Expert shares what prelacteal feeding is and the health risks associated with it
Pre-milk feeding Prelacteal feeding is when a baby is given any food or liquid other than breast milk. This includes water, honey, formula or fruit juice. When a child is fed anything other than breast milk, excluding rehydration solution (ORS), drops and syrups (vitamins, minerals and medicines), it is known as prelacteal feeding. However, it is important to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months, then introduce complementary foods and continue breastfeeding your child until 2 years of age.
Exclusive breastfeeding means not giving any other food or drink, not even water, except breast milk for the first 6 months of life, with certain exceptions such as rehydration solution (ORS), drops and syrups (vitamins, minerals and medicines).
Many babies are given prelacteal feedings during the first few days after birth. This practice is used in both high- and low-income countries and involves giving the baby honey, brown sugar water, clarified butter or herbal products.
Speaking to Times Now, Dr Monica Jani, Gynecologist and Obstetrician, Bhailal Amin General Hospital, Vadodara, shares how prelacteal feeding can affect the health of the baby.
Dr. Jani says, “These feedings are influenced by many cultural factors and are subject to other factors such as the type of prenatal care and counseling given to the mother. We often encounter patients who have had cesarean sections and are quite sedated or in too much pain and are not very willing to breastfeed the baby as soon as possible.”
In such situations, caregivers resort to prelacteal feeding. Let us look at the impact of prelacteal feeding on infant health.
Babies who are fed first milk and not exclusively breastfed are more prone to infections. This is because when breastfeeding, there is no intermediary between mother and baby. But for prelacteal babies, it is also necessary to rely heavily on supplements.
Dr Jani adds that there are some babies who are allergic to them and we find many such cases. Babies who are not breastfed but who drink milk are also at high risk of infections. They are also at risk of childhood obesity due to the amount of drink they drink. This is because there are times when overfeeding occurs. They are at risk of diabetes and also sudden infant death syndrome.
“All of this should be used as a deterrent. We should educate women about the benefits of breastfeeding.”
It is a common idea that if the mother is not breastfeeding well, people tend to think that the child will starve and that prelacteal feeding is like honey, which is an instant calorie. Also, there are many social beliefs and practices. When these foods are given to children, the baby aspirates and ends up getting seriously ill with pneumonia. We have also seen mortality occurring due to aspiration due to this prelacteal feeding. In a healthy full-term baby, the sucking reflex usually appears very quickly. Therefore, what we advise new mothers is that whenever their baby cries, they should give them breast milk.
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