Women

What Mothers Should Know About Bottle Feeding

Published

13 years ago

November 26, 2010

Within the past two decades, serious emphasis has been placed on the unquantifiable importance of breast milk to a newborn. Mostly re-echoed is the exclusive approach in which the baby is denied any other food than breast milk, not even water is allowed until between the ages of four months and six months.

While many expectant and nursing mothers as well as mother-in-laws are yet to come to terms with this scientific finding, it is no doubt, obvious that the proponents of exclusive breast feeding meant well for our generation as research has shown that “there is no real alternative to the breast-fed baby’s colostrums”.

However, much as the importance of the natural human breast milk can not be over emphasised, we must not also rule out situations or circumstances that could subject a new born to be bottle-fed.

An eventual loss of mother during or after delivery, the inability of the breast milk to be produced at all as well as an eventual incapacitation of the mother after child birth and many more could make bottle-feeding highly imperative. Hence, doing well, that which is worth doing, becomes highly necessary.

All it takes therefore, is to acknowledge the fact that baby formulas are made to meet certain health and growth needs of the baby and having a mind to actualise these needs through the feed.

First and foremost, a cautious and concious adherence to the manufacturers’ instructions on “how-to-use” is a step in the right direction. If you do it in exactly the proportion the manufacturer suggests in the mixing instructions, you will end up with a food that is as close to the composition of the breast milk as it is possible to get with that particular formula. And guess what! the baby gets the right amount of nourishment as well as water in right proportion.

Research workers have discovered a great many bottles are not made up accurately, it is largely this inaccuracy which makes bottle-feeding unsatisfactory to many babies. No bottle-feed is better prepared by putting in just a little extra powder or by adding extra water.

Putting more than the required quantity of powder to a certain water level, will render the milk too strong thereby giving the baby excess protein and fat, as well as too many minerals and not enough water. He or she gets too fat because of the many calories contained in the formular and thirsty because of the much salt in the feed as well.

Worse still, while the baby cries because he is thirsty, the temptation to give him additional bottle becomes irresistible and the result is an outright discomfort on the baby who has known no other way to air his feelings than to cry.

Another point to note is that a new baby, especially one who is not breast fed, has little defences against common germ. His immunity is built over time. In an ordinary clean home, he could cope with the germs that he sucks off his hands or breathes within his environment. But while feeding, the story is different. Milk, especially such around room temperature constitutes an ideal breeding ground for germs.

According to research, Gastroenteritis is still one of the most common reasons for young babies being admitted into hospitals therefore, to keep the babies’ food as free from bacteria as possible, the following pre-cautions must be strictly adhered to.

. Hand washing before handling the milk or its equipments.

.Adoption of a sterile formula as well as keeping the packet or can tightly covered and refrigerated once opened.

.Sterilising every item used in the preparation of the food.

.Cooling the prepared solution, preferably by putting it into refrigerator while it is still hot and keeping it cold until the baby wants it.

.Always throw away remnants and not saving it for next meal.

Bottle feeding, in the absence of breast milk can be a refreshingly soothing experience if they are prepared exactly as the manufacturer recommends. Moreso, as long as the temptation to add an extra spoonful of cereal in the vain hope of a better night is vehemently resisted the resulting milk can best be treated exactly as if it was breast milk. The baby can have as much as he eagerly drinks, as often as he is hungry, and leaves what he does not want.

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Women

The Wise Woman

Published

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

The wise woman builds her home. Mothers are supposed to live exemplary lives. The roles of mothers in the building of the modern Christian home cannot be overemphasized.
The function of the mother is to help the man build the home. She is a helper. A helper to the husband when the man is not doing well. It is important for the wise woman to assist when the man is not able to meet up with the items needed in the home.
A wise woman needs to reference God first and then the husband. Also the wise woman should respect her husband.
Caring for her own children as well as others is very crucial.
Do not despise children from other mothers. Discipline the child who is going the wrong way.
Ensure family bonding, show love and don’t discriminate. Connection with children is very important, especially the females. Find out who is her friend. Also find out the kind of lives they live. Caution, counsel and guide so that they make good partners.
Teaching children the dos and donts should start from birth. Inculcate the word of God in them so that when they grow, will not depart from it.
From the Scripture, some women influenced their families positively. Virgin Mary influenced the world, she never destroyed herself hence she gave birth to Jesus Christ.
Elizabeth, despite her age, God blessed her as she waited patiently.
A wise should curb favouritism in the family and love children equally. Whether a child is your biological child or not, it is necessary to show love equally. Reprimanding the children should be the function of both man and wife.

Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

Published

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

Marriage is beautiful when there is love. Before and after marriage, couples show love to themselves. But you discover that after some years, that same love turn to be something else. A lot of people start going through emotional trauma in the hands of their loved spouses.
There are many things the woman desires to keep the love on as far as marriage is concerned.
Women are blesssed with feminine abilities that can be used for good in husbands lives. With your abilities, you can create a marriage that will last till couples get old.
A woman needs
man that is honest, trustworthy, nice, loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, if there is no reasonable finance, it is always difficult to manage the home.
Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3: “Your desire shall be unto you…….. “
What this means is that whatever the woman desires in life shall be provided as far as she performs her role in her home. There are many things the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy, at least helping to do one or two things when he is at home.
A man that is educated and intelligent so that they will transfer such traits to their children.
Knowing that there are traits that her husband has, traits of taking care of people, giving freely to people and caring for her family. She expects him to exhibit them.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family, remembering his family even as he is away from home.
No matter where he finds himself, he is not destracted by external influence. He returns home to his loved ones.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.
According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that a woman builds her home. As far as he rreturns home, you accept him as your own.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit. Don’t be a monitoring spirit. Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband. The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.
You can show some form of jealousy, but to an extent. Cooperation, respect and being honoured from time to time is what the woman desires.
The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man. A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

Published

3 weeks ago

April 5, 2024

The Tide

A woman needs a man that is honest, trustworthy, nice, loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, If there is no money, it is always difficult.

Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3:Your desire shall be unto you……..
That is one aspect the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy, at least helping to do one or two things. A man that is educated and intelligent.
She knows that there is a trait that her husband has. Traits of taking care of people, giving freely to people and caring for her family.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family, remembering his family even as he is away from home.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.

According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that the women builds her home.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit. Don’t be a monitoring spirit. Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband.
The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.

The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man. A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.