11 Benefits of breast feeding.
It has the right amount of nutrients, is easily digested and readily available.
However, the rate of breastfeeding is as low as 30% in some groups of women.
While some women are unable to breastfeed, others simply choose not to.
Yet studies show breastfeeding has major health benefits, for both the mother and her baby.
Here are 11 science-based benefits of breastfeeding.
1.
Breast Milk Provides Ideal Nutrition for Babies.
Most health authorities recommend exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months.
Continued breastfeeding is then recommended for at least one year, as different foods
are introduced into the baby's diet.
Breast milk contains everything the baby needs for the first six months of life, in all the
right proportions.
Its composition even changes according to the baby's changing needs, especially during
the first month of life.
During the first days after birth, the breasts produce a thick and yellowish fluid called
colostrum.
It's high in protein, low in sugar and loaded with beneficial compounds.
Colostrum is the ideal first milk and helps the newborn's immature digestive tract develop.
After the first few days, the breasts start producing larger amounts of milk as the baby's
stomach grows.
2.
Breast Milk Contains Important Antibodies.
Breast milk is loaded with antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria.
This particularly applies to colostrum, the first milk.
Colostrum provides high amounts of immunoglobulin A (IgA), as well as several other antibodies.
When the mother is exposed to viruses or bacteria, she starts producing antibodies.
These antibodies are then secreted into the breast milk and passed to the baby during
feeding.
3.
Breastfeeding May Reduce Disease Risk.
Breastfeeding has an impressive list of health benefits.
This is particularly true of exclusive breastfeeding, meaning that the infant receives only breast
milk.
It may reduce your baby's risk of many illnesses and diseases.
Furthermore, the protective effects of breastfeeding seem to last throughout childhood and even
adulthood.
4.
Breast Milk Promotes a Healthy Weight.
Breastfeeding promotes healthy weight gain and helps prevent childhood obesity.
Studies show that obesity rates are 15–30% lower in breastfed babies, compared to formula-fed
babies.
The duration is also important, as each month of breastfeeding reduces your child's risk
of future obesity by 4%.
This may be due to the development of different gut bacteria.
Breastfed babies have higher amounts of beneficial gut bacteria, which may affect fat storage.
Babies fed on breast milk also have more leptin in their systems than formula-fed babies.
Leptin is a key hormone for regulating appetite and fat storage.
Breastfed babies also self-regulate their milk intake.
They're better at eating only until they've satisfied their hunger, which helps them develop
healthy eating patterns.
5.
Breastfeeding May Make Children Smarter.
Some studies suggest there may be a difference in brain development between breastfed and
formula-fed babies.
This difference may be due to the physical intimacy, touch and eye contact associated
with breastfeeding.
Studies indicate that breastfed babies have higher intelligence scores and are less likely
to develop problems with behavior and learning as they grow older.
6.
Breastfeeding May Help You Lose Weight.
While some women seem to gain weight during breastfeeding, others seem to effortlessly
lose weight.
Although breastfeeding increases a mother's energy demands by about 500 calories per day,
the body's hormonal balance is very different from normal.
Because of these hormonal changes, lactating women have an increased appetite and may be
more prone to storing fat for milk production.
For the first 3 months after delivery, breastfeeding mothers may lose less weight than women who
don't breastfeed, and they may even gain weight.
However, after 3 months of lactation, they will likely experience an increase in fat
burning.
Beginning around 3–6 months after delivery, mothers who breastfeed have been shown to
lose more weight than mothers who don't breastfeed.
7.
Breastfeeding Helps the Uterus Contract.
During pregnancy, your uterus grows immensely, expanding from the size of a pear to filling
almost the entire space of your abdomen.
After delivery, your uterus goes through a process called involution, which helps it
return to its previous size.
Oxytocin, a hormone that increases throughout pregnancy, helps drive this process.
Your body secretes high amounts of oxytocin during labor to help deliver the baby and
reduce bleeding.
Oxytocin also increases during breastfeeding.
It encourages uterine contractions and reduces bleeding, helping the uterus return to its
previous size.
8.
Mothers Who Breastfeed Have a Lower Risk of Depression.
Postpartum depression is a type of depression that can develop shortly after childbirth.
It affects up to 15% of mothers.
Women who breastfeed seem less likely to develop postpartum depression, compared to mothers
who wean early or do not breastfeed.
However, those who experience postpartum depression early after delivery are also more likely
to have trouble breastfeeding and do so for a shorter duration.
Although the evidence is a bit mixed, it's known that breastfeeding causes hormonal changes
that encourage maternal caregiving and bonding.
One of the most pronounced changes is the increased amount of oxytocin produced during
birth and breastfeeding.
Oxytocin appears to have long-term anti-anxiety effects.
It also encourages bonding by affecting specific brain regions that promote nurturing and relaxation.
These effects may also partly explain why breastfeeding mothers have a lower rate of
maternal neglect, compared to those who do not breastfeed.
One study found that the rate of maternal child abuse and neglect was almost three times
higher for mothers who did not breastfeed, compared to those who did.
On that note, keep in mind that these are only statistical associations.
Not breastfeeding does not mean that you will neglect your baby in any way.
9.
Breastfeeding Reduces Your Disease Risk.
Breastfeeding seems to provide the mother with long-term protection against cancer and
several diseases.
The total time a woman spends breastfeeding is linked with a reduced risk of breast and
ovarian cancer.
In fact, women who breastfeed for more than 12 months during their lifetime have a 28%
lower risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.
Each year of breastfeeding is associated with a 4.3% decrease in breast cancer risk.
Recent studies also indicate that breastfeeding may protect against metabolic syndrome, a
group of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and other health problems.
Women who breastfeed for 1–2 years over their lifetime have a 10–50% lower risk
of high blood pressure, arthritis, high blood fats, heart disease and type 2 diabetes
10.
Keeps you pumped up with iron.
The benefits of breastfeeding are for mom as much as babies.
Amenorrhea or absence of a menstrual period, is normal in all women for the first 4-6 weeks
after delivery.
However, for women who chose to exclusively breastfeeding, this condition can last at
least twice as long as mothers who chose to bottle feed.
By not having a period, breastfeeding mothers help to restore their iron supply which takes
a significant hit during pregnancy, labor and recovery.
11.
It Also Saves Time and Money.
To top the list, breastfeeding is completely free and requires very little effort.
By choosing to breastfeed, you won't have to:
Spend money on formula.
Calculate how much your baby needs to drink daily.
Spend time cleaning and sterilizing bottles.
Mix and warm up bottles in the middle of the night (or day).
Figure out ways to warm up bottles while on the go.
Breast milk is always at the right temperature and ready to drink.
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