This method is predominantly parent-led where it is the parent who decides when to start introducing solid food and when to stop offering breast or formula milk (Rapley & Murkett, 2008). A different approach to the traditional weaning method is the Baby-led weaning (BLW) where the key tenant is to allow the baby to demonstrate self-feeding. The infant follows her instincts by copying other family members and learning to develop feeding skills in a natural way (Rapley & Murkett, 2008).
The infant passes through different phases before realizing that food will fulfil its nutritional requirements. The initial phase includes food exploration with the main source of nutrition still being obtained from milk. The idea behind the BLW is to allow exploration and self-feeding and does not focus on the amount eaten as the infant is allowed to progress at its unique pace. This approach allows the infant to be in control of its own appetite (Rapley & Murkett, 2008).
Rapley & Murkett (2008), founders of the Baby-led Weaning Movement, argue that spoon-feeding is inappropriate and does not correspond to the physiological age of the infant since at six months, the infant would be able to self-feed. They suggest that the six month WHO recommendation (2001) coincides with the infants’ developmental readiness to reach out for food making BLW feasible. Wright, Cameron, Tsiaka, & Parkinson (2011), argue that this approach is too general as it takes the assumption that the infants’ developmental readiness coincides reliably with their nutritional need. The proponents of the BLW approach argue that until the baby has learnt the necessary skills in taking nutritionally useful amounts of food it can rely on breast milk, usually until around eight months of...
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...y, Brown & Lee (2011a), compared attitudes and behaviours between sample groups of women who chose to adopt the BLW method and those who used the traditional method. A sample of 655 mothers with a child between 6 and 12 months of age were randomly recruited by a poster advertising the study on the internet and at baby clinics. Data was collected using an online questionnaire. The main findings of the study revealed that mothers who followed the BLW method were introducing solid food closer to the six month when compared to mothers following the traditional weaning method (Brown & Lee, 2010a). Furthermore, these mothers were more likely to offer fresh homemade food rather than commercially prepared foods. The main critique of the study was its sampling bias in data collection since online recruitment places low social income mothers at a lower chance of participation
Sorensen, J., & Abbott, E. (2004). The Maternity and Infancy Revolution. Maternal & Child Health Jounal, 8(3), 107-110. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=14089739&site=ehost-live
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) was established “ To safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care.” In this paper one will weigh the pros and cons, review the information given and come to an overall opinion of the program.
Throughout history there has been a need for alternative feeding methods for infants. Whether because of an issue with the mother’s milk supply or because of death of the mother, there have always been children that required the use of something other than their own mother’s milk. In more recent history, alternative feeding has also been used as a convenience. Prior to the development of infant formula in 1865, animal milk and wet nurses were used to accomplish the feeding of orphaned infants or others whose mothers could not, or chose not to, breast feed. Between 1950 and 1970 the breast feeding rate fell dramatically. Some studies suggest that more that 75 percent of American infants born during that time were formula fed. As the rates of diabetes, obesity and other health issues continue to increase researchers are looking at how individuals are feeding their infants and what effects the large amounts of high calorie “breast-milk substitute” may be having. Infant formula is being considered as one of the contributors to the growing health crisis in America. American mothers may be inadvertently predisposing their children to a lifetime of health issues by choosing not to breast feed.
The cover of TIME magazine uses pathos to invoke acceptance as a child stands clinging on to his mother’s breast, along with the words, “Are you mom enough?” This assertion can empower some women to do the accepted thing; yet, offend other women, who don’t agree, at the same time. A mother’s primary role is to nurture and guide the growth of her family. The woman, in particular, displays this role in which, “her charge [is] to oversee her child’s physical, intellectual, and spiritual development” (Plant 2010). However, there are many ways to manage a child’s well-being, aside from breastfeeding up to the age of six. Therefore, the cover can imply that mothers. who don’t practice attachment parenting, are not woman enough. Moreover, it doesn’t necessarily make a mother a bad parent if she doesn’t attend to her child’s every cry, sleep beside him at night, or breastfeed him throughout his entire adolescence. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Afterwards, their studies suggest that the child “should receive complementary foods that are nutritionally adequate (providing sufficient calories, protein as well as micronutrients needed for proper growth) and safe while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or more” (Children’s Health). Based on their study, there is a positive correlation between weaning a child completely off of his mom by two and his level of independence into toddlerhood.
Table 3 The age of mothers who did and did not choose to breastfeed [6]
The first year of a baby’s life is a time of rapid changes and figuring out who to trust in the world. That first year many things happen that are very important to the future of the infant. This point in life is a time of “rapid physical and nervous system development, accomplishments that ensure an infant’s survival and ability to cope with its world” (Dacey et al., 2009). Babies rapidly gain weight in the first year so nutrition is a very important part of the development process. They need a good diet consisting of “carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins” (Dacey et al., 2009). Proper nutrition ensures the correct development of newborns survival. “Having survived prenatal hazards, newborns come equipped with automatic responses ideally suited for survival” (Myers, 2008). The first year of a baby’s life is very important in ensuring a successful journey heading into their future.
The determined factor as other theorist would have suggested was not by feeding but by care and attentiveness. He observed that feedings did not decrease the fear the child felt when separated from their mother. An infant that creates an attachment with their mother/ primary caregiver would act like a base for a secure foundation in later encounters in life. In his theory a child should develop an attachment to their primary caregiver between the ages of 0-5. Disrupting the formation of the attachment or failing to form an attachment can cause severe consequences such as aggression and learning
Every day, 370,000 babies are born into this world- each having the potential to live a prosperous and productive life. Unfortunately, some of these tiny, fragile humans do not live until their first birthday. The death of infants within the first year of life is known as infant mortality. There are many contributing factors as to why infant mortality may be high or low in a specific area. In order to measure the amount of deaths that occur in a particular region, the number of newborns that die before the age of one year old per 1,000 live births are recorded and is known as the infant mortality rate in that society. Generally, the infant mortality rate of a country directly reflects on the health-care system provided. Unfortunately, in today’s world, a child dies every four seconds.
Breastfeeding rates are continually increasing. The nutritional benefit of breast over formula is a long established fact. “According to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breastfeeding rates improved nationwide in 2000-2008, and some of the greatest improvement was among black women. However, only about 59 percent of black mothers breastfed in 2008, compared to 80 percent of Hispanic mothers and about 75 percent of white mothers. For 2008 rates of breastfeeding at a baby’s first birthday, the number was about 23 percent overall but only 12.5 percent for black mothers. That low rate still marks a near doubling of rates among black mothers compared to the year 2000” (Currie, 2013).It is the recommended method of feeding an infant for at least the first six months of life. Breastfeeding has benefits to both mothers and their babies. The baby receives immunity to protect it from disease. Financially, breastfeeding can significantly reduce the burden of having a new child. Many mothers initiate breastfeeding in the hospital; however, the number of women who breastfeed until six months is very low (Guyer, Millward, & Berger, 2012). Breastfeeding is highly favored over bottle feeding. Yet, mothers still do not choose to continually breastfeed their infants. Do mothers who breastfeed during hospitalization have limitations or no desire to continue versus mothers who breastfeed for the recommended six months or longer at home?
Breastfeeding is the most protective, nutritional, and natural way to provide nourishment to infants. Human milk contains several nutrients including: vitamins, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and minerals. These nutrients are imperative for an infant’s developmental growth. Human milk also reduces the risk of developing morbidities, especially within premature infants. Premature infants, who are more prone to infection due their immune systems, benefit from human milk. Compared to artificial formulas, human milk provides antibodies and other beneficial nutrients to help with the development of the infant.
The first two years of a humans life are bursting with biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development. In the first few weeks after conception to two years after birth a child’s brain experiences more growth than any other organ in the body. During the first two years of a child’s life the brain is very plastic and malleable. In order for children to continue down a path of success and learning there are certain experiences a child must have in order to develop normally. The First Two years of a child life is responsible for the foundation that is layed.
Similarly to the previous article, the authors found a men 's opinion toward breastfeeding hosted a significant association between a mother 's choice to breast, or bottle feed her infant. Like mothers, a strong correlation between social conditions, including ethnicity, country of origin, education, and socioeconomic status, was found to have a sizeable impact on the father 's opinion of feeding method. This study, like many others, confirmed that breastfeeding ideals are often formed long before conception. Increasing the focus of breastfeeding to men and women alike through the use of the media, high school curriculums, and programs such as WIC could help make breastfeeding acceptance more widely spread across multi cultures, and also promote it as a socially acceptable
Human Breast Milk is touted as the perfected food for infants. There is extreme pressure placed on new mothers to nurse or feed expressed breast milk (EB) elusively for the first six months of life. The extreme of this can be defined by a group called La Lache League International.
With the arrival of a newborn, parents are immediately faced with myriad of decisions. Should they use cloth or store-bought diapers, co-sleeping or a crib, and what parent gets what shift during the night are just a few. However, one of the most important and more personal choices is between a formula based diet or breastfeeding for their baby to receive his or her required nourishment. It has been proven time and time again that the benefits of breast milk over formula are numerous: they include health, emotional, mental, and financial benefits with the convenience of non-preparation. Breastfeeding is not only the most natural way to provide nutrition for a baby it’s also the most complete way. These benefits do not only benefit the baby, but they benefit the mother as well.
The prenatal period is considered the period between the conception of a baby until its birth. During this time embryo's and fetus go through major changes to prepare for their life after birth. In the years after they are born, what we call infancy and toddlerhood, while as adults we don't seem to change much in a year or two, children go through many changes that are crucial in developing the patterns of their futures.