Contents:
- Medical Video: Breastfeeding Position and Latch
- Infants who are sick actually need breast milk
- Infants who are sick usually cannot suck directly from the nipple
- How do you breastfeed a cold baby?
Medical Video: Breastfeeding Position and Latch
Every mother, definitely wants to give the best for her child to grow well. One way is to give exclusive breastfeeding. However, what if when the mother gives milk, the baby is experiencing pain. Maybe most mothers will feel confused, whether breast milk is still the best food for a sick baby or whether the baby is sick can still be given breast milk. Then, can a sick baby still be given breast milk? See the following explanation.
Infants who are sick actually need breast milk
In fact, breast milk remains the best food for your baby, especially when they are sick. Babies are very likely to experience infectious diseases, such as digestive disorders or flu and fever. This is because your baby does not have strong immunity like an adult. So that they are susceptible to infection.
Therefore, breast milk is needed in this case. Breast milk can help recover sick babies in several ways such as:
- Increase the baby's immunity. If you've heard, breast milk contains antibodies that can help maintain the health of your little one. Antibodies in breast milk actually come from the mother's immune system so that it will help form antibodies to the baby.
- Fulfill all necessary nutritional needs. You could say, only breast milk is the food that best suits the needs of babies under the age of 6 months. All nutrients needed by the baby are contained in breast milk, of course with an appropriate amount. Fulfillment of nutrients can make a sick baby recover quickly.
- Make your child more comfortable. When you have an illness, your baby may cry and fuss. By breastfeeding, your baby will feel warmer and more comfortable, because he feels safe in your arms.
Infants who are sick usually cannot suck directly from the nipple
One of the challenges when breastfeeding a sick baby is that the baby is not strong enough to suck the milk directly from your nipples. this is because they feel weak and tired. However, don't let this stop you from breastfeeding your baby and replace breast milk with formula milk.
If the baby is really difficult to suck the milk, you can pump the milk and then store it in the bottle, so the baby sucks the milk from the pacifier. Sucking from pacifier bottles is easier than direct nipples.
How do you breastfeed a cold baby?
Another challenge is when the baby has the flu. At that time, the baby will be difficult to breathe because the respiratory tract is blocked with mucus. This condition will make the baby very fussy because it is difficult to suck the milk and breathe at once.
Don't worry, if this happens you can do the following:
- Use a special tool to remove mucus that builds up in the baby's nose with nasal bulb syringe - You can buy this tool at the baby shop - so that it makes the baby a little more relieved.
- Try to breastfeed your child in an upright position.
- Let the baby suck the milk from the pacifier rather than directly from the nipple.
If this condition continues and gets worse, you should immediately check your baby to the pediatrician.
