Benefits of breastfeeding in the prevention of micronutrient deficiency in children

Breast milk is a good source of nutrients and completed most because nutrient composition of breast milk is sufficient to meet the recommended daily requirements of children. In breast milk is full of nutrients such as protein, glucide, lipids, vitamins and minerals. These substances have appropriate rate and are easily absorbed thus ensuring nutritional needs for infants to develop normally during the first 6 months. When mothers diet reasonable and adequate, amount of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals in the milk will ensure full status of micronutrients for children.

Vitamin A deficiency in children in our country today can largely pre-clinical, discovered when low serum retinol levels below 0.7 umol / l. New born babies, the amount of vitamin A is stored in the liver and this amount depends on the nutritional status of the mother during pregnancy. After birth, the child's need for vitamin A increased due to the use of vitamin A reserves which were depleted and supplemented necessary because in children under one year of age, vitamin A daily demand is about 350 - 500 mcg / day. Sources of vitamin A in breast milk can ensure the needs vitamin A for infants are exclusively breastfed complete at least within the first 6 months (breast milk contains about 400-700 mcg / kg vitamin A) ..

A number of studies demonstrate that even the mothers of undernourished (in areas where lack of food) to high-dose vitamin A supplementation 24 hours after birth for mothers to help maintain vitamin A (retinol) in breast milk within 4-6 months after birth in infants exclusively breastfed. Therefore encourage the work of breastfeeding mothers to prevent vitamin A deficiency problems in children is essential and the propagation of this problem should be combined with the immunization session or day micronutrients for young.

For breastfed babies can ensure your child because the calcium in milk volume, but this is a less easily absorbed, besides phosphorus and vitamin D in breast milk ratio and milk content more relevant formula so breastfed babies are less at risk of rickets in infants fed with formula milk. The amount of iron in breast milk is low, only about 0.3mg / l. But enough with the iron still needs recommended for children from 4-6 months of age because the biological value of iron in breast milk due to its higher mounted directly to lactoferin- an iron-binding proteins found in breast milk . Therefore, these children are raised dairy cows may not get enough iron and often anemic; breastfed infants in the first month, then getting enough iron and will reduce the risk of anemia. The other micronutrients such as vitamin C, minerals such as zinc, copper has enough content in breast milk can ensure the growth and development of young fair.

The key to successful breastfeeding, breastfeeding in addition to full breastfeeding, nutrition for lactating mothers is very important in maintaining the levels of nutrients in the milk line.

In the first six months, the mother should eat more and more diverse foods (15 to 20 foods coordination from 4 food groups) than before sufficient quantity and quality of milk to feed the baby.

In addition to adding energy to the daily diet, adding about 500 to 600 kcal / day including all four groups is the quality of nutrients dam- including animal protein and vegetable protein, carbohydrate (glucid ) and fat. Proportional balance between the energy component was about: P: L: G = 12 15%: 20 to 25%: 60 to 65%. The type of animal protein (meat, fish, eggs, milk) is a source of vitamin A and iron rich help meet the needs of these types of substances for mothers; seafood such as oysters, crab is the zinc-rich foods.

Also, the addition of fruits and vegetables is very important because it may provide sources of essential micronutrients in breast milk (carotene-rich fruits such as mango, papaya, carrots, all kinds fruits rich in vitamin C such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, and some green leafy vegetables high in iron and rich in folic acid such as broccoli, watercress ..). Besides, should pay attention to the daily supplement of water (2 liters) of water is the main ingredient for creating breast milk. It is possible to drink water, juice, milk, vegetables and water.

Although breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants 6 months of a child's early life, in Vietnam only 19.6% of women exclusively breastfeed during this critical period; This ratio is much lower than average percentage of the world (35%) (source: UNICEF). Therefore breeding programs breastfeeding is a part of social responsibility and community. The support of family and community is really important and useful to help mothers get done feeding her the milk line.