Benefits of Breastfeeding
Becoming a new parent leaves you with more questions then answers. One of the biggest questions that mothers are faced with is whether or not to breastfeed. Personally, I was so exhausted after my delivery that I was never even awake when it came time to feed my son. Because of this, the hospital bottle-fed him right off the bat. Once I was able to sit-up ad function properly I began breastfeeding him. This combination of both bottle feeding and breastfeeding really worked well for me and my family. Additionally, it made weaning off the breast much simpler. every woman is different and every family has different ideas of what is best for both mother and child. To properly make the decision for your family you should be aware of both the pros and cons of both feeding methods. Listed below are some of the most noted benefits to breastfeeding your child.
Health Benefits For Baby
In studies by the Centre for Disease Control, nursing has been shown to lower (in some cases totally eliminate) the number of infant ear infections, breathing problems, or stomach trouble;especially if breast milk is used at least 6 months.
Nursing protects against, and often prevents, the development of leukemia, allergies and Type 1 diabetes. Reports from the INDG as well as the CDC show this is due to the antibodies in the breast milk which build up the immune system.
The INDG has also found that babies who are breastfed 6 months or more appear to have a higher IQ due to the fatty acids that are in breast milk which increase brain development.
Health Benefits For Mom
In recent study by HealthDay News breastfeeding can lower one’s risk of cardiovascular disease,high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and diabetes by as much as 20% for mothers who nursed for at least one year. And, according to studies at the CDC, other benefits for mom are:
1. Nursing helps mom to lose weight gained during pregnancy more quickly due to the calories burn producing milk.
2. Nursing reduces postpartum bleeding due to the oxytocin hormone that is released into the body and helps the uterus to contract.
3. Nursing is shown to lower the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
4. Nursing has been shown, in at least 2 studies, to improve a woman’s bone density,thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life. This benefit, however, is still being researched but it’s worth keeping in mind.
