If you are pregnant or thinking about having a baby one day it's very important that you learn about breastfeeding and why is beneficial for you and your baby. The components of Breast Milk are not completely known, however the nutritious composition is stable. It comes from nutrients in the mother's blood and it has all the components that are needed for the evolution of the baby. The configuration of Breast Milk depends on the period of time it takes the baby to be fed and also the age of the infant.
There are many factors that determine the quality of breast milk; this depends of the health of the mother and her habits regarding diet, age, overall health and lifestyle. This is a very important time for the Mother to practice good eating habits and lifestyle to be able to produce good quality Milk for the baby. I recommend young women in general to prepare before getting pregnant to develop good nutrition and take care of them to increase the chance of having healthy pregnancies and produce good quality of breast milk.
It is recommended that an infant is breastfed for at least for 6 months after being born or as long as possible after that. Breastfeeding is the original and natural design and it has been used trough history in all civilizations, but has been decreasing since the 19th -20th centuries because of the modern times where women have joined the workforce and live busy lifestyles and of course by the creation of artificial milk formula which is a good substitute but not quite as beneficial as breast milk. However, there has been a revival of breastfeeding in the last 50 years that has help bring awareness to the world.
Why Breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding is beneficial for mothers and babies, it works both ways and is really helpful for the immune system especially in the first 6 months and it gives all the vitamins and proper nutrition for the development of the infant, as well as helps prevents sickness and viruses that can be contracted during that delicate time. Breastfeeding is a natural experience, but it also has to be learned and practiced by the mother and the baby, it's an adaptation period that needs to be started right away to be learned effectively.
Benefits of breastfeeding for Infants
· Protection for the infant against sickness and diseases: Research and study efforts have confirmed that many threatening diseases happen less frequent in babies that are breastfed. This is evidenced by the main immune factor that is contained in colostrum which is the first milk a woman's body produces after giving birth. Also it creates protection against bacteria and virus that the body has.
· Long Term health Effects: Breastfeeding helps decrease risk of long term health effects for the infant in general and reduces the risk of early child syndrome that might occur to infants between 0 and 6 months.
· Protection against allergies: Breast Milk protects the baby from most allergies in the first stages of its life. Babies who have been fed formula have been more susceptible to allergies according to recent studies.
· Less risk of Child Obesity : Experts have come to the conclusion that breast fed babies are better at eating until they are satisfied and get better nutrients.
· Increment in Intelligence: Researchers believe that breast milk might contribute with some sort of brainpower benefits.
Important Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mothers:
· Loss of pregnancy weight: As most fat accumulated during pregnancy is used to produce milk, breastfeeding can contribute to weight loss after a period of time in a natural way.
· Emotional Bonding: The intimacy created during the breastfeeding period brings closeness for the mother with her baby that is beneficial for her motherhood.
· Release of Hormones: Breastfeeding release the hormones that relax the mother and that help her feel more nurturing toward her baby and get on with life after that more quickly.
· Other important Benefits of breastfeeding for mothers include: financial benefits, postpartum changes, Gestational changes and health benefits.
Don't be afraid of breastfeeding; embrace this experience so you and your baby can experience the great health benefits of it!