During your pregnancy, you not only prepare for the birth of the baby, and get the room ready, but you also have to start thinking about feeding options. The World Health Organization recommends that a child needs to be exclusively breastfed for 6 months and thereafter complementary food can be introduced while keeping on with breastfeeding up to the age of 2 years. In saying this you as a parent need to look into the benefits of breastfeeding and make an informed decision.
When the baby is born, so is the mother. In the words of Hettie Grove, an International Board Certified Lactation consultant a mother is born to breastfeed and a baby is born to be breastfed. Your baby does have 3 demands when born which are warmth, food and security. A mother can provide all 3 of these demands; warmth in the mother’s arms, food from her breasts and security in knowing his/her mother’s presence. ( Grantly Dick-Read and Dr Nils Bergman.
Breastfeeding is far more than just a way to feed your baby, breastfeeding does have benefits for you as a mother and for your baby. I will list a few of the benefits for mom and baby. There are also risks in not breastfeeding your baby but for this article, we will only focus on the benefits.
We know that breast milk is the best and that nothing can compare with breastmilk. We need to look at some of the benefits for mom and baby.
Some of the benefits for the baby:
Breastfeeding is the perfect food, all-in-one food. Is always available and at the right temperature thus less expensive, more economical and easier on the environment.
Breast Milk contains all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional elements, including antibodies. The antibodies provide immunity and protection against many infections.
Breast Milk lowers the risk of allergies in babies.
Fewer incidents of gastrointestinal infections like diarrhoea,
Breast Milk is easily digested.
Contains unique protein and fat which stimulates the brain and eye development.
Less malnutrition, less obesity, less heart disease, reducing long-term chronic conditions, and reducing the risk of developing chronic conditions for example type 1 diabetes.
Breastfeeding promotes proper jaw and teeth development and less tooth decay.
Less nappy rash and thrush.
Breastfeeding reduced the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Some benefits for the mother:
Breastfeeding increases the levels of oxytocin, a hormone. The increase lowers the risk of postpartum depression and minimizes bleeding after the birth of the baby.
Due to the fact that watching what you are eating and breastfeeding burns 500 calories per day, it will assist in regaining your pre-pregnancy weight quicker.
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of premenopausal breast cancer and postmenopausal osteoporosis.
The return of your menstruation is delayed during exclusive breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding empowers the mothers due to the fact that it is only you who can breastfeed the baby.
There are also risks involved for mother and baby not breastfeeding. For this article, we will only concentrate on the benefits.
Breastfeeding is unique. Gather as much as possible knowledge about breastfeeding and prepare yourself for breastfeeding during pregnancy. Write down what motivated you to decide on breastfeeding and keep it always with you, this is similar to your birthing plan.
The following article will be on preparing for your breastfeeding journey.
For more information or on breastfeeding preparation classes or for a lactation consultation contact Sr Elna at 072 124 7455
REFERENCES:
Breastfeeding and Human Lactation; Jan Riordan and Karen Wambach
Breastfeeding Made Simple; Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
Born to breastfeed, born to be breastfed; Hettie Grove
Borsvoed jou baba; Marie-Louise Steyn
Hold your baby; Jill Bergman
The womanly art of breastfeeding; Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, Teresa Pitman
Comments