Part 1: Islam & Breastfeeding
by SusuIbu.Com on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 12:41am
"Thanks be to Allah SWT and peace be on His Prophet and His People and Followers"
14 centuries ago, in the Holy Quran, God gave us an important information regarding the importance of nutrition and its impact on our physical and mental health. Science only recently proved this discovery and new benefits of mother's milk is still being discovered by scientists. Mother's milk is a miraculous mixture created by God as both an excellent food source with nutritional and immunological advantages for a newborn baby.
It is mentioned in the Quran:
"The mothers shall give such to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term. But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms. No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear. No mother shall be Treated unfairly on account of her child. Nor father on account of his child, an heir shall be chargeable in the same way. If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them. If ye decide on a foster-mother for your offspring, there is no blame on you, provided ye pay (the mother) what ye offered, on equitable terms. But fear God and know that God sees well what ye do. (Al Baqarah, 2:233)
From the verse, we can identify the following principles:
1. It is the duty of the mother to breastfeed her child and not to deny him the right of benefiting from and enjoying breastmilk, if she could.
2. The breastfeeding period -- for those who wish to complete the term is two complete years
3. Weaning is allowed before completingthe term (2 years) on condition that this decision takes place by mutual consent between the father and mother (after discussing the pros & cons) of making such a decision. It is mentioned: "If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them."
4. The father should assist the lactating mother and provide a suitable atmosphere needed to enable her to breastfeed her child. This clearly demonstrates that Islam considers breastfeeding to be a major duty on the part of the mother which should not be hindered by any additional work. It is therefore evident how the Quran had specifically outlined the right of the lactating mother
5. During the father's absence or upon his death, one of the family members should assume the responsibility of catering for the infant -- providing for his needs and that of his mother to continue breastfeeding. Such situations are properly taken into consideration by Islam
6. The mother who could and is able to breastfeed her infant, is prohibited from hiring a wet nurse to breastfeed her child instead. Islam forces fathers to pay financial assistance for breastfeeding mothers who are divorced. In such a way, Islam ensures that the child gets all he needs to be provided with in terms of breastfeeding.
Almighty God has sufficed the child's needs through what he sucks from his mother's breast. During the 1st 3 days of the child's life, the breast secretes a yellowish liquid known as colostrum in very small quantities. This liquid gold is sufficient to meet the required food intake of the child during the early days of his life. Other than the nutritional and immunilogical advantages, it also helps the child to start accepting and digesting the food he is taking in. By the 4th day, the breast secretes copious milk which is necessary to feed the baby until his weaning.
The mother who refuses to breastfeed her child without a good reason, is denying herself, as well as her child, a very important benefit. Breastfeeding creates in the mother an emotional upsurge and intensifies in her the feelings of motherly affection.In addition to what was mentioned previously, breastfeeding activates the digestive system of the mother to produce the required food intake, necessary for her child, thus improving her general state of health. Moreover, breastfeeding helps adjust the female reproductive system back to a state of equilibrium and normality after the process of childbirth.
** to all mommies out there, if u are breastfeeding, good on you! Well done!
And those who doesn't, give it a go.. Its for the interest of your child!
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