World Breastfeeding Week ends today. It may be a long time since you thought about breastfeeding, but, then again, maybe not. August is also women’s month and on Sunday, South Africa celebrates Women’s Day. So, if there’s a young woman in your circle of friends and family, this post may benefit her. Pay it forward and pass it on.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, newborns would be given a pint of mother’s best directly after birth. As in minutes after birth, in fact. This helped the womb contract to expel the placenta. Midwives managed the process, bringing countless babies into the world over countless centuries. It was painful and messy. Sometimes a mother or baby died during birth. Death and life were never more than a hair’s breadth apart.
Along came a knight in shining (sterile) armour to save mothers and babies from all the dirt, indignity and danger. Modern medicine pushed midwives aside to make way for the marvel of the technological birth.
The fairy tale did not have a happily-ever-after ending, though.
That first mouthful of mother’s milk is called colostrum. It differs from milk produced later. Colostrum is full of antibodies and immune cells, to help defend the newborn against possible attacks at this vulnerable stage when its immune system is under-developed. Also, this milk is high in protein and much lower in sugar and fat. This seems counter-intuitive. The baby just survived an ordeal; doesn’t it need extra energy?
As it turns out, no. Little Babba has enough energy on board and ready to use. What Babba needs are building blocks to start the important job of growing and growing. Germs from the mother’s areola hitch a free ride along with the colostrum to colonise the infant’s gut. The first hour after birth is crucial for this invasion of friendly germs. As soon as Babba takes its first gulp of air, the stomach begins to produce acid. Until then, there was no acid in the stomach. Within about 3 hours, acid levels are such that germs can no longer pass to the gut. From that point forward, it will be a mission to get friendly germs into the gut. If babies miss this window, the rest of their lives will be spent playing catch-up, usually in vain.
The biggest challenge to this first on-time mouthful of Mother’s Best is the explosion in caesarean sections. Forty years ago, less than 10% of South African births were via caesarean section. Nowadays, the c-section rate in public hospitals is almost 30%, and in private establishments, it may reach 90%.
A baby born by c-section will not breastfeed until some hours later, when the stomach acid is already unfavourable. Furthermore, hormonal triggers in the mother to produce milk will be compromised, making it more likely there will not be enough milk for her newborn. A double whammy with no upside.
It is hard to overstate the health impact of this shift. Without that first mouthful of milk-&-germs, the diversity of gut species is significantly reduced. Sadly, this bad start is only the beginning of a lifelong war on gut microbes. Bottle feeding instead of breastfeeding? More carnage. Little or no contact with nature? Eish. Antibiotics? Napalm for the gut. Processed food? Dang. Over the past century, gut microbe diversity in the USA population dropped by half (~270 species vs 500+ species).
So What’s The Big Deal With Bugs?
It is now crystal clear that most (if not all) chronic health conditions are linked to gut microbes in some way. You see, good gut microbes make short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which act as anti-inflammatory substances in the entire body. Without them, the body is more likely to develop inflammation. Inflammation, in turn, is the major driver of all chronic disease.
In every person, this loss plays out differently, but the underlying mechanisms are the same.
Put another way: If baby’s gut is off to a bad start, baby will be a great source of income for Big Pharma. Yes, that’s just a coincidence #JustSaying.
Where Does Mom Fit Into All This?
OK, so breastfeeding is important. But what about Mom, who has to provide the milk, literally squeezing out her own life juices to feed Babba? Funny how everyone rushes over to admire the new baby while Mom sits back, not really the centre of attention.
“Look at those little fingers!”
“She’s got your nose!”
Nine months of growing a tiny human, several hours of labour (or major surgery), and suddenly Mom is expected to function as though she merely popped out to collect the newspaper.
Actually, bringing a new life into the world is one of the most demanding physical events the human body will ever experience. Blood has been lost, hormones have been turned upside down, and sleep has packed its bags and moved to Mthatha. Yet Mom is somehow expected to produce the perfect food… around the clock… while smiling politely at visitors.
No pressure.
The Amazing Recipe For Mother’s Milk
Breast milk isn’t made out of thin air. In essence, it is the liquid part of Mom’s blood. Every drop is not just full of nutrients; it is full of life. Mom’s body pays the bill. Feed Mom well and you feed Babba well.
The Baby Blues… Or Something More?
New mothers experience emotional ups and downs during the first few days and weeks after birth. A good cry over absolutely nothing is normal. Wondering if you’ve completely forgotten how to be an adult is also normal. Bursting into tears because someone folded the baby clothes differently? Possibly normal.
These “baby blues” usually settle within a week or two as hormones find their feet again.
However, sometimes the sadness deepens and anxiety becomes overwhelming. Bonding with Baby may feel impossible. This is not normal. Please don’t simply “push through”. Asking for help at a time like this is not a sign of weakness.
It is interesting to note that postpartum depression is mostly linked with low vitamin D levels in the blood. And low vitamin D means that magnesium is not being properly absorbed from the gut. Babba needs lots of magnesium. In fact, magnesium levels in breast milk are roughly double those present in plasma. In other words, Mom’s magnesium stores are being plundered. Low magnesium levels are linked to depressed mood, anxiety and poor sleep. Beginning to sound like postpartum depression?
Running On Empty
If Mom runs on empty, the whole family feels it. Let’s look at specific ways to nourish body and soul after birth.
- Fluid
Breastfeeding requires Mom to take on board a lot more liquid than she used to. Water is probably the best, since tea and coffee contain caffeine, which may affect Babba’s sleep routine and gut. Soft drinks, even if sugar-free, carry many potential risks. Rooibos tea is the popular (healthy) South African alternative, but don’t forget Honeybush tea, or other herbal teas. About 3L of fluid intake a day is needed to keep Mom and Babba well hydrated. - Diet
For Babba’s brain to develop optimally, Mom needs to eat saturated (animal) fats. Fish and shellfish are great sources of brain-healthy fats, too, as well as brain-healthy minerals such as iodine. Iodine is indispensable for normal brain development. Animal products such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy contain essential amino acids not found in plants. Without these, the milk will be nutritionally poor, leading to stunting in the infant. Eating high amounts of protein helps Mom’s body to bounce back from the strain of giving birth as well as to lose the “baby fat”, which is often difficult to shake off. Around 60 – 90 g of animal protein daily (equivalent to about 180 – 300 g of beef mince) is great for most lactating mothers. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are found almost exclusively in animal products and have a natural mood-elevating effect on the brain. - Rest
Rest whenever the opportunity appears, however brief. It is not laziness; it is self-preservation. Housework and social engagements can wait. Leave your phone in the kitchen. - Sunlight
No doctor is going to tell you this, but you need to hear this anyhow. Mom’s postpartum body needs daily sunlight to heal faster (and it makes the brain happier). No need to strip down, as long as you don’t wear thick clothing. If it’s cold outside, sit inside by a sunny window. Be sensible; don’t overdo it, but sunlight, well used, is a healer. - Air
It seems obvious to say your body needs air, but we don’t feed our bodies enough air if we sit all day and crunch up our lungs. Stand and walk whenever possible and make a point of taking deep breaths every now and then to wash out excess carbon dioxide and to boost oxygen levels in the brain. - Just say Yes
Accept help when it’s offered. It is no shame to be vulnerable or dependent. This is not your identity; it is part of recovery. - Just say No
Take all advice with a pinch of reality. No two situations are the same, so context is important. Some well-meaning advice is, however, not good advice. For decades, there was a trend to separate mothers from babies, like forcing babies to sleep in a separate room. Skin-to-skin contact between Mom and Babba helps transfer good microbes and build strong emotional bonds for lifelong secure relationships.
How Can Family Help?
If you’re wondering what to buy a new mother, skip the tenth teddy bear. Bring supper, wash the dishes, fold the laundry, hold Babba while Mom has a shower, or offer encouragement instead of opinions. A decent nap is often worth more than a hundred parenting tips.
Our Favourite Nutritional Helpers
At Integrow Health, there are a few products we often recommend to support mothers during this fragile season of life.
- Brain-Mag (Magnesium-L-Threonate or Magtein)
Brain-Mag is our special magnesium formula that gets absorbed into the brain. Help that fuzzy brain regain some of its whiz! One to four capsules daily. - MgO (Magnesium Oxide)
MgO provides 240 mg of elemental magnesium per capsule, higher than almost any other magnesium supplement on the market. Contrary to popular internet myths, magnesium oxide is well absorbed if taken in capsule form. Our capsules are specially enhanced to further optimise magnesium absorption. Magnesium supports muscle function, strong bones, energy production and healthy nerve function. As an added bonus, magnesium oxide also draws water into the bowel, making it particularly helpful for new mothers who are struggling with constipation after childbirth. - Omega-3
Porridge brain, anyone? And you thought it stops once Babba is out… think again (slowly). A new-born’s rapidly developing brain depends heavily on omega-3 oils. What Babba gains, Mom loses. No wonder Mom put the dog food into the dishwasher. She needs to top up her own omega-3 stores. We stock both fish oil and vegan-friendly algae oil in our store.
We recommend 2 – 4 softgels daily (2000 – 4000 mg) during lactation. - Vitamin D3
Vitamin D plays an enormous role in many aspects of Babba’s development. Bones, immunity, brain growth and metabolic health. Babba cannot make vitamin D, yet, so Mom has to supply it. Unless Mom gets half an hour of sunlight every day, she’s not going to have enough vitamin D for both her and Babba. Supplementation is recommended in such a case. Our Mega D3 knocks spots off any other formula available in South Africa. Each capsule contains a whopping 40,000 IU / capsule in a well-absorbed format. Don’t worry about Vitamin K2 (unless you want to, in which case you need to buy it separately elsewhere). The popular myth that you need Vitamin K2 together with vitamin D is only valid for massive vitamin D supplementation (we’re talking in excess of 100,000 IU of vitamin D daily for months).
We recommend taking 1 capsule of Mega D3 twice weekly (80,000 IU / week) during lactation. - Prebiotics & Probiotics
If Mom had a c-section, she was likely given some strong antibiotics, just in case. Gut recovery from some antibiotics may take up to a decade. Using pre- and probiotics to rebuild Mom’s microbes is essential for healthy recovery from delivery. We stock Acacia Gum Powder and Inulin Powder help feed the right gut microbes. We recommend a teaspoon of each, dissolved in a glass of water daily (5000 mg). Acacia gum helps when stool is loose, and inulin helps when stool is hard.
On the probiotic front, we recommend Gut IQ. We recommend 2 teaspoons daily (10 ml) during lactation. - Iron
During the average normal birth, a woman loses a pint (500 ml) of blood. During the average c-section, a woman loses 2 pints (1000 ml) of blood. Here’s the thing: Babba needs LOTS of iron. Who’s going to win this tug-of-war? You guessed it. Correcting low iron levels can make a remarkable difference to energy levels. If your healthcare provider wants to put you on iron supplementation, consider our HemaFit. It is amazingly well absorbed and gives almost no stomach issues. We recommend 1 capsule of HemaFit Blood Support daily after normal delivery and 2 capsules daily after a c-section or traumatic birth. Within 2 months, your levels should be in the normal range again. - Lava Dust
Here’s a weird pro tip from Doc Frank. He often prescribes Lava Dust to breastfeeding mothers whose babies develop colic. A pinch a day of this fine Lava Dust is all that is needed, taken with food or water. Within two or three days, the colic should be relieved. In case Mom is not breastfeeding, putting one pinch a day in Babba’s milk should do the trick (but preferably no longer than a week, though).
Don’t ask us how it works; it just does.
To your (growing) health,
The Team at Integrow Health
