Why Breastfeeding Is Useful

Breast milk is the best remedy for the baby, and the benefits extend far beyond the main thing - nutrition. In addition to all the nutrients and vitamins that it contains and that the baby needs during the first months of life, breast milk also contains substances that protect the newborn from disease.
For this reason, the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months.

Here's a look at some of the most important benefits that breast milk offers for you and your baby:

• it is specifically formed for your baby;
• protects the child from infections and diseases;
• breastfeeding provides health benefits and for you;
• it is available for the baby whenever he wants;
• breastfeeding can build a strong emotional bond between you and your baby.

Numerous studies from around the world have shown that breastfed babies are at lower risk of diseases such as:

• asthma;
• leukemia;
• obesity;
• get rid of infections;
• eczema (atopic dermatitis);
• diarrhea and vomiting;
• lower respiratory infections;
• necrotizing enterocolitis, a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in premature babies;
• sudden infant death syndrome;
• type 2 diabetes.

Breast milk can also protect against allergies

Children fed an adapted formula based on cow's or soy milk are more likely to develop an allergic reaction than breastfed infants.
Scientists claim that certain immune factors, such as secretory IgA (available only from breast milk), help prevent allergic reactions to food by providing a certain level of protection in the infant's intestinal tract. Without this protection, it is possible to develop inflammation, which makes the intestinal wall more permeable. This allows proteins to pass freely through the intestinal wall, where they can cause allergies and other health problems.
When fed with an adapted formula, this protective layer is not obtained. In this regard, formula children are more vulnerable to inflammation, allergies and possible other health problems.

Breastfeeding may prevent obesity

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding as a way to reduce the risk of overweight and obesity in children. An analysis of 17 studies published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that natural nutrition reduces the risk of being overweight in adolescence or old age. This effect is found mainly in exclusively and long-term breastfed infants.

Experts believe that breast milk intake can affect weight gain at a later stage for several reasons:

• breastfed babies absorb breast milk while satisfying their hunger, which leads to healthier eating habits during their growth;
• compared to formula, breast milk contains less insulin (insulin stimulates fat production);
• naturally fed babies have more leptin in the body - a hormone that is thought to play a role in regulating appetite and fat metabolism;
• Compared to breastfeeding mothers, formula-fed babies gain weight faster in the first weeks of life. This is one of the prerequisites for later obesity.

Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

A large German study published in 2009 found that breastfeeding (whether exclusive or not) was associated with a lower risk of developing this syndrome. It is concluded that exclusive breastfeeding in the first month of a baby's life can halve the risk.

According to another large study conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Protection, breastfed children have a lower risk (by 20 per 100) of death between the ages of 28 and 1 year than children who have not been breastfed. milk.

The main factor here is a substance called secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA), present in larger amounts in colostrum - the first milk that the mother offers to her child (secretory IgA is in low concentrations in mature milk).

Your milk is specially formulated for your baby. Your body reacts to pathogens (viruses and bacteria) that are in the body and secretes immunoglobulin A, so that it enters the baby's body through breast milk and protects it from the agents to which you are exposed.

Natural nutrition can help children avoid many diseases that threaten them later in life, including diabetes mellitus (type 2), high cholesterol, inflammatory bowel disease.

Scientists have documented the link between breastfeeding and the later development of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Breastfeeding also helps the mother recover faster after giving birth. It also reduces the risk of some health problems:

• type 2 diabetes;
• breast cancer;
• Ovarian cancer;
• osteoporosis;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• excessive fullness;

Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of some cancers

Studies show that natural nutrition leads to a reduced risk of developing certain types of malignancies in childhood. The exact mechanism has not yet been scientifically established, but it is believed that antibodies in breast milk give a powerful boost to the newborn's immune system.

Again, there are numerous studies that have found that the longer women breastfeed, the more protected they are from breast and ovarian cancer. Breastfeeding for at least a year seems to significantly reduce the risk of developing these cancers. It is not entirely clear exactly how it helps, but it may have something to do with the structural changes in breast tissue caused by breastfeeding and the fact that it suppresses the amount of estrogen that the body produces.

Putting your baby to the breast and feeding him can also reduce the level of stress and the risk of postpartum depression. The American National Institutes of Health reviewed more than 9,000 study summaries and concluded that women who did not breastfeed or stopped breastfeeding earlier had a higher risk of postpartum depression.

Mothers often report feeling very relaxed while breastfeeding. This is because the process leads to the release of the hormone oxytocin, which, in addition to stimulating the flow of breast milk from the breast, helps the uterus to recover quickly after birth.

It was also found that women with higher concentrations of oxytocin in the body (50 per 100 of breastfeeding mothers and only 8% of mothers who breastfed their children) had lower blood pressure after being asked to talk about their personal problem.

Breastfeeding can stimulate the baby's intelligence

Various researchers have found a link between breastfeeding and the development of cognitive abilities. In a study of more than 17,000 young children (long-term and exclusively breastfed), followed from birth to 6.5 years of age, researchers found that IQ and other intelligence tests were significantly better.

Another study of nearly 4,000 children found that mother-fed children had significantly higher vocabulary test scores at age 5 than children fed an adapted formula, with higher scores at longer breastfed.

 
Another study of extremely low birth weight babies who received breast milk soon after birth showed better results in their mental development at 18 months, compared with premature babies who did not receive breast milk. The study (around 30 months of age) found higher scores in breastfed babies, as well as a lower risk of hospitalization for respiratory infections.

Experts believe that the emotional connection that develops during breastfeeding probably contributes to some of the benefits of intelligence, but the fatty acids in breast milk play the biggest role.

Studies on the benefits of breastfeeding are still ongoing. In May 2010, a specialized publication in pediatrics published a study showing that infants who are breastfed are less likely to develop a fever after immunization than infants who are formula-fed.

Breastfeeding is a natural and physiological process - but that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy. Do not hesitate to contact a medical professional or breastfeeding consultant if you need help or support.

The most interesting thing is that there are benefits from natural nutrition for the father as well. Here are what they are:

• breastfeeding is cheaper;
• the father does not have to get up at night to feed the newborn;
• the stools of breastfed babies are less "fragrant" than those of formula-fed babies.

And most importantly - the father feels satisfied that his baby gets the best possible food, which predisposes to excellent health.