If you're unsure whether breastfeeding is a good choice for you, here are some reasons why it can be very beneficial to both you and your baby.
1. Mother's breast milk has been developed over thousands of years of human evolution. It's specific to the human race, which means it's specially designed to benefit human babies. It can be a powerful factor in developing a baby with optimal growth and health.
2. Breast milk supports a baby's immune system. When a baby is born, the immune system is very immature and needs extra protection from germs in the world. But when a mother comes in contact with a pathogen, her body creates an antibody for it. These antibodies pass through breast milk to the nursing baby and help protect it. In this way, a baby's immune system will be much healthier when it drinks breast milk.
3. Breastfeeding can help a mother to be healthier in the following ways:
- It burns lots of calories and can help a mother lose weight after giving birth.
- It protects mothers against diseases, such as those affecting the reproductive system.
- It lowers the mother's risk of premenopausal breast cancer.
- It protects you from illnesses the longer your breastfeed.
- Diabetic mothers have lower insulin needs when they breastfeed.
- Studies show that breastfeeding can reduce the mother's risk of osteoporosis.
4. Breastfeeding can also benefit the entire family. Babies with healthy immune systems become sick less often, and therefore save medical costs and stress.
In addition, you will be creating less waste because you won't have to throw out cans from baby formula or bottles and nipples. It also saves you money because you won't have to buy all these items.