Motherhood and entering the world of breastfeeding can be the most phenomenal phase in a woman’s life. Mothers who breastfeed their children are rewarded with a lengthy list of benefits.
Breastfeeding offers maximum health benefits to both mother and child. It is specially designed to cater to all your child’s nutritional needs in the first six months of life.
The ideal composition of human milk provides nutritional, growth, and developmental advantages to the child. Human milk contains saturated and unsaturated fats, as well as cholesterol, an important constituent of brain and nerve tissue.
Here are some benefits of breastfeeding that are amazing for you and your baby-
- Breast milk provides ideal nutrition for babies
Breast milk contains valuable proteins that are essential to the development of a healthy immune system. The protein is easily digested and absorbed by the body, especially by the rapidly developing brain.
Dr. Nupur Gupta, Founder Well Woman Clinic & Director Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Fortis Memorial Research Institute Gurugram said, stressed the importance of exclusive breastfeeding up to six months as it allows the infants to access and “easily digestible and suitable form of protein, sugar, and fat for the unique needs of a newborn.”
“Breastfeeding may help the baby to have a better IQ and are less likely to develop behavioral problems have learning difficulties as they grow older,” she added.
- Breastfeeding may reduce disease risk
Breast milk contains special immune system protective proteins that offers protection against diarrhea, food allergies, and infections.
Dr. Gupta said, “Breast milk contains a full range of vitamins and minerals in an easily digestible combination. Babies who are breastfed as infants have lower rates of ear infections, stomach viruses, bowel, allergies, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).”
- Promotes postpartum recovery
Breastfeeding is the best bonding time between a mother and a child. Mothers should be very careful about their diet as it will have an impact on the breastfed baby.
Dr. Gupta said, “Breastfeeding is good for the mother’s health as it helps to shed the pregnancy weight. Breastfeeding helps in burning calories and quickens the uterus return to pre-pregnancy size faster.”
- Breast milk contains important antibodies
Breast milk contains antibodies called immunoglobulins. They are a certain kind of protein that allows a mother to pass immunity to her baby.
Shedding light on the current pandemic situation Dr. Gupta said that, “mothers with Covid-19 who take basic precautions, maintain hygiene and cleanliness rarely pass the novel coronavirus to their newborns, even if breastfeeding.”
“Breast milk contains numerous antibodies which protect newborn from various chronic diseases like hypertension, heart diseases, etc. Mothers should take high protein foods such as dry fruits, seasonal fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and also drink a lot of water, fresh fruit juices, tender coconut water to maintain the right level of hydration,” she added.
- Breastfeeding reduces the mother’s disease risk
Dr. Gupta said that breastfeeding helps in reducing the risk of “breast or ovarian cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.”
The benefits of breastfeeding are so numerous that even WHO and UNICEF recommend it for everyone for around 6 months as it is safe, hygienic, and contains antibodies that help protect against many common childhood illnesses.