Abstract

A REVIEW OF BREASTFEEDING:- A KEY TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

*Dr. Priti B. Shende and Dr. Jayshree K. Saraf

ABSTRACT

Ayurvedic scholars have praised breastfeeding and mentioned many benefits of it. In Ayurveda, the formation of stanya {breast milk} is said from the Prasad part of aaharrasa {food}. Stanya is the updhatu of rasadhatu. The first milk secretes after 3-4 days of delivery is called as PIYUSHA or MORAT, which is guru and kaphakaraka in nature & hence contraindicated for baby. Stanya nirmiti starts in pregnancy but stanya pravrutti occurs after delivery.Stanyavikruti can be in the form of stanyakshaya & stanyavriddhi. WHO celebrates breastfeeding week from 1-7 August over hundreds of countries. Breastfeeding is an ideal food for a normal neonate. It is a best gift that a mother can give to her baby. Breastfeeding is beneficial to baby as well as mother. The 1st breast milk called as COLOSTRUM should be fed to baby as it contains the antibodies which protects baby from many diseases. The exclusive breastfeeding should be done up to 1st 6 months & initiated within half an hour of birth.There are still 11 million child who die every year of preventable causes. Appropriate breastfeeding should prevent at least 1.3 million of these deaths.

Keywords: Stanya, Gunadharma, Stanya nirmiti, Stanya pravrutti, Stanyavikruti, Composition, Benefits and Challenges.