Wrong breastfeeding practices hindering baby weight gain — Nutritionist
By: Solomon Nartey Tetteh
Registered Nutritionist Rejoice Asabagna has warned that certain traditional feeding practices could prevent babies from gaining healthy weight.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ghana Health Service recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life.
Breast milk is naturally designed to meet all of a baby’s nutritional needs, containing the right balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and antibodies to support healthy growth and immunity.
Breast milk is made up of two phases: foremilk, which is thinner and higher in water content to quench the baby’s thirst, and hind milk, which is richer in fats and calories to promote weight gain.
If a baby is switched between breasts too quickly, they may consume mostly foremilk, missing out on the nutrient-dense hind milk.
Speaking on Zed Wellness Link on Zed 101.9FM, Ms Asabagna explained that some mothers switch a baby between breasts too quickly, sometimes every five minutes, before the child reaches the hind milk, which contains most of the fats and carbohydrates needed for growth.
She noted that this practice often leads to babies consuming mostly foremilk, which is high in water but low in the nutrients required for healthy weight gain.
Ms Asabagna said some parents turn to formula feeding in an attempt to solve the problem, but this can create further complications for the baby.
She also addressed outdated beliefs surrounding breastfeeding, including the misconception that colostrum, the thick, yellowish milk produced immediately after childbirth, is “dirty” and unsafe.
“I want to believe that mindset is fading because of the education and sensitisation over the years,” Ms Asabagna stated.
She urged mothers to allow babies to feed long enough on one breast before switching to the other, to ensure they receive the full nutritional benefits of breast milk.
