Breastfeeding and its Benefits for Mother and Baby

According to a study, breastfeeding helps improve mothers’ health, as well as the health of the baby. Breast milk is the best and healthiest food for your infant. It offers all the nutrients your baby needs for the first six months. Babies who breastfeed have increased mental growth and emotional stability.

Scientific evidence has established the vital importance of breastfeeding. It’s irreplaceable way to feed babies. Breast milk contains immune molecules called antibodies that reduce inflammation. The importance of breastfeeding is to establish a comfortable microbiome in the intestine of your infant.

Breast milk is full of live ingredients, including stem cells, white blood cells and beneficial bacteria, as well as other bioactive ingredients, such as antibodies, enzymes and hormones, all of which help combat infection, prevent disease and lead to normal healthy growth.

BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING FOR BABY

For better growth & development
Breast milk provides essential components to maintain and develop an immature immune system for an infant. Breast milk is easier to digest than baby formulas, and varies from feed to feed to match each child’s particular needs, making it the perfect food to support healthy growth and development.

Low chance of illness
Babies who are fed breastmilk have a lower risk of:

Gastrointestinal disorders (e.g. diarrhea and vomiting)
Atopic disorders (including eczema and asthma)
Mid-ear diseases
Urinary tract infection
Respiratory infection
Obesity in childhood and later in life
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes in infancy or later life
Any kind of childhood cancers
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SDSI).
Breastfed babies are also less likely to be hospitalised for illnesses and infections.

Breast milk contains a high amount of certain fats required to support brain and nerve development. Breast-fed children have higher IQs, better nervous structures, and sharper sight.

Benefits Of Breastfeeding For Mother

Enhances Attachment

Breastfeeding helps improve attachment. Every time a mother feeds her infant, she releases the hormones oxytocin. Not only does this hormone trigger a mother to release her milk (milk ejection or let-down reflex), but it makes her fall in love with her infant too.

Physical Health

Breastfeeding promotes faster weight loss after giving child- birth, it helps in burning about 500 extra calories a day to build and maintain a milk supply.

Stimulatesuterus to contract and return to normal size.

Less postpartum bleeding.

Fewer urinary tract infections.

Less chance of anemia.

Less risk of postpartum depression and more positive mood.

Women who do not breastfeed later in life are at greater risk for diabetes, osteoporosis, breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer.