Breast feeding is an act of making a baby comfortable to suck or feed on milk expressed from the breast. It is hygienic and sterile food for the young infant during the first 6 months of life. It contains all the nutrition and the right proportion to meet a growing child requirements.

STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL BREAST FEEDING
1. Before the commencement of breast feeding, proper hygiene of the breast nipple and hands are very important

2. Mother assume the most relaxing position either she sits upright with legs crossed over one another or she lie down

3. Baby is held in the mother's arm with the hand supporting the baby's buttocks and the baby's abdomen touching mothers abdomen.

4. Baby should be made comfortable before breast feeding i.e. by changing soiled nappy/diapers.

5. The baby's mouth should grasp the nipple and most of the alveolar tissue.

6. Mother should not wear tight clothing over the breast.

7. After feeding child should be propped uptoburpair

8. Feeding should be given according to the hunger need of the baby.

ADVANTAGES OF BREAST FEEDING TO THE BABY

1. It builds immunity against infections because it is sterile

2. It reduces the risk of tooth decaying/diabetes mellitus because the amount of sugar in breast milk is not high

3. It helps babies to be highly intelligent

4. It enhances rapid physical growth and development

5. It is a balanced diet for the babies (no need of using feeding bottle and extremely safe with no contaminations)

6. It is economical and readily available. You don't have to pay a huge sum of money for it and it cannot be scarce i.e. it is at easy reach

7. It promote child-mother relationship

8. Breast milk is delivered at normal temperature (not too hot and not too cold)

ADVANTAGES OF BREAST FEEDING TO MOTHER

1. Reduce the risk of ovarian and breast cancer

2. Promotion of bonding and reduction of risk of childhood diseases

3. Reduction of work load as there will be no bottle to wash and no need to boil water

4. Reduce the dependency on commercial infant feeding product

5. It helps in child spacing

6. It saves ti me and money

7. It helps in involution of the uterus


ADVANTAGES OF BREAST FEEDING TO THE SOCIETY AT LARGE

1. The money that is saved can be used to buy/purchase food item for the mother/the family (money that is supposed to buy infant formular)

2. Babies are always well and healthy and there is reduced visit to hospital

3. It saves time and energy

4. It reduces diarrhea and vomiting in children
5. It promotes mutual agreement and love between mother/child.

Deaconess Dupe Olakitan Sis Coordinator, Solution Assembly CLEM Ijebu Ode, Ogun State Nigeria.