Baby has enough milk if

* He is contented for 1-2 hours after a feed
* He passes clear dilute urine 5-6 times a day
* He passes bright yellow watery stools 6-8 times a day
* He puts on at least 20 grams of body weight a day
* He regains birth weight after 2 weeks

Breast milk supply can be increased by

* Frequent feeds day and night
* Allowing unlimited breastfeeding to satisfy baby’s suckling needs
* Mother to eat and drink sufficient quantities to satisfy her hunger and thirst
* Cultural foods like ginger and rice wine are compatible with breastfeeding

Breast Engorgement

* Apply cold wet compresses over the breast to reduce swellings
* Feed frequently 2-3 hourly round the clock. Safe to take 2 Panadols for pain

Information courtesy of Dr S.L. Koe, Paediatrician & Lactation Consultant. Tel. no. : 03-798 30539)

3 Steps to Breastfeeding

Dear Parents,

The information given here will help the mother to breastfeed successfully. The supportive role of the father is of utmost importance. The mother needs support and encouragement from him and grandmothers to build up the confidence that she has enough milk. Having enough information prevents breastfeeding problems and crises and provides the solutions to these should they arise. The baby can be breastfed completely for 6 months, thereafter solids are given together with breastfeeding to 2 years and beyond.

The Art of Successful Breastfeeding

Introduction

Successful Breastfeeding depends on

1. Having enough information on normal breastfeeding
2. Having support from knowledgeable Medical staff in the Maternity Unit and Family members
3. Having a Positive and Confident attitude that it can be done

Breastfeeding Benefits to the Child

1. This provides the best possible nutrition to the young child
2. It reduces the incidence of coughs and colds, ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, meningitis and diarrhoea through its protective factors.
3. It protects the child from colic, asthma, eczema, nose and food allergies
4. It is essential for the optimal physical, emotional and mental development of the child. Breastfed children are also smarter

Breastfeeding Benefits to the Mother

1. This promotes mother and child bonding
2. It prevents uterine bleeding in the mother after delivery
3. This is a natural form of Family Planning
4. This reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in the mother
5. This saves time and precious expenses need not be used for buying milk powder and health care.

The Star Online

Wednesday, August 2, 2000

Woman

Breastfeeding at work

Favourable conditions in the workplace go a long way to encouraging breastfeeding among working mothers. In conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1 to 7), SHAMALA VELU takes a peek into a little room set up by a thoughtful employer for its breastfeeding mums, and comes away sufficiently impressed.

WAN Sabrina Mohamad has a quick lunch and then hurries off with a breast pump into the “Mother’s Room” where she spends about 15 to 20 minutes of her lunch break expressing milk.

“Breastfeeding is something I hold close to my heart,” says Sabrina, 30, a senior industrial hygienist who works for Motorola Malaysia in Petaling Jaya.

A mother of three, Sabrina takes pride in breastfeeding all her children. In fact, her youngest, a nine-month-old boy, is still taking breast milk thanks, to his mother’s disciplined attitude.

Sabrina’s colleague, Dayang Lily, 29, shares her sentiments about breastfeeding.

Lily, a systems engineer and mother of two, has been breastfeeding her 10-month-old baby girl, thanks to the facilities provided in the office.

“It really helps if there’s a private room in the office for mothers to express milk. This will encourage them to continue breastfeeding,” said Lily.

Lily and Sabrina, who have been working for Motorola for the past seven years, consider themselves lucky mothers.

Unlike most mums who have had to give up breastfeeding completely soon after they return to work, Lily and Sabrina, who have heard so much about the benefits of breast milk, have the satisfaction of providing their babies with the best.

“It doesn’t cost much to set up the room and supply a refrigerator,” said human resource manager Latifah M. Daud who is also breastfeeding her infant.

Most mothers pump three times a day–during coffee break in the morning, lunch time and tea time. Anyone using the room must sign in and sign out after leaving..

“Before storing expressed milk in the refrigerator, milk bottles have to be tagged with the mother’s name and phone extension number to avoid any mix-up,” explained Dayang.

The milk is later taken home in a cooler box to feed the baby.

The “Mother’s Room” is sub-divided into two to cater to two people at any one time. Although it is not furnished with a breast pump just yet, it has two cabinet drawers and a refrigerator.

Creating awareness on breastfeeding is high on Motorola’s agenda for the year as it concurs with the company’s programme on “Preventive Health Medicine” which starts this month.

So how was the “Mother’s Room” initiated?

According to Latifah, it was a group of young mothers who first approached her early last year.

“They were using the surau and the office clinic to express milk during the day but it was not very conducive as there was no privacy and proper washing amenities,” she explained.

Privacy and security for the mothers were important considerations which had to be looked into, said Latifah.

It was only early this year that the Mother’s Room was conceived. However, the focus now is on creating awareness on hygiene when breastfeeding.

“We are planning to rent a breast pump as it is more efficient and faster,” explained Latifah.

If the response is good, more Mother’s Rooms may be set up in various sections of the office building, said Latifah.

With its worker-oriented approach, it is little wonder that Motorola was given the “Caring Employer Award” by the Human Resources Ministry last Saturday for initiating various programmes for the benefit and welfare of its staff.

“The cost is high, but the returns are good because they come in the form of higher productivity and fewer medical leave,” said Latifah.

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