Reference no: EM131347126

Breastfeeding an infant has numerous advantages. It ensures a child is protected from dangerous infections improving the child's immune system. Some of the nutrients in the colostrum such as calcium enable the infant to have strong and healthy bones. Most importantly breastfeeding ensures an infant-maternal bond is created. Through breastfeeding a child is able to get emotionally attached to the mother as he/she spends more time with the mother.

In a situation whereby a child is not breastfed she risks an increased incidence of infectious morbidity, as well as elevated risks of childhood obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, leukemia, and sudden infant death syndrome. Among premature infants, not receiving breast milk is associated with an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (Khan, Vesel, Bahl, Martines, 2015). All this infections affect a child who is not breastfed during their early stage of development. This child may also lack an emotional attachment to the mother.

As a nurse observing such a serious issue requires a serious strategies to make sure the child is doing the right nutrition daily to reduce the effect of immune deficiency diseases. Such as teaching the mother the importance of breastfeeding the baby and the correct skill at the time of feeding .The baby would need to be regularly breastfed by the mother to reduce various infections. Being at a young age the child would need a selective and stable diet .The baby would have to go by breastfeeding for at most 6 months. The diet should have a moderation of most of the nutrients. The infant requires a high amount of proteins for body building and carbohydrates for energy generation within the body. The infant should have access to fruits and vegetables too regularly to protect the infant from diseases (Holmes, 2013). The fruits should be crushed to make juice which is easy to take in for a infant. With this the infant should be able to grow stronger every day.

References

Khan, J., Vesel, L., Bahl, R., & Martines, J. C. (2015). Timing of breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity of breastfeeding during the first month of life: effects on neonatal mortality and morbidity-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Maternal and child health journal, 19(3), 468-479.

Holmes, A. V. (2013). Establishing successful breastfeeding in the newborn period. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 60(1), 147-168.