Fighting to normalise breastfeeding

By BRIGITTE ROZARIO BREASTFEEDING is not an easy task, nor is it a simple issue. There are many challenges and issues faced in breastfeeding, from politics and law to dental development, postpartum blues, hormones, pain management, jaundice, birthing practices, tongue tie and weight gain. At the recent PRISMA 2015 conference, organised by the Malaysian Breastfeeding […]

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Depression prevents bonding with baby

ONE of the factors that affects breastfeeding is postpartum depression (PPD). Postpartum blues is quite common because of the fluctuations in the hormone levels of the mother after delivery. However, if it lasts longer than a few days, it may turn into postpartum depression and even, postpartum psychosis. Associate Prof Dr Muhammad Najib Mohamad Alwi, […]

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Why is my baby not putting on weight?

By BRIGITTE ROZARIO THERE are several reasons why babies fail to thrive and don’t seem to be putting on weight. None of the reasons is breast milk. At the recent PRISMA 2015 conference, organised by the Malaysian Breastfeeding Peer Counsellor Association, participants were glued to their seats listening to the topic “Poor Weight Gain and […]

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Birthing practices stopping mothers from breastfeeding

By BRIGITTE ROZARIO THERE are many reasons why a mother fails to breastfeed or to continue breastfeeding. One reason often overlooked is birthing practices. What happens in the labour room and immediately after birth can affect breastfeeding and whether the mother continues breastfeeding. Dr Noor Haliza Yusoff, Hospital Selayang obstetrics and gynaecology senior consultant, said […]

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Hormones are key in breastfeeding

By BRIGITTE ROZARIO WOMEN who are pregnant know that they undergo changes in their hormone levels, and when they go through childbirth there is a dramatic change again. Exactly what roles do hormones play as a woman prepares to welcome a new baby? “The hormones are important to prepare a woman’s body for breastfeeding and […]

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Dr Hairin Anisa Tajuddin: ‘Neonatal jaundice is one of the reasons why mothers fail to establish exclusive breastfeeding.’

Stop blaming mother’s milk for infant jaundice

By BRIGITTE ROZARIO POOR breast milk. It gets blamed for everything, from baby’s failure to thrive to jaundice. Dr Hairin Anisa Tajuddin, paediatrician and lactation consultant at Monash University Malaysia, pointed out that breast milk is not to blame for baby’s jaundice, in her presentation entitled “Busting the Myths on Jaundice” at the recent PRISMA […]

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Breastfeeding an adopted child is not a myth

  INDUCED lactation for adoptive parents is not something new, but it is something we seldom hear about. It was a pleasant surprise to see it included in the PRISMA 2015 conference programme. Dr Faridah Idris, lactation consultant, medical lecturer and haematologist at Universiti Putra Malaysia, conducted a workshop on “Induced Lactation – An Overview […]

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Tips for parents of Down Syndrome children

DOWN Syndrome children are just like other children. They are not happy all the time – this is a myth. And, it is not a mental disorder; Down Syndrome (DS) is a chromosomal disorder. These are some of the facts presented by Dr Ezura Madiana Md Monoto, lecturer and family medicine specialist at Universiti Kebangsaan […]

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Breastfeeding helps dental development

DIRECT latching helps infants with their jaw development. Assoc Prof Dr Zamri Radzi, lecturer and paediatric dentistry and orthodontics consultant with Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, said this at the PRISMA 2015 conference. Dr Zamri, who specialises in orthodontics and facial development, was speaking on the topic of “Breastfeeding: Dental Development & Beyond”. “We want babies […]

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Dr Zaharah Sulaiman

How to balance work and breastfeeding

By BRIGITTE ROZARIO BALANCING work and breastfeeding can be quite tough when you don’t have ample support from family, management and colleagues. It is important to support breastfeeding mothers at work said Dr Zaharah Sulaiman, senior lecturer and lactation consultant in Universiti Sains Malaysia, at the PRISMA 2015 conference. Dr Zaharah was speaking on “Breastfeeding […]

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