Cross-breastfeeding is when the mother gives her baby to another woman to breastfeed, because she does not have enough milk or simply cannot breastfeed.
However, this practice is not recommended by the Ministry of Health, because it increases the risk of the baby being infected with some disease that passes through the other woman's milk and the baby does not have specific antibodies to protect itself.
So, to ensure that the baby grows in a healthy way, he needs milk until 6 months, and from then on he can eat pasty foods like mashed fruit and vegetable soup with shredded meat.
What are the risks of cross-breastfeeding
The main risk of cross-breastfeeding is the contamination of the baby with diseases that pass through breast milk, such as:
- AIDS Hepatitis B or CCitomegalovirusHuman T - cell lymphotropic virus - HTLVInfectious mononucleosisHerpes simplex or Herpes zoster Measles, Mumps, Rubella.
Even if the other woman, the alleged nursing mother, has a healthy appearance, she may have some asymptomatic disease and therefore cross-breastfeeding is still contraindicated. But if the baby's own mother has any of these diseases, the pediatrician will be able to advise if breastfeeding can be done or not.
How to feed the baby who cannot breastfeed
A suitable solution is to give the bottle or use the human milk bank, present in many hospitals.
The bottle with milk adapted for the baby is one of the simplest solutions adopted by most families. There are several brands and possibilities, so you should follow the pediatrician's guidance to choose the best for your baby. Discover some adapted milk options that can replace breastfeeding.
Milk from the milk bank, despite being from another woman, undergoes a rigorous hygiene and control process and several tests are carried out to ensure that the milk donor does not have any disease.
See how to eliminate one of the most common motivations for cross-breastfeeding at: Improving breast milk production.
