Awareness of the importance of maintaining health from an early age has made the urban middle class look again at breastfeeding as the best source of nutrition for babies. Religious awareness and protecting the environment also play a role. Apart from that, breastfeeding has also been widely advocated by world health agencies. WHO sets the gold standard for food for babies and young children as breastfeeding: breastfeeding starting immediately after birth, breast milk alone for up to 6 months, and continuing breastfeeding after 6 months for at least 2 years accompanied by other nutritious foods (MPASI).
Of course, all mothers want the best for their children, so it is not surprising that various surveys say that almost all mothers want to breastfeed their babies. However, health research shows that the figures are still far from expectations. 2017 IDHS data shows that only 38% of babies aged 4-5 months are still exclusively breastfed, even though almost all mothers want to breastfeed and are physically capable of breastfeeding.
Why do many mothers fail to breastfeed exclusively? Is breastfeeding difficult?
First, let's remember why mothers are strongly advised to breastfeed. So important that the world health body even issued a "fatwa". Breastfeeding can prevent maternal and infant deaths, prevent various diseases, both acute and chronic, for mothers and babies, from birth to adulthood. Children who are breastfed also have better mental health than those who are not. That's why breastfeeding is highly recommended and is worth fighting for.
There are many reasons why a mother stops breastfeeding or starts giving her baby additional formula milk before 6 months of age, here are some of them:
1. Feeling that breast milk is not enough
This is the main reason that makes mothers start considering giving formula milk. Breastfeeding in these days especially can be very challenging because in these first days we are usually very worried if the baby lacks fluids, is jaundiced, or lacks glucose. Understanding how much your baby actually needs in the first days, as well as knowing the principles of breast milk production, will make it very easy for us to breastfeed in peace.
Since pregnancy, our bodies have been producing breast milk so that after giving birth, our bodies are ready for breast milk. Available in a form commonly called colostrum, which is a clear, thick liquid whose amount is only around 2-20 ml on the first to 3rd day. Even though it only plays a small role, it is very important for babies who have just been exposed to the outside world which is full of disease germs. This colostrum is also very easy for newborn babies to digest and whose intestines are not yet fully mature.
Baby sucking is the most important factor in breast milk production. If we want lots of breast milk to come out then we have to allow the baby to breastfeed whenever he wants. The baby's sucking will stimulate the release of hormones that are responsible for the production and release of breast milk from the breast.
Apart from that, what is also important is how to breastfeed. We need to make sure the baby is getting the breast milk he needs, and not just holding a pacifier and not getting anything. Breasts that go deep enough into the baby's mouth will make it easier for milk to transfer from the breast to the baby's mouth. If a baby only suckles at the nipple he will not get the breast milk he needs. If this happens, the baby will become fussy, not stop breastfeeding, and may also fall into a jaundiced state. And because the breasts are not emptied properly, the breasts will reduce their production to maintain the health of the breasts themselves so that they do not become swollen for a long time, so that over time milk production becomes small.
2. Baby's cry
A baby's crying is also one of the things that can make a mother shake her heart and tempt her to start giving breast milk substitutes. We need to realize that crying is the only way for babies to communicate when they can't talk yet. If the baby is uncomfortable, cold, tired, the baby will also cry. Not all babies' cries are a sign that our breast milk is not enough or that our breast milk is bad. At two weeks of age, it is a normal phase for a baby to cry more often than usual. This does not necessarily mean that our breast milk production has decreased. Usually the baby's crying will decrease in the third month.
It is very important that we know the signs that a baby is getting enough breast milk so that we can properly assess the baby's behavior. Babies who get enough breast milk will urinate at least 6 times a day and night, and their weight gain will be in accordance with what is standardized in the KMS (health card). By understanding this, we will avoid adding unnecessary breast milk substitutes.
3. Lack of knowledge and not getting enough help when you have just given birth and in the following times
Breastfeeding is not always easy, most mothers will experience a few challenges in the first weeks. Assistance from professional staff will help with this, to help the mother find a comfortable position, to ensure whether the baby can breastfeed effectively, to detect if there is anything medical that is interfering with the breastfeeding process. Not only does it stop in the first week, in the following weeks and months there is a lot of information that mothers and fathers need to know about not stopping or reducing breastfeeding for inappropriate reasons.
Because optimal breastfeeding is a fairly long and continuous process, WHO recommends 7 contacts with a breastfeeding counselor: 1. Gestational age 28 weeks, 2. Gestational age 36 weeks, 3. When you have just given birth (during early initiation of breastfeeding), 4. During still being treated, 5. Postpartum day 7, 6. Postpartum day 14, 7. Postpartum day 39, and so on if the mother needs other information.
These are some of the factors that influence breastfeeding. There are still others such as pain, abrasions, swelling, family pressure and various other dynamics. Of course there is also a solution. So... is breastfeeding difficult? Maybe you don't need to look for the answer, just think of it as an adventure full of challenges, exciting, but fun and fruitful in the end.