Must Know Advantages Of Breastfeeding For Infants And Mothers
Breastfeeding is a vital experience that every woman undergoes during motherhood.
In a busy technological world with job and family pressure, some women avoid breastfeeding and take it too lightly.
Some women avoid it due to body image issues, stigma, fear, or lack of confidence.
For mothers who are breastfeeding, they can clarify any issues related to breastfeeding with a lactation specialist.
This blog emphasizes how important it is to breastfeed your babies and the benefits it adds to life.
Breast milk contains enzymes, antioxidants, and nutrients that are responsible for a healthy baby. Breastfeeding has a multitude of benefits for the mother and the infant.
How Is Breastfeeding Beneficial To Infants?
Immune System
Infants who consume mothers’ milk have higher immunity power against various infections and diseases.
Vision
Breastfeeding helps children have powerful eyesight and lowers the risk of retinopathy prematurity. It occurs when the baby is born prematurely.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Breastfeeding plays a vital role against sudden infant death syndrome. It is a syndrome in which the baby suddenly passes away without any valid reason or cause. It is more common in baby girls.
A Healthy Baby
Babies consuming breast milk are far healthier than other babies, and they rarely fall ill, attributed to a lower rate of hospitalization.
Hearing Problems
Ear infections occur when bacteria or viruses accumulate fluid behind the eardrum. It causes pain and bulging. With breastfeeding, we can avoid such ear infections.
Respiratory Diseases
Breastfeeding acts against pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus, and other respiratory diseases. We can also lower the risk of colds and coughs with breastfeeding.
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is a bacterial disease that results in loose defecation or constipation. Diarrhoea can lead to dehydration and even become fatal. We can avoid such problems in infants by breastfeeding.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis
It is a disease in which a hole is present in the intestine. It is due to the loss of intestinal cells. It occurs in premature babies.
Cancers
Breastfeeding can also prevent fatal diseases like cancer and leukaemia.
Brain development
Breast milk is helpful for the development of the brain and its maturation.
IQ
Babies who consume breast milk have higher IQs in the later stages of their lives.
How Breastfeeding Helps Mothers?
Postpartum Depression
Nearly 15 percent of women suffer severe depression after giving birth to a baby. But women who feed babies their milk are at a lower risk of falling prey to depression. This is because breastfeeding produces hormones like oxytocin and prolactin. These promote the reduction of stress in mothers.
Urinary Infections
Breastfeeding has a positive impact on urinary tract infections and other problems related to urination.
Self-esteem
Mothers who breastfeed their babies are found to be more confident, calm, and have high self-esteem.
Weight Loss
Also, breastfeeding mothers tend to lose weight faster after the pregnancy. This is because it helps reduce extra fat of 500 calories every day.
Uterine Bleeding
Breastfeeding enables the uterus to get back to its original shape without much postpartum bleeding.
Breast Cancers
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancers in mothers.
Osteoporosis
It is a disorder in which the bones become weak and have less mass. Breastfeeding helps prevent such diseases.
Emotional Bonding
Feeding babies their breast milk tries to build an emotional bond between the mother and the child.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disorder common in women in which the uterus lining is present in other places like the intestines and fallopian tubes. Breastfeeding helps act against such diseases.
Conclusion
This blog might have given you an idea about how important it is to breastfeed babies. It has a plethora of benefits and cures against several diseases in both mothers and babies. Therefore, breastfeeding should be taken seriously and must not be kept ignorant.