When you’re expecting, or even just had your baby, you will be advised to breastfeed your little one by not only your doctors but your loved ones as well. It is rightly believed that breast milk is a superfood and offers a host of benefits both for you and your baby.
Experts in the medical field opine that you should exclusively breastfeed your baby for the first six months of his life, and continue to breastfeed for a further six months in tandem with solid foods. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in fact recommends that you breastfeed your baby for at least two years.
Read on to know the various benefits of breastfeeding both for you and your baby.
The benefits of breastfeeding your baby
Breast milk is the perfect first food for your little one. It contains the right proportion of nutrients and can be digested with ease by the baby. Also, it is readily available and is hassle-free.
What’s interesting is that breast milk changes composition as per the growing baby’s needs, making it the complete food.
How breastfeeding helps your baby
- The first stage of breast milk is called colostrum, which occurs during pregnancy and lasts for a few days after birth. It is thick in consistency and creamy or yellowish in colour. Colostrum is high in proteins, fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and antibodies that provide passive immunity and contributes to the health of your little one.
- Breast milk contains the right amount of fat, both saturated and unsaturated. These are important to build the baby’s brain and nerve tissue.
- Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are amply present in breast milk, all of which are necessary for your baby’s growth.
- There are also health benefits in terms of reducing infections and illnesses in the baby, owing to the presence of antibodies. So much so, if you have the flu and continue to nurse your baby, you will actually provide your baby with antibodies that help fight that particular illness. The effects of breastfeeding are believed to last well into childhood and even into adulthood.
- Breastfeeding also helps prevent childhood obesity, because breastfed babies are able to regulate their milk intake. Breast milk is also known to contain leptin, which is a hormone that regulates appetite and fat storage.
How breastfeeding helps you
- During pregnancy, the uterus expands such that it accommodates the growing baby with ease, practically filling the space of your abdomen. Breastfeeding helps to reduce the uterus to its previous size.
- While diet and exercise are the primary means to lose weight post-partum, breastfeeding helps keep the weight in check for many women. This is typically 3-6 months after the birth, owing to the hormonal changes in the mother’s body.
- Studies indicate that a breastfeeding mother is less prone to diseases such as breast and ovarian cancers. It also helps lower the risk of illnesses such as high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
- Breastfeeding is known to release hormones that calm the mother, promoting a healthy bond between you and your baby.
The bottom line
While breastfeeding is accepted as the best food for your baby, the choice to breastfeed is a personal one. It has undeniable advantages for baby and you both, so it is best to make an informed decision.
