hours a day. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.

Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.

WHAT IS MATERNAL HEALTH ?

Maternal health is defined as the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth or in the postpartum period (the 42 days following the end of a pregnancy) Globally, approximately 350,000 girls and women die from complications due to pregnancy and childbirth every year, while 10-20 million experience serious injuries, including lasting disabilities.

As soon as a woman discovers she is pregnant, she should establish a schedule of prenatal care pregnancies without significant complications, with her physician for the entire duration of the pregnancy. For normal prenatal exams are usually scheduled as follows; every month from the 1st week through the 28th week every two weeks from the 29th week through the 36th week weekly from the 37th week until delivery

WHO PROVIDES PRENATAL CARE?

Prenatal care can be provided by various medical professionals, including the following:

Obstetrician/Gynecologist (OB/GYN) - a physician who has specialized training in the care of women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. An OB-GYN also specializes in many gynecological health issues. Family Physician (FP) - a physician who has specialized training in primary care, including obstetrics. Nurse Practitioner - a nurse with specialized training who can provide women's health care. Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) - a nurse who has additional training to care for women with low-risk pregnancies. Some midwives work with physicians while some work on an independent basis. Perinatologist - an obstetrician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Perinatologists are also called maternalfetal specialists.

WHAT OCCURS DURING THE PRENATAL CARE VISITS?

A typical prenatal visit may include any/all of the following: weight measurement blood pressure measurement measurement of the uterus to check for proper growth of the fetus physical examination of the mother to identify problems or discomforts (i.e., swelling of the (hands and feet) urine test to measure sugar and protein levels, which can indicate diabetes or preeclampsia (a condition characterized by pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and swelling due to fluid retention) fetal heart rate measurement prenatal screening tests (i.e., blood tests to check for anemia)

POSTPARTUM CARE
Vaginal soreness If you had an episiotomy or vaginal tear during delivery, the wound might hurt for a few weeks. Extensive tears might take longer to heal. Soothe the wound. Cool the wound with an ice pack, or place a chilled witch hazel pad available in most pharmacies between a sanitary napkin and the wound. Take the sting out of urination. Pour warm water over your vulva as you're urinating. Press a clean pad firmly against the wound when you bear down for a bowel movement. Keep the wound clean. Use a squirt bottle filled with water to rinse the tissue between the vaginal opening and anus (perineum) after using the toilet.

Sit down carefully.

If sitting is uncomfortable, sit on a pillow or padded ring. While you're healing, expect the discomfort to progressively improve. Contact your health care provider if the pain intensifies, the wound becomes hot, swollen and painful, or you notice a pus-like discharge or higher

Vaginal discharge You'll have a vaginal discharge for a number of weeks after delivery. Expect a bright red, heavy flow of blood for the first few days. If you've been sitting or lying down, you might notice a small gush when you stand up. The discharge will gradually taper off, changing from pink or brown to yellow or white. Contractions You might feel contractions, sometimes called afterpains, during the first few days after delivery. These contractions which often resemble menstrual cramps help prevent excessive bleeding by compressing the blood vessels in the uterus. Urination problems Swelling or bruising of the tissues surrounding the bladder and urethra can lead to difficulty urinating. Sore breasts and leaking milk Several days after delivery, your breasts might become heavy, swollen and tender. This is known as engorgement. To ease the discomfort, nurse your baby or use a breast pump to express milk. You might also want to apply cold washcloths or ice packs to your breasts. Hair loss and skin changes During pregnancy, elevated hormone levels put normal hair loss on hold. The result is often an extra-lush head of hair but now it's payback time. After delivery, your body sheds the excess hair all at once..

Hemorrhoids and bowel movements If you notice pain during bowel movements and feel swelling near your anus, you might have hemorrhoids stretched and swollen veins in the anus or lower rectum. To ease any discomfort while the hemorrhoids heal, soak in a warm tub and apply chilled witch hazel pads to the affected area. Mood changes Childbirth triggers a jumble of powerful emotions. Mood swings, irritability, sadness and anxiety are common. Many new moms experience a mild depression, sometimes called the baby blues. The baby blues typically subside within a week or two. In the meantime, take good care of yourself. Weight loss After you give birth, you'll probably feel flabby and out of shape. You might even look like you're still pregnant. Don't worry. This is perfectly normal. Most women lose more than 10 pounds during birth, including the weight of the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid.