Sick after weaning? Improving your baby's second line of immune defense is the key! 3 strokes to solve

Weaning is the only way for a baby to grow up, which is very important for both the baby and the mother. Only by successfully passing the weaning period can the baby and mother smoothly enter the next stage. However, mothers who have been weaned now call "weaning" "tears flow first", and even Ma Bao said: "The baby gets sick as soon as it is weaned, which makes the mother who is about to wean" tremble ". ....

Why does the baby get sick easily after weaning?

Breast milk is the best food for babies and the best bond between mothers and babies. Many mothers regard natural weaning as an ideal goal, but more mothers will choose weaning for various reasons, such as work, milk blockage and mastitis. Once weaned, the baby loses the immune active factors in breast milk, such as secretory SIgA antibody, interleukin, lactoferrin, lipase, lysozyme and so on. [1]. These immune substances belong to the second line of defense of the human body, which helps to protect the mucosal layer of the baby's intestine, throat and lungs and resist the infection of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. However, it should be noted that these antibodies are only temporary, they may be sacrificed in the process of fighting the virus, or they may be excreted with the decomposition of the baby's digestive system.

If the baby has been drinking breast milk, then these immune active substances can enter the baby's body continuously. However, after weaning, the baby's organs and their immune functions are not fully developed, and it is impossible to synthesize rich immune active substances. When encountering complex and changeable weather and environment, the immune active substances in the baby can't fight against the bacteria and viruses that pass through the first line of defense, which will stimulate the third line of defense-specific immunity. At this time, the baby may have symptoms such as fever, local redness and pain.

Therefore, after the baby is weaned, there will indeed be a stage when the immunocompetent substance decreases, which is particularly important. If you are not careful, your baby will get sick easily.

In addition, there are two situations that can also cause your baby to get sick:

Irrational feeding during weaning leads to irregular diet and untimely nutritional supplement;

The way of weaning is too rough, which causes the baby to cry and feel depressed.

After weaning, how to continue the baby's strong immunity?

Many elderly people think: since it is easy to get sick after weaning, don't wean. But this can't be done at all, unless the mother is energetic and can take care of her work and continue to breastfeed exclusively. In fact, the 20 19 Investigation Report on Influencing Factors of Breastfeeding in China shows that the breastfeeding rate in big cities is the highest, accounting for only 36%, while the breastfeeding rate in small and medium-sized cities is the lowest, accounting for 23%. Therefore, what the mother should consider now is not to let the baby insist on continuous breastfeeding, but how to continue the baby's strong immunity after weaning.

The main reason for the decline of immunity after weaning is that there is no persistent immune active substance in breast milk, which belongs to the second line of defense of immune system. Therefore, for the baby's health, it is the key to continue the second line of defense of the immune system. From the immune substances in breast milk, lactoferrin accounts for 20% of the total protein in breast milk, which can play an antibacterial role. Lysozyme, complement, cytokines and even white blood cells can promote the maturation of the baby's immune system [1]. Therefore, mothers can provide the above nutrition to their babies after weaning.

Three ways to help your baby improve his immunity

Lactoferrin is the key

From the perspective of the baby's immune active substances and breastfeeding environment, mothers can help the baby's immunity from three aspects.

Extra intake of lactoferrin

Because immune active substances such as lysozyme and white blood cells cannot be obtained from the outside, but lactoferrin can be supplemented from the outside, so mothers can take the way of supplementing lactoferrin to ensure the baby's intake of immune substances.

Lactoferrin was found in 1939, 20 16, and the US FDA identified lactoferrin as GRAS[2]. 20 18 The Maternal and Child Nutrition Branch of China Nutrition Society published "Experts' Knowledge on the Influence of Lactoferrin on Infant Health", which was drafted and reviewed by many maternal and child nutrition experts. Lactoferrin is another recognized effective infant nutrient after DHA.

According to a large number of animal experiments and clinical studies, lactoferrin can prevent and assist in the treatment of infantile diarrhea, neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, respiratory diseases and neonatal septicemia, and also play a certain role in improving infant anemia and promoting its growth and development [3]. Therefore, if the milk powder purchased by the mother does not contain lactoferrin, then families with conditions can choose to supplement lactoferrin preparations.

Ensure adequate intake of protein.

We can see that the above immune cells and antibodies are all composed of protein, so it is very important to get enough protein. Good sources of protein are milk, eggs, bean products and meat. If the mother is weaned before 1 year old, then the daily milk quantity must be guaranteed, because the baby at this stage is mainly milk; /kloc-After 0/year-old, mothers must pay attention to a balanced diet and eat more foods rich in protein while ensuring sufficient milk; After the age of 3, mothers should ensure a continuous supply of milk and appropriately enrich the types of dairy products, such as yogurt, fresh milk and children's milk powder.

Calm the baby's mood

Because breast milk is not only the best food for the baby, but also plays a role in comforting the baby to a certain extent. Therefore, after weaning, the baby may suffer psychological damage due to lack of security, which in turn affects the normal work of the immune system.

Breast milk is the baby's first protection, but it is not the baby's forever "umbrella". The baby will experience weaning sooner or later. If conditions permit, Ma Bao can breastfeed until she is 2 years old. If you really want to wean, you need to consider the ability of your baby's immune system. If the baby is prone to illness at ordinary times, you can consider giving the baby enough lactoferrin in the weaning stage to help the baby's second line of immune defense! In addition, mothers need to pay attention to the baby's diet and living habits, sleep well and drink enough milk ~