- UV specialists point out the need to provide individualized care to the mother-child duo
- Antibody transmission is essential for the proper development of the baby
Clara Luz Sampieri Ramírez, researcher at the Institute of Public Health
Jorge Vazquez Pacheco
Photos: Luis Fernando Fernandez and courtesy of ISP
08/30/2024, Xalapa, Ver.- Clara Luz Sampieri Ramírez and Montserrat Gutiérrez Melgarejo, researcher at the Public Health Institute (ISP) and academic at the Faculty of Medicine of this university, respectively, indicated that it is necessary to root the culture of breastfeeding and in this sense the Universidad Veracruzana (UV) takes the lead before society.
Sampieri Ramírez mentioned that this work is so necessary and intense that the congresses and meetings of specialists that take place in university facilities are not enough, but it must continue to be systematically promoted.
The ISP has been providing advice, guidance and support for 12 years, added the researcher who is certified as a Breastfeeding Educator by the University of Puerto Rico. She said that the “Program for the promotion and dissemination of the benefits of breastfeeding” is free of charge and was initially only offered in person, although it has now been extended to social networks.
Montserrat Gutiérrez Melgarejo, academic attached to the Faculty of Medicine
But that is not enough. “Mother-child pairs must be supervised by a primary health provider; that is, a doctor with experience in breastfeeding, because platforms will never replace the work of trained personnel,” added the international breastfeeding consultant.
Meanwhile, Montserrat Gutiérrez, who recognizes Sampieri Ramírez as a pioneer in these disciplines, detailed the joint work during the COVID-19 pandemic: “We analyzed antibodies in the milk of women who were vaccinated with the different schemes, to verify that immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A antibodies were transmitted to babies through breastfeeding. It is an indirect vaccination through these proteins that act as a defense against some diseases, in this case SARS-CoV-2.”
Breastfeeding has also been shown to regulate sleep. Babies wake up every three or four hours to eat, and breast milk contains levels of melatonin and tryptophan that help regulate the circadian cycle, making their sleep rhythm much faster compared to those who are fed in other ways.
UV academics promote the protection of the mother-child binomial
Each pair is unique, Clara Luz Sampieri reiterated, so the mother can plan continuous feeding up to six months or two years according to her own needs, although there are cases in which breastfeeding is not recommended; “for example, when the mother takes certain medications or undergoes chemotherapy.”
Gutiérrez Melgarejo stressed that at UV the population is advised to avoid prejudices, to raise awareness and to emphasize the spectrum of benefits of breastfeeding, both for the baby and for the mother, and they are not just nutritional. “It is, among other things, a protective factor against breast cancer.”
It is important to note that in Veracruz there is Law 866 that favors the strengthening of the mother-child binomial.
Breast milk contains levels of melatonin and tryptophan that promote the regulation of the circadian cycle
Meeting goals is not only the mother’s responsibility: a support network is required for those who work outside the home, such as respecting their schedules for breastfeeding, pumping milk or allowing the baby to be present at their workplace if the baby is under six months old.
“As a researcher, I can assure you that recommendations to support breastfeeding will always be based on scientific evidence. In this sense, the work of Dr. Monserrat Gutiérrez allows us to make important decisions, such as recommending that a mother with COVID not stop breastfeeding so that she can transmit her antibodies.”
UV has a specialty in this area at the Biomedical Research Center, in the Master’s in Public Health, and in the Faculties of Medicine, Nutrition and Nursing.
Categories: Inclusion, Academic Staff, Main
