Breastfeeding is every mother’s natural way of providing nourishment to her newborn baby. Babies, in the early months after birth, grow well enough while feeding on breastmilk alone, because breastmilk contains all the necessary nutrients for their growth and development.
The amount of breastmilk that mothers are able to dispense for their babies, however, differs from mother to mother. This is why there are those who prefer alternating with baby formula to compensate for the lack of breastmilk.
Breastfeeding brings various benefits both to mothers and to babies.
For babies, breastfeeding provides ample protection against common infections, from which babies are highly vulnerable because of their inherently weak immune systems. Breastmilk has been proved to protect babies from diarrhea, influenza, respiratory infections like acute chronic bronchitis, chronic constipation, and colic. Allergies are also minimized, such as colds and wheezing.
The antibodies contained in breastmilk, which the baby ingests everytime he or she feeds, work to improve the immune system.
Aside from this, studies have revealed that breastfed babies had higher intelligence quotients (IQ) than bottle-fed ones, with more advanced and developed cognitive development from the naturally occurring substances breastfed babies had ingested in their earlier years. Exposure to infant formula, while completely safe, nevertheless exposes newborns to alien substances such as the plastic and rubber in bottles. These breastfeeding implements are also exposed to dust and other potentially harmful particles when ingested by babies with sensitive immune systems.
A breastfed baby tends to develop a more holistically healthy early life because their contact with alien particles is reduced with the use of the mother’s body for feeding.
This same breastfeeding feature also brings benefits to mothers. Because breastmilk comes at absolutely no cost, mothers save on pricey infant formula which will otherwise burn a hole in their pockets what with the frequency and amount of milk a newborn baby needs everyday. Breastfeeding mothers do not have to change infant formula as the baby grows, because breastmilk adapts well to the baby’s changing nutritional needs as he grows bigger.
Breastfeeding also allows for a better family planning method since conception immediately after baby’s birth is minimized, especially for moms who nurse their babies constantly.
Breastfeeding has also been linked to lower incidences of breast, uterine, ovarian, and endometrial cancers, as well as lower insulin requirements for diabetic mothers.
And because breastfeeding involves intimate physical contact with the baby and the mother, this practice also effectively seals the bond between them, thereby becoming a mother’s source of happiness and fulfillment. To babies , breastfeeding becomes one of the more important ways of emotionally recognizing their mothers because of their physical dependence on them for nourishment.
