Breastfeeding should be prepared during pregnancy. In this way, the mother is prepared psychologically while stored reserves. If conditions are optimal, the baby will enjoy the enormous benefits that breast milk provides. Want to know what are these advantages?
What I propose in this article is to let you know the nutritional, immunological and psychological advantages that breastfeeding gives your baby. We want to help clarify any doubts you may have around this topic.
Nutritional advantages of breastfeeding
- Milk of the first days, the colostrum, facilitates the establishment of the intestinal flora, which protects the baby from the proliferation of pathogens and thus the development of infections. Furthermore, in the colostrum are a lot of protein, minerals and antibodies from the mother, which protect the child from many infections while catching her immune system going. There is no artificial equivalent of colostrum, which makes it irreplaceable in feeding your child.
- The composition of breast milk adapts to the needs of the baby at any time, so it varies throughout the day and during the course of the same shot.
- The amount and the quality of the proteins, and some amino acids like cysteine and taurine from human milk, perfectly cover the nutritional needs of your baby. Moreover, they are characteristic of the human species proteins, which prevent the occurrence of allergies and other acts of intolerance.
- The types of fat that make the breast milk favor the good development of the brain and prevent the early deposition of cholesterol in arterial walls of your child. It seems that, somehow, the breastfeeding is important in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.
- The most important component of carbohydrates or sugars from breast milk is lactose, that the intestine of the newborn digests very easily.
- Breast milk contains enzymes known as lipases, which facilitate digestion of fats.
- The content of mineral salts of this milk (calcium, iron and zinc) allow the best use by the body of the newborn. Thus, the breastfeeding has an important role in the prevention of rickets and anemia.
- The concentrations of sodium and potassium in the mother’s milk are much weaker and not to overload the kidney, avoiding unnecessary retention of water that could predispose to hypertension.
- Breast milk is produced with the appropriate concentration and the amount the baby takes, it suits his appetite, so there is no risk of overeating and excess weight. The baby suckles the breast taking only what he need.
- Due to the work of the breast suction that makes the newborn, will develop the muscles of the mouth much better than with a bottle.
- Breast milk is digested faster and better than cow’s milk, so that constipation is prevented. However, it may happen that make breast feeding stools less abundant than with a bottle. This is because ingested milk is assimilated to a greater extent.
Immunological advantages of breastfeeding
There is evidence that children who take breast milk have fewer intestinal and respiratory infections.
There are several reasons for this protection:
- Breast milk is sterile and lacks of bacteria. It requires no manipulation or preparation to be taken by the child.
- It contains many immunoglobulins, which are antibodies that protect children from various infections. It’s come from the blood of the mother and filtered to milk in the mammary gland.
- It contains white blood cells called leukocytes, which are responsible for defense against infection.
- It contains a substance called bifidus factor that promotes growth in the intestine Child bacteria called Lactobacillus bifidus, which works by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria that cause diarrhea.
- Lactoferrin contains, a substance that binds to iron and prevents it from being used by some bacteria that cause intestinal infections.
- It has a large number of enzymes, active substances in cell metabolism, especially lysozyme, which acts to destroy the bacteria.
Psychological advantages of breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding strengthens the bond between mother and baby, reducing the insecurity felt it out of the womb into an environment that is strange.
- Each time your child takes the chest receives adequate food and a good number of stimuli from mother. His face stares and smiling when you talks to him or makes him grimace. Thus begins to learn the language.
- It also provides the newborn a series of taste, smell and tactile experience that definitely collaborate to discover the world of the senses.
The benefits are too many to miss the opportunity to breastfeed your child. In addition you can also profit from it. Before any doubt it is always advisable to consult a gynecologist or pediatrician.