A rangoli and poster expo organised at Jipmer during the recent celebration of World Breastfeeding Week. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
As part of various initiatives during the week-long celebration of World Breastfeeding Week recently, neonatologists and nurses have reiterated the importance of “demand feeding” of newborn babies.
One of the central messages being propagated among expectant women and lactating mothers during this year’s celebrations on the theme ‘Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems,’ is about picking up the baby’s “hunger cues”.
“Mothers should not wait to feed the baby until the baby cries; rather it is important to identify the early hunger cues and feed the baby,” said Manjubala Dash, professor of Nursing at the State-run Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences and national trainer for the Mothers’ Absolute Affection-Infant and Young Child Feeding MAA/IYCF programme of the National Health Mission.
The signs of a baby’s nourishment need have been classified as “early cues” (stirring, mouth opening, turning head), “mid cues” (stretching, increasing movement) and late cues (crying). “Ideally, the child should be fed before it cries. Each mother needs to know about demand feeding”, Ms. Dash said.
