Why is Breastfeeding Best for You and Your Baby?
Breast Feeding is the feeding of an infant with breast milk directly from female breast. Experts recommend that children should start breast feeding within one hour of birth, exclusively for the first six months. It is also appropriate to feed until age two that is nutritionally safe and adequate for the baby. Breastfeeding can be a satisfying way to nourish and nurture your baby. Every woman has the physical capacity to provide breast milk for her baby. Optimal benefits for mother and baby are attained if breastfeeding continues through the first year of life.
Benefits of Breast Feeding for the Baby and you.
Breast milk is best for your baby and the benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond basic nutrition. In addition to containing all the vitamins and nutrients your baby needs in the first six months of life, breast milk is packed with disease fighting substances that protect your baby from illness. Numerous studies around the world have shown that stomach viruses, lower respiratory illnesses, ear infections and meningitis occur less often in breastfed babies and are less severe when they do happen. Due to the anti-infective properties of breastmilk, breastfed babies tend to have less incidence of or less pronounced symptoms of ear infections, respiratory illness, allergies, diarrhea and vomiting.
Breastfed babies are rarely constipated due to the digestibility of breastmilk. Babies who are fed formula based on cow’s milk or soy tend to have more allergic reactions than breastfed babies. Babies who are fed formula rather than breast milk do not get this layer of protection, so they’re more vulnerable to inflammation, allergies and other eventual health issues. Experts say that the emotional bonding that takes place during breastfeeding probably contributes to some of the brainpower benefits, but that the fatty acids in breast milk may play the biggest role.
Breastfeeding and mental health.
IQ levels are an average of 8 points higher in children who were breastfed.
The study mentioned on Schizophrenia.com found that children who were breastfed for less than six months compared to six months or longer had a 52% increased risk of a mental health problem at the age of 2, a 55% increased risk at the age of 6, a 61% risk at the age 8, and a 37% increased risk at the age of 10.
Breastfeeding reduces a child’s risk of becoming overweight as a teen or adult. The strongest effect is in children who were exclusively breast fed and the longer the baby was breastfed the stronger the link. Women who did not breastfeed or who stopped breastfeeding early on had a higher risk of postpartum depression. Many women report feeling relaxed while breastfeeding. That’s because nursing triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin.
Here is more:
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that mother’s breastfeed should be mandatory for at least the first year of a child’s life. The studies suggest that childhood internalizing disorders, including depression and anxiety, can affect up to about 20% of children and adolescents.
Here is more complete comparison between BreastMilk and Milk Formula:
The comparison is a wash! There is just no way milk formula can ever come close to the benefit your baby gets from the mother’s milk.
Breastfeeding is natural but that does not necessarily mean it’s easy. There will be times that the mother’s milk dries up or there is little milk that is being produced. If this is the case, we recommend natural foods that has proven to increase milk production in breastfeeding mothers. Natural papaya leaves tea helps the quality of milk, it has not caffeine and is a relaxing drink for a nursing mother. One of our favorite is green papaya fruit. What is good about papaya is that it contains lactogen which is beneficial in producing milk.
If you have problem with breast feeding do not hesitate to contact your healthcare provider or a certified lactation consultant if you need help or support.
