The phrase “breast milk is nature’s perfect nourishment” is not hyperbole. Breast milk is expertly crafted to fulfill the nutritional needs of a newborn infant, just as cow’s milk is the ideal source of food for calves, and goat’s milk is the best meal for baby goats. Contact Parvathi Hospital if you are looking for professional maternity services. They are the best maternity hospital in Hyderabad

Here are the many benefits that show the importance of breastfeeding for your little one and yourself.

Benefits of Breastfeeding for Baby

Nature’s ideal baby food is breast milk. It includes immune-stimulating antibodies and beneficial enzymes that haven’t been replicated by science. Here are the six benefits of breastfeeding for infants.

1. Provides ideal nutrition and colostrum

Everything a newborn requires in the proper amounts for the first six months of life is present in breast milk. Your breasts generate colostrum, a thick, yellowish fluid, in the early days following childbirth. The newborn’s developing digestive system benefits from using colostrum as the first milk. It has a lot of healthy ingredients, is high in protein, and is low in sugar. It is an actual miracle food that cannot be replaced by formula.

2. Protection against infections

Your baby receives a healthy dosage of your antibodies every time he/she nurses, boosting his defenses against colds, ear infections, respiratory tract infections, and other typical childhood ailments. Your baby’s antibody-rich milk also aids in protecting him from illnesses for which he is not yet inoculated, such as influenza and whooping cough, particularly in the first six months of life. Cleaning the breast before feeding the baby is essential; in avoiding infections.

3. Improve digestive system

Breast milk goes down easier and stays down better since it is made just for your baby’s gut. Breastfed newborns are less likely to experience constipation or diarrhea than babies who consume formula.

4. Keep the baby at a healthy weight

A baby’s likelihood of becoming overweight and obese was significantly decreased by breastfeeding for four months. Leptin, a crucial hormone for controlling hunger and fat storage, is also present in greater amounts in the bodies of breastfed infants. To build healthy eating habits, breastfed babies do better at eating only until they are full.

5. Makes the baby smarter

Although more research is needed, studies show that breastfed infants have higher IQ scores in adulthood, even when socioeconomic points are considered. It is believed that brain-boosting fatty acids are present in breast milk.

6. Reduce the risk of SIDs

A study shows a roughly 50% reduction in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) while breastfeeding for at least two months. Although the exact causes are unknown, breastfed newborns are believed to wake up from sleep more quickly. Enhancing immunological defense might also be necessary.

Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mom

The benefits of breastfeeding don’t only extend to your baby. As it turns out, nursing also has some advantages for Mom, including those listed here.

1. Helps in losing pregnancy weight

Nursing moms typically have an easier time reducing pregnancy weight in a healthy way—that is, steadily and without dieting—because milk production burns roughly 300 to 500 calories daily. Each ounce of breast milk has 20 calories. If you give your infant 20 ounces a day, you will have expended 400 calories.

2. Lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer

According to studies, women who breastfeed their babies have a lower lifetime chance of developing certain cancers. Additionally, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and arthritis have all been less common in people who breastfeed.

3. Improves post-partum recovery

Oxytocin, a “feel-good” hormone that stimulates your uterus to contract back to its pre-pregnancy size, is released when a baby is sucking on your breast. In turn, this lessens the flow of lochia and prevents blood loss.

4. Delay in menstruation

However, some women discover that their periods don’t return for much longer — in some cases, as long as 9 to 18 months. Hence, they continue to ovulate for considerably longer than the average breastfeeding mother (4 to 6 months). However, breastfeeding shouldn’t be used as a method of birth control. Consult your OB/GYN about your birth control options before choosing one unless you plan to become pregnant again soon.

 Hospital for Both Mother and Baby Care

In the absence of medical conditions that preclude it, most health organizations urge breastfeeding for as long as feasible for everyone. Antibodies and other components in breast milk shield your infant from sickness and chronic disease. Whatever your decision, your healthcare team can help you make the best choices and procedures. Contact Parvathi Hospital for the best maternity and obstetrics services in Hyderabad.

FAQs

1. What to feed the baby if not breast milk?

Infant formula is a healthy substitute for mothers who cannot breastfeed or choose not to. Babies receive the nutrients they need in their formula to develop and thrive. Some moms fear they won’t have a strong attachment with their children if they don’t nurse.

2. How to breastfeed a newborn baby?

Put the fingers of your free hand underneath your breast and the thumb on top. Until your child’s mouth opens wide, touch their lips to your breast. Pull your infant near you while inserting your nipple entirely into their mouth. This enables the jaw of your infant to crush the milk ducts beneath your areola (nipple).