Nutrition for Special Groups

Nutrition for Special Groups 3(3+0)

Lesson 18: Feeding the Infant

Artificial Feeding

Circumstances Under Which Artificial Feeding is Essential are:

• Mother suffering from serious illness.
• Another pregnancy intervenes during lactation.
• Child is too weak to nurse or cannot because of harelip or cleft palate.
• Breast milk has completely stopped or insufficient for child.
• Mother is not available to feed.
• If mother is on anticoagulants, steroids and radioactive drugs.
• Death of mother.

Feeding Problems

• Tooth decay (fig)
• Under feeding
• Diahorrea
• Constipation
• Colic
• Contamination/improper sterilization of bottles etc.

Advantages of bottle feeding

• Creates no additional requirements in mother
• No problems in establishing milk supply
• Volume of milk given is visible
• Feeding in public is acceptable.
• Creates no problem for working mothers
• It will be nutritionally adequate, provided correct amount is given
• Other members of family also can feed the baby