Breastfeeding is the best nutrition for your growing baby. It cannot be matched because it is a living, biological fluid and changes to meet baby's needs. Breastmilk contains antibodies which helps boost babys immunity against many common gastrointestinal, respiratory, and ear infections. Exclusive breastfeeding can provide protection against allergies, asthma, and eczema. Breastmilk contains DHA (docosohexaenoic acid) and AA (arachidonic acid) which contributes to brain and retinal development. Human milk may protect your baby from developing type 1 diabetes and leukemia, and even boost intelligence.
But there's more than just health benefits to breastfeeding. It promotes a strong emotional bond with your child and you become a source of comfort. Many breastfeeding mothers say they feel more in tune with their child and are able to pick up on babies signals quickly when they are hungry, tired, wet, thus tending to their needs quicker.
Breastfeeding benefits mom as well. It causes contractions of the uterus that help protect the mother from postpartum hemorrhage and helps with weight loss. Exclusively nursing delays ovulation and the return of menstruation, making it a fairly effective method of birth control. It is also believed that breastfeeding may reduce a mothers risk of having postpartum depression, developing certain types of cancer and protect against osteoporosis later in life. |