/Breastfeeding Advantages you should know
Breastfeeding Advantages

Breastfeeding Advantages you should know

Babies are the cutes bundles of joy and it is only right to give them the best in the diet so that they can grow healthy and strong. Mother’s milk is the best feed for them in their initial six months of growing up. The list below will tell you all about Breastfeeding Advantages.

It is true that breastfeeding is great for babies but it the process of breastfeeding is essential for mothers too.  

  1. Nutrition for the babies– The first and foremost Breastfeeding Advantage is the nutrition it provides for the babies. Health authorities leave no stone unturned when it comes to promoting breast milk for the initial six months of a baby’s life. During the initial days of birth, colostrums, thick yellow milk is produced which is rich in protein and other essential compounds but have less sugar. This colostrum is very important as it matures the digestive tract of the baby.
  2. Loaded with Antibodies– Antibodies are the soldiers of the immunity army that fight against bacteria and viruses. Mothers produce IgA (immunoglobulin A) and other antibodies when she gets sick and these get passed on to the baby through breast milk. So in a sense, the protective shield that protects the immunity of the mother is extended towards the baby, which in turn forms a protective cover in the throat, digestive tract, and nose of the baby. So when the mother falls sick due to flu, these antibodies which are already present in the baby fight the virus.Health Tips-Breastfeeding Advantages
  3. Risk of diseases is lowered– Many consider it to be a myth and relate this to a midwives tale but scientific proof has come up which show that babies who have received exclusive breastfeeding may be protected from many diseases or illnesses. It has been reported that babies that are breastfed for 1 month are at a 50% reduced risk of SIDS which is sudden infant death syndrome while those babies that are fed longer are at a 36% reduced risk.
  4. Healthy Weight gain– Breastfeeding Advantages also include a healthy weight gain in babies and prevents childhood obesity. Leptin is a hormone that is found in the babies fed exclusively on breast milk and it is this hormone that helps regulate fat storage and appetite later on in life.
  5. Breastfeeding = smarter babies– Ok, you can smile but there is truth in this claim. Studies have reported that babies who were breastfed have high IQs and learn to adapt better in terms of behavior later in life.
  6. Weight loss in Mummies– It is true that pregnancy can put the weight scales on big double digits but motherhood also comes with a blessing. Breastfeeding Advantages where ,mothers tend to lose more weight compared to the ones that do not breastfeed.
  7. Uterus involution– During pregnancy the uterus expands from the size of a pea to a womb that holds a tiny being in it. Breastfeeding helps in getting the uterus back to its normal size which also means less blood loss after the delivery.
  8. Post-partum depression– this type of mental capacity develops right after childbirth and is more common than we think. Breastfeeding mothers are at a lower risk of developing postpartum depression compared to those mothers who don’t breastfeed or wean early. Studies are being carried out to understand this phenomenon better and we might have conclusive results soon.
  9. Delayed Menstruation– After childbirth women experience amenorrhea for some months to up to a year and this has proved to be the most effective form of birth control. Doctor’s advice at least three years of gap between siblings as even mother’s health is a priority.
  10. Cost effective– Yes, it is true and no shame in accepting the fact that breastfeeding saves time and money both. No need to worry about sterilizing bottles or warming up leftover milk etc.

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