The method of preparing mothers breast for lactation during pregnancy is quite simple, if mother are comfortable about touching and handling the breasts. From about the 30th week of pregnancy, she should put her hands around the outer part of the breast and gently, but firmly massage the breast towards the nipple. A good time to do
this is during a shower or when she is in the bath. After a while women find that a yellowish substance seeps out of one or more ducts in the nipple, this is called colostrum. Some women find the procedure time consuming and others fail to obtain any colostrums. This procedure makes the nipples more flexible and less likely to crack when the baby sucks. Mothers should not believe the myths that they should scrub their nipple or put on methylated spirit to harden them.
During the last quarter of pregnancy, a few women develop a coloured discharge from her nipples. The discharge may be reddish, brown or chocolate-coloured. There is no pain and the discharge usually disappears when lactation is established and milk is flowing freely. The cause is unknown if a women lets a coloured discharge from her nipples, she should avoid antenatal breast expression and hence have her breast examined by the doctor.
2.2 Breast Milk Versus Formula
The milk of each type of mammal from raccoons to humans is different from the milk of any other mammal species and is especially suited to its own young. Breast milk is ideally designed for the optimal growth of the child. Cow’s milk on the other hand is designed for baby cows and suited to meet the growth needs of developing bovines. Human milk or breast milk is actually the only complete food for the infant. It is fully compatible with the infant’s constitution and contains all the nutrients, minerals and other substances the baby needs for optimal growth. Not only is human milk specially designed for human growth, one’s breast milk is also specifically or specially designed for one’s baby. If a baby is born prematuredly her mother’s milk has a different composition specially suited to her premature baby from that of the milk of a mother who gives birth to a full term baby. It is not possible to reproduce mother’s milk chemically or by any other means. Some formulas are based on cows milk, others on soya beans. Though formula may come close to human milk in some trays, no formula ever quite equals the breast milk.
Breast milk is superior to cow’s milk or formula in just about every possible tray. Infact formula feeding is actually responsible for increased infant healthy problems throughout the world. As Vanterie fields as sited by Jone (1993) points out in her history of breastfeeding, breast, bottles and babies throughout history “all aspects of feeding other than maternal breastfeeding and some conscientious wet-nursing, were associated with increased risk of morbidity and death”. This is just a true story today as in the past.
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