The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are not limited to the nutrients found in breast milk. They extend to several protective benefits for the baby's health and for the creation of an emotional bond that is established between mother and child. Prolonged breastfeeding could prevent 823.000 deaths worldwide each year in children under five years of age and 20 deaths from breast cancer. Encouraging breastfeeding has been part of the actions of the Women's Hospital - Caism since it was created in 1986. The Hospital is a reference for the population of the macro-region of Campinas, where more than three million people live, distributed across 20 municipalities.
Caism has a maternity ward to care for high-risk cases and has sought to support campaigns that encourage breastfeeding, recognizing its value for the health and quality of life of the newborn. TO THEemanating from the World Breastfeeding Campaign and, more recently, the Golden August Campaign, which aims to disseminate the different aspects of breastfeeding to the entire community and users, are initiatives that will gain even more prominence at Unicamp in the month of August, when several activities will be developed. see the programming. The hospital's neonatologist, Mônica Pessoto, who has been encouraging discussion on this topic for years, speaks next about breastfeeding in an interview given to Unicamp website.
Unicamp Portal - What is the emphasis of Breastfeeding Week and Golden August?
Monica Pessoto - Since 1992, the first week of August has been dedicated to promoting breastfeeding in 120 countries around the world. Each year, the waba (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action) defines the topic to be addressed and launches materials in several languages, which canm be adapted according to the characteristics of each country. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health coordinates the World Breastfeeding Week (SMAM) since 1999. The week has the support of international organizations, State and Municipal Health Departments, the Brazilian Network of Human Milk Banks, Baby-Friendly Hospitals, Professional Societies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Since last year, the campaign has been expanded with the Federal Law No. 13.435, which established August (Golden August) as breastfeeding month, with the aim of intensifying intersectoral actions to raise awareness and clarify the importance of breastfeeding, with lectures and events, media outreach, meetings with the community, promotional actions in public spaces, and lighting or decorating spaces with the color gold. With this addition, another important social mobilization strategy in favor of breastfeeding in the country was further strengthened. Caism also expanded initiatives in favor of breastfeeding, giving them greater visibility throughout the month of August.
Unicamp Portal - What does the hospital have planned for Agosto Dourado?
Monica Pessoto - In addition to the traditional special decoration of the hospital's old reception area, we will have the round table “Breastfeeding: the basis of life, a multidisciplinary vision” with the participation of an obstetrician, neonatologist, nutritionist, nurse and speech therapist. Each will discuss aspects of their specialty in breastfeeding. Another activity, in the outpatient group rooms, will involve conversation circles with pregnant women and a multidisciplinary team. Topics such as the advantages of breastfeeding, latch-on, breastfeeding positioning, myths and truths, and clarification of pregnant women's doubts will be covered.
Unicamp Portal - What are the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for the mother? And for the child?
Monica Pessoto - The literature has numerous studies proving, with strong scientific evidence, the benefits of breastfeeding for both the child and the mother, in low, middle and high income countries. Investigations Recent studies indicate that breast milk protects against infectious diseases, especially diarrhea, respiratory infections and otitis; reduces hospitalizations due to infections; brings better nutrition with lower risk of overweight and obesity; protects against diabetes and dental malocclusion and suggests better intelligence in the child who receives breast milk. For women who breastfeed, there is protection against breast cancer, an increase in the interval between births, a reduced risk of ovarian cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Unicamp Portal - Until when should breastfeeding be encouraged?
Monica Pessoto - The WHO, Unicef and Ministry of Health recommendation for breastfeeding is that it be exclusive for the first six months and supplemented with healthy foods until the age of two or more.
Unicamp Portal - How does Caism approach breastfeeding?
Monica Pessoto - He works with a promotion, protection andsupport for breastfeeding since prenatal care, both with individual and group information on the advantages of breastfeeding for the mother, child or family, production of breast milk, maintenance of lactation and breastfeeding; in the delivery room, the team helps place the newborn next to the mother, providing the first eye-to-eye, skin-to-skin contact, stimulating breast sucking during the first hour of life; in rooming-in, the mother is supported and informed during their hospitalization about aspects of breastfeeding, attachment, positioning, signs of hunger, free demand, extraction of milk from the breast.
Unicamp Portal - What is breastfeeding like for a mother who does not want her child?
Monica Pessoto - In cases of adoption of the child, the biological mother receives medication to inhibit lactation and the adoptive mother is offered the option of adoptive lactation. If the new mother chooses, tests are carried out to check the possibility of breastfeeding, full support is given and breastfeeding is monitored.
Unicamp Portal - Are there any impediments to breastfeeding?
Monica Pessoto - In pIn some situations, breastfeeding is formally contraindicated. This is the case of severe maternal illness, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), cancer requiring chemotherapy or radiotherapy and children with inborn error of metabolism (heterogeneous group of genetic defects). The use of illicit drugs also contraindicates breastfeeding, either due to the passage of drugs through the milk, or due to the risk of loss of sensory control in the mother, which can put the child's safety at risk.
Unicamp Portal - Does Caism receive milk donations?
Monica Pessoto - Yes, we have a human milk bank since 2004, with activities to help mothers with breastfeeding difficulties, mothers who have babies hospitalized in the neonatal unit and in the processing of human milk, ensuring the supply of safe milk in terms of microbiological and nutritionally adequate for newborns admitted to Neonatology.
Unicamp Portal - How is milk donated?
Monica Pessoto - The Caism milk bank does not have the structure to collect donated milk from homes, but women who have the availability and clinical conditions to donate are welcome. To donate milk, the mother must be breastfeeding her child and donate the excess milk voluntarily and free of charge.
Unicamp Portal - What should the donor's profile be?
Monica Pessoto - Ela must be healthy, not using medications that put the child's health at risk, not using illicit drugs and alcohol, not smoking more than ten cigarettes a day and having negative serology (in the last six months) for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B , hepatitis C, Chagas and HTLV. If women have these conditions, they receive guidance on how to collect, store and transport milk. They also receive all the material necessary for the donation. If serology is necessary, blood collection is carried out at the milk bank itself.
Unicamp Portal - If the mother cannot breastfeed and has to offer powdered milk, what does this child lose in nutritional terms?
Monica Pessoto - Breast milk is a complex biological fluid that, Unlike infant formula, which is standardized within a very narrow range of composition, its characteristic is a dynamic composition that varies within the same feeding, throughout the day, phase of lactation and between mothers and populations. O Human milk is suitable for the human infant, both in its nutritional composition and in the non-nutritive bioactive factors that promote survival and healthy development. These bioactive factors include cells, anti-infectious and anti-inflammatory agents, growth factors and prebiotics, which are not found in infant formulas.
Unicamp Portal - Can mothers with silicone implants have changes in the quantity or quality of their milk?
Monica Pessoto - The quality of the milk of mothers who have a silicone implant is not altered, however, in some situations, there may be a compromise in the quantity of milk produced by these women, largely due to the mammoplasty techniques used by the surgeon. Some are considered more physiological than others.
Unicamp Portal - Can breastfeeding and breastfeeding be used as synonyms?
Monica Pessoto - Despite sounding synonymous, breastfeeding and breastfeeding have some differences from a scientific point of view. Breastfeeding is the act of the nursing mother (person who breastfeeds) giving the breast and the infant (baby) sucking it directly, while breastfeeding is any way for the infant to receive human or breast milk and the social movement for the promotion, protection and support this culture.
Watch a video from the Ministry of Health about breastfeeding and donating milk.
