Breastfeeding for a good start of life

Abstract

Breastfeeding has great benefits for public health and social economy, while the exclusive breastfeeding rate within six months after birth and early initiation rate of breastfeeding in China are lower than the average level of the world. "Early skin to skin contact (SSC), early sucking and early initiation of breastfeeding" is an important start to ensure the success of breastfeeding. SSC between mother and baby is the first key step. Continuous SSC can stabilize the vital signs of newborns, provide the infants with healthy flora from mothers to establish a good micro-ecology and stimulate the rooting reflex of the baby to get colostrum as early as possible to protect them from infections and save their lives. Kangaroo mother care(KMC) for preterm/low birth weight infants can promote breastfeeding, and effectively reduce severe infections and mortality. Early SSC and KMC at the beginning of life are crucial to ensure successful breastfeeding. Key words: Breast feeding; Skin to skin contact; Kangaroo mother care