“Breast milk is never enough for your baby.”
This is one of many false assumptions that a lot of women (and men) have about breastfeeding. As we shall see, breastfeeding has numerous advantages for the mother and her baby.
World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding from birth until the child is 2 years old (or longer) because the benefits continue that long. WHO and UNICEF also recommend that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life.
WHAT BENEFITS DOES BREAST MILK PROVIDE YOUR BABY?
1. ESSENTIAL ANTIBODIES
Breast milk is contains antibodies which are critical to help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria, especially in their early months. Colostrum, the first milk produced after delivery, contains high amounts of antibodies like immunoglobulin A (IgA). IgA is the antibody that protects your baby from getting sick by forming a protective layer in your baby’s nose, throat, and digestive system.
This antibody protection isn’t seen in infant formula. Some studies have shown that formula feeding is associated with increased hospital admissions due to infections among infants younger than 6 months.
2. HEALTHY BABY WEIGHT
Your baby gains healthy weight when they feed regularly on breast milk. It also prevents the onset of childhood obesity. According to a current study, breastfeeding for more than 4 months had a significant reduction in the chances of a baby developing overweight and obesity.
3. IDEAL NUTRITION
Many healthcare professionals advise that babies be exclusively breastfed for at least 6 months or longer because it is the ideal nutrition for your baby, meeting your baby’s every need for the first 6 months of life, in all the right proportions.
4. REDUCED RISK OF INFECTIONS
Infections like ear, respiratory tract, digestive system infections and allergies are much reduced in babies who are exclusively breastfed. Such babies also have a reduced risk of coming down with type 1 diabetes as adults.
5. Breast milk may also make children smarter, as seen in these studies.
BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING TO THE MOTHER
1. It helps your womb to contract — through the release of a hormone called oxytocin.
2. It saves you time and money – as breast milk is free, and you would not need to bother about the cost of purchasing infant formula every now and then, at least for the first 6 months of your baby’s life.
3. It may help you to lose weight — as many breastfeeding mothers having discovered.
4. You would also have a lower risk of depression. According to a 2012 study, women who breastfeed appear less likely to develop postpartum blues, compared to mothers who wean early or do not breastfeed at all.
5. Women who breastfeed are at a lower risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol levels, and type 2 diabetes.
The benefits of breastfeeding are quite profound. It is highly recommended that breastfeeding is adopted for as long as the mother finds possible, to maximize these advantages both to her and her baby.