Research shows that Breastfed babies have lowered chances of developing chronic
illnesses in the future such as Type 1 and 2 diabetes, Gastrointestinal
conditions such as Crohns disease and Celiac disease.
I
remember when my elder sisters would give
birth. My mother would go for maternal care (a tradition where the mother
and baby are taken care of by a close relative such as a mother or
mother-in-law). My mother would insist that my sisters breastfeed their
children. My sisters really had no choice, she practically forced them.
She really didn’t care if you were tired or if it hurt, she insisted
that her grandchildren would not be fed formula milk, at least not in
the first few months. In fact, her popular phrase was “Breast is Best!”
‘Breast is Best!” And she would say it over and over again till they
gave in. Perhaps now they should all thank her because indeed, ‘Mama
Knows best!’
Breastfeeding has been extensively
researched by numerous medical authorities and the health benefits are
endless; both to the infant and to the mother as well. The World Health
Organization recommends that nursing mothers should breastfeed
exclusively during the first year of a child’s life. According to the
WHO, there is well established evidence on cognitive and health benefits
associated with breastfeeding as well as significant risks of not
breastfeeding. Some of the benefits you provide your child with via
breastfeeding are as follows:
- Ideal nutrition for the baby
There’s
no question around this. Breastmilk provides the ideal nutrition for a
newborn baby. It has the perfect mix of vitamins, proteins, fat and
sugar needed and is more easily digested than formula for the infant. It
helps to form a healthy gut in babies. Also, breastmilk adapts to the
baby’s changing needs meaning that mother’s breastmilk is customized
specifically for her infant’s needs.
- Immunity for the baby
All
babies should be breastfed immediately after delivery or within an hour
after birth. The Colostrum which is the first milk produced by the
mother’s breast is loaded with antibodies to protect the newborn and
help fight off initial bacterial and viral infections. These antibodies
are passed on to the baby only by breastfeeding. Research has shown that
breastfed babies have a better antibody response to vaccines than
formula fed babies and a stronger immune system overall, com. Overall,
the immune system of children that are breast fed is stronger compared
to those that aren’t.
- Long term health
Breastfed
babies have lowered chances of developing chronic illnesses in the
future such as Type 1 and 2 diabetes, Gastrointestinal conditions such
as Crohns disease and Celiac disease. Cold and Flu and other Respiratory
disorders such as Asthma, Pneumonia are less common in breastfed
children. Also, the incidence of SIDS Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is
reduced by half. There is a decreased risk of childhood cancers such as
Leukemia in breastfed children. So you see, ultimately, breastfeeding
newborns would keep them out of the hospital in the long run.
- Smarter children
Though
the jury is still out on this, studies have shown that breastfeeding
has been linked to improved academic performance in young children. Of
course, I am aware that other factors can positively influence academic
excellence such as paying attention in class, personal study time and
discipline. Yet, the largest study conducted around this claim, was by
Dr. Michael Kramer at McGill University, Canada and on 14,000 children.
He concluded that breastfed babies had higher IQ scores and were more
intelligent than babies that were formula fed. I guess it won’t hurt to
try!
- Decreased risk of childhood obesity
Childhood
obesity is quickly becoming an epidemic and our young children are
getting fatter and fatter. Though it’s not as bad as it is in more
developed countries, we still have obese children here in Nigeria.
Breastfeeding helps to promote a healthy weight range in children. This
may be due to the increased Leptin hormone present in breastmilk that
helps regulate appetite and fat storage. Studies have shown that obesity
rates are about 20-30% lower in breast fed babies. The risk is lowered
the longer the months the baby is breast fed. Each month accounts for
about four per cent decreased risk, so if you breastfeed your infant for
only 2 months the obesity risk would only be decreased by 8% and so on
and so forth.
5 ways breastfeeding benefits new Mums - Dr. Nini Iyizoba
Breastfeeding
creates a special bond like no other between the mother and child. It
is such an intimate act and this skin to skin contact is very important
to newborns. It allows the baby to become more familiar with the
mother’s touch, the heartbeat, and helps babies feel more secure and
comforted. The oxytocin released also promotes enhanced love and
affection, trust and confidence between mother and baby. It elevates the
mother’s mood and wards off postpartum depression. Therefore,
breastfeeding is a way a mother can build a loving and nurturing
relationship with their child.
- It’s cheap and convenient
Imagine
it’s the middle of the night and your baby is hungry and crying. What
could be easier than just whipping out one breast and satisfying your
baby? You don’t have to stand up from bed to warm the baby food to the
right temperature because breastmilk is always at the right temperature,
you wouldn’t even have to buy, wash or sterilize any bottles. Formula
and feeding supplies are expensive and breastfeeding eliminates that
huge dent in your finances because breastmilk is free!
- Decrease cancer risk!
There
is conclusive evidence that breastfeeding an infant for more than 18
months reduces risk of a woman developing ovarian cancer by as much as
50 per cent! Breastfeeding can also decrease a woman’s breast cancer
risk especially if done for more than a year. This is because prolonged
periods of breastfeeding reduce a woman’s lifetime exposure to estrogen,
the hormone that is the main component that promotes breast and ovarian
cancer cell growth.
- Kick off the Kgs (Obesity)
Just
as with the baby, breastfeeding helps women to maintain a healthy
weight. Breastfeeding mums can burn an additional 1000 calories or more a
day depending on how frequently you breastfeed. Naturally, women who
are breastfeeding would make healthier food choices to avoid giving the
baby too much junk and this would translate into a quicker weight loss
for the mother because you are eating nourishing, healthy foods.
Generally, women who breastfeed tend to return faster to their pre-baby
weight than those who do not breastfeed.
- The 6 versus 10
Oxytocin
released during breastfeeding is also responsible for uterine
contractions. This means that there is reduced blood loss post-delivery
and this helps the uterus heal quicker and return to normal size more
quickly – in six weeks as opposed to 10 weeks – if you don’t breastfeed.
In
general, breastfeeding is of optimum importance for healthy growth and
development and long-term health of the child, and it is very important
to encourage this all over the world. Awareness should be made very
early during pregnancy or even before conception. Breastfeeding your
infant is one of the highly preventive measures to protect your child’s
health. If we want our future generation to become healthier, we need to
promote breastfeeding from now. Just tell them ‘When it comes to baby
food, breast is best!”
Disclaimer: The
medical information provided on here by Dr. Nini Iyizoba is provided as
an information resource only. This information does not create any
patient-physician relationship and should not be used as a substitute
for professional.
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