No matter how good and best milk products that offered on TV commercial, will never be able to beat the benefits of breastfeeding. Giving breast milk to your baby gives a huge benefit, not only for the baby but for the mother as well. It is recommended to breastfeed your baby immediately after birth, which is about 30 minutes after birth. First months of the baby, should not be given additional food other than breast milk in other words exclusive breast-feeding period. This period is 4-6 months after the birth.
It says exclusive breastfeeding means really do not give anything except breast milk to the baby. So during the first 4-6 months not giving formula milk, honey, water, fruit juice, biscuits or baby cereal to your baby. After a period of exclusive breast feeding then you can provide additional food or beverages in infants. Even at the age of 6 months, additional food is preferred. If you curious to find out what is the benefits of breast feeding, then you can read it below.
Benefits of breastfeeding for mothers
Reduce osteoporosis
Women do not breastfeed have a four times greater risk of developing osteoporosis than breastfeeding women and are more likely to suffer a hip fracture in the years after menopause.
Prevent bleeding
Breastfeeding babies immediately after birth can stimulate uterine contractions and prevent bleeding. This can help speed up the process of the return of the uterus to its original position.
Reduces risk of breast and uterus cancer
Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of breast cancer. Estimated percentage prevention reaches 20%. Some reports also mention that breastfeeding can also help reduce the risk of ovarian cancer and uterine cancer.
Improve emotional health
Breastfeeding is not only good for the body, but also for the mind. Study showed that breastfeeding mothers show less anxiety and postpartum depression than mothers who formula feed.
Accelerate weight loss
Breastfeeding mothers showed more decrease in waist circumference and fat mass in a month after giving birth than mothers who formula feed. Breastfeeding mothers tend to return to pre-pregnancy weight.
Delay ovulation
Breastfeeding delays ovulation so can result in breastfeeding mothers is not fertile for a while. How long is a woman fertile again depending on breastfeeding patterns and trends of her own.
Saves time and cost
Breastfeeding can save time for setting up the bottle, pouring water, mix milk and sterilize bottles that have been used. And certainly, breastfeeding does not require a fee.
Benefits of breastfeeding for infant
- Breastfeeding develop higher IQ and improve brain development and the nervous system of the baby. Advantage IQ is 10-12 points due to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding referred to as the 4th trimester in brain growth and development. There are certain proteins in milk that stimulate the baby's brain development.
- Breastfeeding creates a strong bond between mother and child. Child has a safe feel. Breastfeeding also plays an important role in the emotional and spiritual development of children.
- Breastfeeding stimulates the development of the jaws and facial structure, growth upright teeth and improve eyesight.
- Breastmilk has the most appropriate composition and amount of nutrition for infants. The composition of breast milk varies according to individual baby growth and changing nutritional needs.
- Breast milk is always sterile, do not have a germ. There is an element in milk that destroy E coli, salmonella, shigella, streptococcus, pneumococcus and many others.
- Breast milk is easily digested and always have the right temperature.
- Breastfeeding causes the child has a better antibody response to the vaccine.
- Colostrum (first milk on the first day) contains many antibodies that protect babies against disease and infection.
- Breast-fed babies suffer less pain, the main thing is SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Statistics show that for every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 in breast-fed infants.
So, based from few benefits of breastfeeding above, do you still want to give your baby with formula milk?
