Golden August: the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and babies

Golden August is a campaign devoted to encouraging breastfeeding and raising awareness of its benefits for mothers and babies. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life. Once complementary foods are introduced, breastfeeding should continue until the child is two years old or beyond.

In the first months of life, human milk provides the nutrients and hydration a baby needs, and its composition is linked to the mother’s diet. Maintaining a healthy diet during this stage is therefore important for the health of both mother and child.

“The nutrients found in breast milk come from both the body’s reserves and the mother’s diet. Therefore, the quality of the maternal diet directly affects the nutritional composition of the milk, making healthy eating habits essential throughout the breastfeeding period,” explains Leticia Schmidt, a Nutrition lecturer at the Faculty of Development of Rio Grande do Sul (FADERGS), who holds a doctorate in Paediatrics and Child Health and is a nutritionist and breastfeeding specialist.

The recommendation is to give priority to fresh and minimally processed foods - in other words, foods that have not undergone industrial processing or had other culinary ingredients added - such as rice, beans, vegetables and fruit.

The importance of appropriate nutrition and hydration

The lecturer explains that if a mother’s diet is high in saturated fat, her milk will also contain more saturated fat. However, essential fatty acids, including polyunsaturated fats, need to be available to support the baby’s health. “Nutrients are produced from what the mother consumes at each meal, as well as from what is stored in her body,” she notes.

Adequate milk production also requires good hydration and an appropriate amount of food. “It is important to stay hydrated, always responding to thirst, and to adjust the amount of food without overlooking its quality, so that the body’s own needs can be met while responding to this new demand. A woman who is breastfeeding needs a greater nutritional intake than one who is not breastfeeding,” she says.

Dietary restrictions should be guided by a professional

Leticia Schmidt points out that many women begin limiting certain foods because they believe they may harm the baby. In most cases, however, such restrictions are unnecessary. Care is needed with the amount of caffeine consumed in products such as black tea, mate tea, chimarrão, coffee and fizzy drinks, as it may cause restlessness depending on each child’s sensitivity.

Completely excluding a food is only necessary when the baby displays specific symptoms that have been properly diagnosed by a paediatrician. The lecturer stresses that preventive dietary restrictions are not needed. She also advises seeking guidance from health professionals, as removing foods from the mother’s diet can contribute to nutritional deficiencies for both mother and baby.

Myths about breast milk production

Leticia Schmidt also explains that there is no scientific evidence for beliefs that consuming foods or drinks such as dark beer, or drinking large amounts of milk, can increase milk production. Alcoholic drinks, in particular, may compromise the baby’s health because alcohol passes into human milk.

Milk production is connected to hormonal factors and stimulation through the baby’s sucking. For this reason, according to the specialist, priority has been given to placing the baby in skin-to-skin contact with the mother during the first hour after birth. “The baby’s first hour is extremely important for bonding and for ensuring that the entire breastfeeding process develops satisfactorily.”

Breastfeeding benefits mothers and babies

Leticia Schmidt has observed growing encouragement for the use of formula milk as a replacement for human milk. She highlights that breastfeeding supports immune development, something formula milks cannot provide. In addition, the nutrients in breast milk develop according to the child’s needs.

“For a mother with a premature baby, the milk is specific to that baby,” she emphasises. Breastfeeding also benefits the mother by supporting more effective recovery of pre-pregnancy weight, helping the uterus return to its physiological size, reducing the risk of post-partum haemorrhage and strengthening the mother–baby bond.

Specialist support can help throughout breastfeeding

Leticia Schmidt stresses that many mothers feel they are producing too little milk, although this may be a mistaken perception. In these situations, the recommendation is to seek a breastfeeding specialist who can help the patient understand what is happening and make any necessary changes, as many factors related to the clinical management of breastfeeding can be assessed and corrected. The specialist also notes that family support and attention to the needs of both mother and baby are essential, as this is a time of physical changes and adjustment.

By Rafaela Bobsin