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Baby's Diet Topics..

 
You are here : home > Baby's Diet > Breastfeeding > Benefits of Breastfeeding

Benefits of Breastfeeding


Breastfeeding is best feeding. A Mother's milk is the best food for babies. It contains exactly the right amount of nutrients required, in the right proportions, to ensure that your baby gets the perfect balanced meal.

Today, more and more mothers are opting to bottle-feed their babies earlier than they used to, primarily because they need to return to work. Women now stop breastfeeding in just 1 or 2 months and start bottle-feeding their babes as early as possible.

The question that arises then is should they pump and store breast milk? Is it worth the effort? If they have to breastfeed for such a short period of time is it really worth it to breastfeed at all?

The answer is yes! Perhaps if mothers were aware of the tremendous benefits of breastfeeding for a prolonged period, they would rethink their decision. Here's why.

Mother's milk is undoubtedly the best food for babies. It is a living fluid and contains exactly the right amount of nutrients required by a baby, in the right proportions, to ensure that the baby gets the perfect balanced meal. Manufactured milk, no matter how fortified it may be, can come close to being as nutritious as breast milk.

A recent study based on data from the National Family Health Surveys of 1998-99 and 2005-06 found that in the case children who were not fed the first breast milk, they were more at risk of undernourishment than those who were fed the first breast milk.

Breastfeeding increases Immunity

Needless to say, a newborn is extremely delicate and susceptible to many diseases. It is thus recommended that mothers always breastfeed their baby in its initial stages. The first milk that flows out of a mother's breast is called colostrums, and it is packed with antibodies that increase a baby's immunity. In addition, colostrums also protect a newborn's intestines and strengthen its respiratory system.

Moreover, studies have shown that babies who have been artificially fed have higher chances of developing pneumonia, gastroenteritis, middle ear infections and various other health problems. Breastfed babies also react better to other immunizations.

Breastfeeding increases Intelligence

Do you want your child to grow up to be intelligent? Breastfed babies have better brain development than their non-breastfed counterparts. Of course, there are various other reasons that contribute to brain development, but research shows that breast milk also contributes to this. Human milk has certain ingredients that contribute to the brain’s development, which are not found in artificial milk.

Essentially, the benefits of breastfeeding are almost immediate, and your baby reaps the benefits as soon as you start breastfeeding him. The longer you breastfeed your baby, the better it is for him. In general, a baby should be fed breast milk exclusively for at least six months.

Breastfeeding prevent Allergies

Babies who are fed milk formulae fortified with cow's milk or soy milk are more susceptible to developing allergies. Breast milk protects the infant’s intestinal tract without which the wall of the intestine may get inflamed, thereby allowing undigested proteins to leak through and cause allergies.

Breastfeeding helps babies recover better from Stuttering

A recent study has deduced a connection between breastfeeding and the probability of children recovering from stuttering. The study found that boys who had been breastfed for more than a year had significantly lesser odds of suffering from persistent speech problems when compared to those who have never been breastfed. This is because breast milk significantly affects neurodevelopment and benefits children for years after weaning.

Breastfeeding is beneficial for Premature Babies

Nature provides for everything! If your baby is premature, your breast milk will also be premature, and this breast milk contains nutrients suited to its needs. In addition, this milk will be easier to digest for the poorly developed digestive system of a premature baby.

Suckling benefits of Breastfeeding

Studies have shown that not just the milk, but also the very act of breastfeeding is beneficial for babies. Breastfed babies have stronger and better formed teeth. Suckling also improves hand to eye coordination! In addition, it allows for bonding between the mother and the baby. If the father feels left down during breastfeeding, he can contribute to feeding the baby semi-solids and food during and after the weaning stage.

In cases where the baby is unable to suckle at its mother’s breast, owing to certain afflictions, it is recommended that mothers express the breast milk and feed it to the baby.

Other Benefits of Breastfeeding

  • Non-breastfed babies have higher chances of growing into obese adults.
  • Breastfed babies grow differently to non-breastfed babies, and have separate growth rates and patterns.
  • Breastfed babies have lower chances of dying from a syndrome called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS.

Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mothers

  • A new British study has indicated that mothers who breastfeed for an extended period, have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is distinguished by insulin resistance in the brain and it is suggested that breastfeeding serves to restore the insulin, whose tolerance is said to decrease significantly during pregnancy.
  • Breastfeeding helps to reduce the mother’s stress levels and their chances of suffering from postpartum depression.
  • Breastfeeding for a prolonged period of time reduces the mother’s chances of suffering from type 2 diabetes, ovarian or breast cancer in the future.
  • Breastfeeding also helps mothers to burn calories much quicker. So if you didn't already have enough reasons to breastfeed your newborn, remember that breastfeeding will help you lose all those extra pounds you put on during pregnancy, rapidly!

Do you agree that breastfeeding is best feeding? How long should you breastfeed your baby? What are the benefits of breastfeeding for babies and their mothers? Discuss here




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Aarti
Aarti.10 years ago
the article was very helpful, got more useful tips at: *****.com
 
 
 
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Deepz
Deepz.15 years ago
benefits of breastfeeding

hi 2 all. we all learnt to understand the benefits of breastfeeding in this article. i do share an important feature of it that as long as mother breastfed her child she is away from pregnency.

this view if considered by the parents can surely enjoy their sex life post- pregnency at their most.
 
 
 
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Rita Arora
Rita Arora.15 years ago
i have delivered twins. my babis have stopped breast feeding after 2.5 months.
now they are 6 months old.
i am a working women. but i still want to breast feed them from evening till next day morning.
please advice.
 
 
 
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sis
sis.15 years ago
hi. i live in the us, and was wanting to get a gift to my sister in india, who just delivered a baby. when i had my son, i had found my "madela" breast pump extremely useful (especially because i had resumed work in a few months), so i was wanting get her something similar. i do not know how things are in india....are there any good breast pumps in use? what would your recommendation be? thanks for your advise.
 
 
 
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Anuradha
Anuradha.15 years ago
hi , i wanted to report that there are such inlaws who discourage the daughter-in-laws from breast feeding the babies. they try to convince that the baies fed with external milk stand more chubby as compared to breastfed one's. i have fed my baby for a long time even after such a situation at home. even during work hours i keep pumping the milk to ensure a good supply . i stand with all those ladies who understand this cause and encourage them to do it.
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