Breastfeeding A Baby With Down Syndrome

What is Down Syndrome?

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality. It is characterized by various physical anomalies and mental retardation. The symptoms of the disease range from mild to severe. Mental and physical development are usually delayed. Babies born with Down syndrome may be of medium size, but grow slowly and remain smaller than other children of the same age. Some common physical signs of the syndrome include:

• flat face with ascending eye slope;
• short neck;
• unusually shaped ears;
• protruding tongue;
• small head;
• deep crease in the palm of the hand, with relatively short fingers;
• white spots in the iris of the eye;
• poor muscle tone, loose ligaments, excessive flexibility;
• small arms and legs and others.

What happens for this syndrome to occur?

Usually each cell of our body contains 46 chromosomes, half of which are inherited from the mother and the other half from the father. Down syndrome is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome, which means that people with this disease have 47 instead of 46 chromosomes in their cells. They have an additional 21 chromosomes, which is why the disease is also known as trisomy 21. The exact reason why this happens is not yet known.

Breastfeeding a baby with Down syndrome

If you have just found out that your baby has Down syndrome, you may have mixed feelings. This is completely natural, because you do not know what lies ahead for you and your child.

Every baby with Down syndrome has a different severity of the disease. Therefore, some will find breastfeeding more difficult than others. But it is an important step in the first months and years of a baby's life and should not be missed. Both babies with this chromosomal abnormality and mothers need some time to get used to the breastfeeding process.

Why breastfeeding is important in these children

Breast milk is a natural food for all babies, and breastfeeding is much more than a feeding process. It provides food, comfort and stimulates all the baby's senses. Breastfeeding is important, whether the baby has Down syndrome or not. However, there are some reasons why it is especially important to breastfeed a baby with Down. For example:

• babies with Down syndrome have an increased risk of infections, especially respiratory ones. Breast milk contains anti-infective factors, including anti-microbial antibodies to which you and your baby are exposed;

More information about breast milk can be found in the topics: "What does breast milk contain"; "Is breast milk sterile"; "Does breast milk change"; "Why breastfeeding is useful."

• improves the coordination of the tongue in the oral cavity, which will lead to fewer speech problems;
• creates a strong bond between mother and child, which is essential for babies with this disease;
• breastfeeding reduces the chances of obesity later in life, which is common in these children;
• breast milk promotes optimal brain development. Docosahexaenoic acid in it increases brain stimulation, which is extremely valuable for children with Down.

Difficulty breastfeeding children with Down syndrome

There are three main challenges for infants with this disease - low muscle tone, prematurity and drowsiness .

Babies with this congenital anomaly have lower muscle tone and a flat tongue, which makes it difficult to breastfeed and swallow milk. Accordingly, breastfeeding takes longer. Some babies also have trouble breathing during feedings. They get very little milk for the effort they put in and often get tired quickly. However, this will improve over time and with enough patience. The very process of breastfeeding will improve the baby's muscle tone and gradually he will begin to take more breast milk.

Children with Down syndrome are often born prematurely. Premature babies are not able to breastfeed effectively. It takes time for them to grow and become stronger.

Many newborns are more sleepy in the first few weeks. They will probably get tired quickly during breastfeeding and will not drink enough milk. You need to try to keep them awake while eating. Frequent breastfeeding can encourage your baby to continue breastfeeding more actively.

Tips that will help breastfeeding

• Pay more attention to the positioning of the baby. Try to keep his body raised by providing extra support to the head and supporting his jaw so that the baby does not get tired (place your hand under the breast so that you hold the breast with three fingers, and by making a U-shape from the thumb and the index finger support the baby's jaw). Some mothers find that the soccer ball position is much more comfortable than others. It is important to use positions that are comfortable for both you and the child. When it grows older and stronger, you can try other poses.

More information on positioning can be found in: "Breastfeeding preparation and postures."

• If he chokes when swallowing, try to straighten the baby so that his neck and throat are slightly higher than the nipple. You could sit in a chair leaning back.
• Before breastfeeding, it is good to express a little milk, thus ensuring its easier flow. This is because babies with Down syndrome cannot breastfeed effectively enough to make milk flow.
• You can also try breastfeeding in a sling. This could make it easier for you, as you provide the baby with full access to the breast.

• If you think your milk is low, start expressing after each breastfeeding.
• To make sure your baby is getting enough milk, you will need to feed him often (every two hours).
• Burp it often, as it can take in more air than other babies while breastfeeding.
• Seek a breastfeeding consultant who will give you good advice.