We know that breast milk is the best and most complete food for babies up to six months of age. Nature is so perfect and wise, that the nutrients present in the milk change as the baby grows, offering exactly everything he needs to grow healthy.
Some women do not receive enough support during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. They go through situations of stress, helplessness, abandonment, carelessness and even physical or moral violence. Consequently, most of the time, they cannot produce enough milk to feed their babies, not because of incapacity, because biologically every woman is capable of breastfeeding her child, but because of lack of support. They end up having to give some kind of food supplement in order to satisfy the hunger of their little ones.
Some women, by choice and personal reasons, from the first days of their children's life choose not to breastfeed, offering them artificial milk from an early age. Some breastfeed with great ease, others have their breasts very hurt because they were not well informed about latching and the correct ways of breastfeeding. While others take pleasure in nurturing their young, there are those who breastfeed more because they rationally know that it is good for their children.
Nowadays, there are support networks and professionals specialized in breastfeeding. Traditional midwives, doulas, nurses and therapists who work with herbs, tinctures and with the reception of women in the puerperium can greatly help the mother and the whole family in this delicate, intense and life-changing moment.
Depending on the culture in which she is inserted, the woman will find taboos and norms more accepted or well-regarded with regard to the issue of breastfeeding. There is not just one right protocol to follow when it comes to breastfeeding. What really matters is always respecting each mother's intuition and needs., offering them food, care, physical and emotional support, so that, once well assisted, they can take care of the angels that have just arrived on Earth.
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