Breastfeeding is important because breastfeeding is rich in nutrients that are important for baby growth and development. According to experts, breast milk contains several calories.
Breast calories and fat content
Dr. Shelly Hester and his team analyzed 22 studies on metabolic energy in breast milk. The analysis showed that breast milk had calories of 65 calories per 100 ml. However, Dr. Hester emphasized that this is an estimate of the average breastfeeding rate for women two to six weeks after giving birth.
Breastfeeding in the first few weeks after giving birth is significantly lower in calories, the researchers said. Colostrum produced within a few days immediately after birth has a calorie of 53 calories per 100 ml. And the caloric density increased slightly from 6 to 14 days and recorded about 58 calories per 100 ml.
As the baby grows, the caloric content of breast milk increases significantly after 6 weeks of childbirth. This is because the fat content of breast milk is increased.
In 2010, Dr Szabo and his team tracked women who were breastfed for several weeks after giving birth. And that the lipid content of breast milk is significantly higher at 6 months of age than at 3 months of age.
Calories vary from woman to woman.
The calorie difference in breast milk is not due to breastfeeding. The caloric content of breast milk is different for each mother. According to a study by the National Academy of Sciences, there is a range of about 2 to 5 grams per 100 ml of breast milk for every breastfeeding woman.
Other studies have also suggested that there are other factors that affect the caloric content of breast milk. These factors include body mass index, socioeconomic status, diet, age of the mother, and smoking status.
Calorie difference, affecting the milking term?
Because there is a difference in the calorie of breast milk for every woman, it is difficult to provide a regular feeding schedule that can provide the baby with the right amount of healthy calories. In fact, because each baby has different weight and different factors, the amount of breast milk needed is different.
In addition, babies do not need to feed large amounts of milk because they are easily hungry. Therefore, the fat content of breast milk is important for the baby to get the right calories. For example, if the mother's breast milk has low fat content, this means that she needs to have more breast milk than the other child.
The researchers said that breast milk may vary in characteristics on a daily, even hourly basis. This means that certain breastfeeding schedules may be appropriate for some babies but not others. And the characteristics of breast milk can change during feeding. For example, if a woman is breastfeeding and breast milk is still full in her breast, there is a possibility that her breast milk is low in fat and diluted. And, when breastfeeding reaches the middle stage, when the breast is softened and appears empty, it can be interpreted that the characteristics of breast milk have also changed.
If breast milk is produced significantly late, it is rich and more concentrated. Researchers say breast milk in the early stages of breastfeeding is called 'full milk' and breast milk after a considerable period of time is called 'milk fat'. If a mother suddenly stops breastfeeding to feed the baby with milk powder, the baby will not be able to eat more nutrient-rich milk.
This means that the baby grew up eating low-calorie breast milk. Therefore, enough time is needed to feed the calories and energy that the baby needs. And even if breastfeeding is done, the low calorie content of breast milk can make it vulnerable to disease.
This information is very important to the prospective mother. Knowing that there are factors that can affect the quality of breast milk in particular, you know what you need for your baby. Women who give birth to babies can get advice from pediatricians and other health professionals to determine the optimal feeding schedule and calorie content for babies.
