Breastfeeding Benefits for Mother and Baby
By Ina Woolcott
Though breastfeeding is becoming ever more accepted in recent years, there is still much controversy over breastfeeding in America. Things such as how long to breastfeed and where it is acceptable to do so are still a matter of debate. There is certainly one thing that is NOT debatable - it is OBVIOUSLY healthier to breastfeed than formula-feed your baby. Breastfeeding is the good, healthy choice for both baby and mum.
Benefits of Breastfeeding for Baby
* Breastfeeding builds baby’s immune system NATURALLY- Newborns have immature immune systems that are still developing and don’t protect them from illness. Antibodies, or immune molecules, in a mother’s breastmilk are passed onto the baby, effectively immunising them against illnesses the mother is immune to. The reverse is also true - when a new born comes into contact with a germ, it will be passed back to mum when nursing. Mum’s body will then create antibodies for the particular germ and pass them back to the babe at the next nursing. Studies have also proven that babies who are breastfed exclusively have a better functioning immune system on the long term too.
* Formula-fed infants don’t receive the same immune system boost, and therefore have higher rates of:
* Pneumonia
* Middle ear infections
* Urinary tract infections
* Gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
* Necrotizing enterocolitis, a digestive tract disorder - a leading killer of premature infants
* Breastfed infants also have protection against:
* Eczema
* Heart disease
* Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
* Respiratory infections
* Bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease
* Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
* Immune system cancers such as lymphoma
* Asthma and allergies
* Improved brain function - the nutritional properties of breast milk are perfectly suited for the newborn’s immune system, and also good for the brain. Infants who are breastfed generally have a higher intelligence than formula fed infants. This may be because of certain compounds found in breast milk, including omega-3 fatty acids.
Example: a study found the verbal IQ of 7 - 8 year olds who were breastfed was around 10 points higher than those who weren’t. Also research that took place over 18 years studying over 1000 children found the breastfed children had higher intelligence and greater academic achievement than those who were formula fed.
Note: breastfed babies naturally spend more time in something known as the "quiet alert" state. This is calming for both parents and babies - but it is also the state most contributory to a newborn’s learning.
* Lower obesity risk - a protein in breast milk that affects the body's processing of fat, could reduce the risk of obesity later on in life. A study done in the USA has proven this, and also that the longer a child is breastfed, the lower their risk of obesity.
* Emotional support - babies have a profound need to be held. Therefore obviously one of THE most soothing, contenting acts for a newborn is to be breastfed and held, until they fall asleep, or can be stopped from crying. My daughter (as most of you already know who have read my previous articles) is 27 months and still being breastfed. When she hurts herself badly, or is teething, or just tired and whingy I breastfeed her. We have a cuddle at the same time and this makes her so happy, generally leaving her in a good mood. Which saves stress for all parties involved!
A strong bond is forged between mother and child in a way that bottle-feeding cant. Most women feel a naturally strong desire to hold their baby, to nurture and protect them. There are physical and emotional reasons for this. Mum and baby have intimate time together, and the release of the oxytocin hormone, which is known to increase maternal behaviour, is released in the mum. Leaving a baby alone with a bottle is not emotionally fulfilling to the child, nor does it make them feel secure or protected.
Some benefits to the Mum
* Cancer risk and other health conditions lower - breastfeeding is a mutually beneficial experience, helping mother and child. Women who breastfeed have a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancers, as well as osteoporosis later in life.
* Return to Pre-Pregnancy Weight Far Quicker - women who breastfeed lose weight quicker than those who don’t, because producing milk and breastfeeding uses up around 500 calories a day. This is the same as jogging about 5 miles! Breastfeeding contracts the uterus, helping it shrink back to its normal, pre-pregnancy size faster. It also aids in reducing lower body fat.
I can vouch for this, to my complete surprise, I REALLY quickly lost all pregnancy weight within 3 months, as well as eating like a horse. That is no joke. You can ask my mum, just email her on www.dare2beaware.com! I actually weigh less than before when I was pregnant, not even intentionally. I do walk a lot, since my daughter was born and that (apart from carrying her and bending down to tidy up) is my only exercise. Unless the weather is really bad we walk EVERY day when she is due to sleep. When she was new born we would walk 3 - 4 hours at a time. Now she is older and sleeps less, but we still have our daily walk.
* Save time and money - as well as all the above positive reasons to breastfeed, there are of course material advantages to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding means you don’t have to spend money on formula. Breastfed babies also generally have fewer doctor’s visits and lower overall medical expenses.
Breastfeeding also means you don’t have to prepare bottles and formula. Breast milk is always fresh, the right temperature, sterile, a FAR healthier choice, perfectly formulated to suit your babies needs and ready to go. At night you can simply attach the baby, rather than having to heat a bottle up, and you wont wake as fully. This saves time when you will surely need it with a baby to tend to.
And if you can’t breastfeed or don’t want to…
If you still believe formula to be a suitable alternative to breast milk, consider that there are at least 400 nutrients (or more) present in breast milk that are NOT found in formula.
That said, there are conditions and circumstances that may prevent mums from being able to breastfeed. Should this be so, you can make a healthy infant formula using raw milk.
Once again, breast milk is the best choice, so if it is at all possible I encourage you to breastfeed. The longer the better, but even a short period is better than not at all!
