Did you know that in the early stages of life, breast milk is not only a source of nutrition to help your baby grow and develop, but it is also an important source of antibodies to help protect your baby against diseases from the environment. However, what should you do if you do not have enough milk for your baby? Does your baby lack antibodies and is there a way to supplement antibodies for your baby when you do not have enough milk? Check out the article below for the answer, Mom!
Mothers do not have enough milk: Babies are at risk of health problems
When babies have enough milk, mothers can easily recognize it through signs such as the baby is cheerful, happy, gaining weight steadily, going to the toilet well, having many wet diapers, etc. On the contrary, if the mother does not have enough milk, causing the baby to not be full, the baby often shows signs or encounters “troubles” such as:
Antibody deficiency causes poor immunity
Breast milk contains many factors that help support the resistance of infants, including proteins, fats, sugars and cells that fight infections such as antibodies, white blood cells, lactoferrin, lysozyme, oligosaccharides, etc. Regarding antibodies, mothers can understand these as proteins that work against bacteria, pathogenic viruses and create a solid foundation of resistance for the baby.
In particular, the main antibody in breast milk is IgA, which plays a role in protecting surfaces in the body such as the oral mucosa, stomach, intestines and lungs. In particular, IgA antibodies help cover the intestinal mucosa to prevent infections that cause disease.
In the case that the baby does not breastfeed enough, the possibility that the baby does not receive enough necessary antibodies may occur. For infants, antibody deficiency will increase the risk of common infectious diseases such as otitis media, gastroenteritis and pneumonia. This has a negative impact on the child’s development.
Digestive problems are common
The child’s digestive system often needs a lot of beneficial bacteria from breast milk such as Staphylococci, Streptococci, Corynebacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Propionibacteria and Bifidobacteria. In which, the presence of beneficial bacteria accounts for an amount of about 101–107 colony-forming units per mL of breast milk.
After birth, breast milk is one of the food sources that helps shape and balance the microflora in the baby’s intestines. Supplementing enough probiotics through breast milk also helps balance the baby’s digestion and is beneficial for the development and maturation of the immune system.
On the contrary, not getting enough breast milk also has a negative impact on the digestive system. Some studies show that when the baby breastfeeds for a shorter period of time, it is related to digestive disorders such as bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, reflux, etc. In addition, if the mother does not have enough milk and chooses to supplement with formula milk but chooses a formula containing denatured protein, poor quality, it can also cause indigestion, abdominal pain, constipation, or crying in the baby, etc. Therefore, choosing an early source of nutrition that is suitable for the baby’s ability to digest and absorb is very important.
Affects the baby’s energy
If the mother does not have enough milk, the baby may not be full enough to drink or be hungry. Mothers may notice that their children do not have much energy through signs such as sleepiness, lethargy, difficulty waking them up to feed, slow reactions and little attention to external stimuli such as sound or sight. Lethargy can also be a sign of infection or low blood sugar. In addition, infrequent feedings can also lead to slow weight gain and can easily result in poor growth.
Benefits of breast milk for your child’s resistance in the early stages of life
For young children, breast milk is the gold standard source of nutrition because it contains many important nutrients for growth and development, as well as helping children build a foundation of resistance from the first years of life. In particular, breast milk brings many important benefits such as:
Boosting immunity: Breast milk provides important antibodies to help protect children from infections, especially respiratory and digestive tract infections. In addition, the intestines have more than 70 – 80% of immune organs, so a healthy intestine is the premise for a solid foundation of resistance. To meet this need of the child, breast milk contains many prebiotics – a type of fiber that helps nourish “friendly” bacteria in the intestines. Therefore, beneficial bacteria will be nourished and increased to improve the health of the baby’s intestines, thereby enhancing the child’s natural resistance.
Good digestion, fast absorption: Breast milk has soft, small proteins, so it is easier for your baby to digest than any other milk source. Therefore, breastfed babies tend to have less digestive problems such as constipation or diarrhea than formula-fed babies.
Providing energy for babies: Babies who breastfeed well will always have enough energy needed to gain weight and develop comprehensively. Mothers who have enough milk for their babies will see their babies more alert, active and easily reach developmental milestones.
Therefore, in the early stages of life, to help their babies have a solid foundation of resistance, mothers need to breastfeed their babies exclusively for at least the first 6 months of life or until they are 2 years old. However, in reality, breastfeeding is sometimes not simple when there are “dozens” of problems that mothers have to face such as not having enough milk, not having enough milk, blocked milk ducts, etc. At these times, the top concern for mothers is certainly how to help their babies breastfeed enough, digest well and receive enough antibodies.
How can I get enough antibodies for my baby when I don’t have enough breast milk?
Choosing an alternative nutritional solution
Early breastfeeding or timely breastfeeding is encouraged. However, not all mothers have enough milk to feed their babies in cases such as slow milk production due to cesarean section, stress… or mothers have blocked milk ducts during breastfeeding due to the baby’s incorrect latch, not pumping milk regularly…
In these cases, mothers can seek advice from experts or proactively learn more about alternative nutritional solutions suitable for their baby’s digestion as well as effectively improve resistance. In particular, the chosen formula for breast milk needs to meet the following criteria:
Soft milk protein helps babies digest and absorb easily: Mothers need to prioritize cool, easy-to-digest milk sources with small, soft, natural proteins that help babies digest and absorb quickly. Increase intestinal probiotics, improve resistance for babies: The selected breast milk formula should be supplemented with prebiotics to nourish intestinal probiotics, typically GOS fiber to increase intestinal probiotics and improve the baby’s digestive system. Thereby, improving intestinal resistance and the ability to fight pathogens.
Light milk flavor, making it easy for babies to breastfeed: Mothers also need to prioritize milk formulas that do not contain sucrose to ensure a light milk flavor, helping babies to breastfeed well to receive enough nutrients and not refuse breast milk when mothers have the conditions to breastfeed.
In addition, mothers who need to supplement formula milk for their children but are worried that their children are not suitable for milk, small packages are the optimal solution for mothers. Besides, it is also more convenient to bring when giving birth, going out… because it does not take up “space” in the shopping bag and is easy to use anywhere. Convenient single-package milk still ensures providing enough energy and a light flavor for babies, so mothers can consider letting their children try it!
Ensure your baby’s vaccination schedule is complete
Vaccination is a way to help the body “learn” how to fight bacteria and viruses that cause disease. For young children, who do not have strong resistance like adults, breastfeeding and actively vaccinating according to the recommended schedule is very important [6].
In general, breastfeeding will provide antibodies to protect children in the first years of life. However, if you do not have enough milk for your baby, do not worry too much, look for alternative nutritional solutions with soft, easy-to-digest proteins, along with GOS fiber to help your baby digest well, absorb easily and support strengthening the foundation of resistance while waiting for breast milk!
