It's either Exclusive breastfeeding or food.
The growth of my niece has taught me the importance breastmilk plays in the growth of a child. Research has confirmed that all the nutrients, vitamins, and water a baby needs are incorporated into breast milk.
But then it is believed that the baby needs more and more, hence the introduction of food like milk, pap, custard or banana pottage and warm water to them. As a culture, it has been done from age to age most especially in rural areas. The same was done to me and all the babies coming into the house.
The awareness of exclusive breastfeeding became intense and all the mothers especially in the urban areas adopted it, following its numerous benefits. My cousin jumped on this too but it didn't go down with the baby because she wasn't around to exclusively breastfeed the child.
She is a student in the tertiary arm of education, a finalist at that. She gave birth to her baby during an ongoing strike. She was willing and ready to exclusively breastfeed her baby accompanied with water and her baby enjoyed it very well. She became one of the healthiest babies I have seen so far. She grew so healthy and weighed beautifully at the first immunization we went for. Everyone kept praising how healthy the baby was until the strike was called off after one month.
On the other side, another baby girl was born the same day as her and she was just a family friend, she started introducing milk and other light food to the many at 3 weeks because she wasn't looking properly and also the culture. Her baby wasn't looking healthy during this period but she continued giving the food and water.
Now back to my niece, when the strike was called off and her mom started going to school, extracting breast milk and storing it for her, it took her two weeks to stop taking the breast milk. She wouldn't take her breastmilk and she wouldn't even suck from the mom again hence feeding became a real problem there. Slowly she emaciated.
The other baby kept on feeding and feeding and grew healthy and weighed.
Now what could be the major problem between these two babies??
I feel that Baby A is not properly fed. The mom didn't have enough time to exclusively breastfeed her child. Child feeding plays an important role in a child and chances shouldn't be taken. Don't introduce to your child what you won't be able to finish. Most working-class mothers are given 3months the maternity leave knowing that at the end of three months work begins and their babies will be exclusively breastfed.
It took took so much time about 6 extra months before Baby started eating food well without crying and spilling food everywhere
Other businesswomen or housewives could go up to 6months of exclusive breastfeeding. If you won't be able to breastfeed exclusively, introduce baby formulas and other healthy baby foods to the child as soon as possible to prevent the deterioration of the baby's health.
Child feeding is a very crucial stage for an infant especially the newbies and mothers or other guardians should suffice techniques to ensure that the child is fed healthy.
Also study your child's feeding techniques and what works best for your child, what worked or works for another baby might not be suitable for your child because they have different body systems. A child should be fed properly to avoid deficiency of any body vitamins or minerals.
