Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed your baby, but is it the healthiest? There are a number of health benefits to feeding your baby with breast milk, not just because it is packed with vital nutrients for your child’s development. It keeps their health in check and prevents them from catching illnesses, but it could also be good for you too. Studies show that it could lower your risk of postnatal depression and also prevent some cancers. Here are some of the main reasons why breastfeeding is the best way to nurture your baby, as well as helping you to stay healthy.
1 – You can increase the emotional bond
There is a distinct bonding experience between a mother and child during breastfeeding that can’t really be replicated. It strengthens that natural bond you have with your baby and also increases the closeness between you, both physically and emotionally. Getting your baby to latch on in the early stages can be difficult, but a nursing pillow can help with this.
2 – It can protect your baby from illness
Studies carried out by the World Health Organisation found that in children from around the globe, those who had been breastfed suffered from a reduced number of diseases, such as ear infections, stomach viruses and respiratory infections. The study also found that infants who have been breastfed early show a decreased risk of infant mortality between the ages of birth to one year.
3 – Helps you to lose weight
This is one for the mums – breastfeeding can help you lose your birth weight! This is because breastfeeding releases the hormone oxytocin which helps the woman’s abdomen shrink to its original size that it was before the pregnancy. It even helps you to burn 500 calories a day, helping you to shed those extra pounds you put on when you were carrying your baby.
4 – It increases intelligence
Research has found that there is a strong link between breastfeeding and your baby’s cognitive development. In children who breastfed for longer than six months, the IQ level was 3.8 points higher than a bottle-fed baby. There have also been studies which show that these children also have higher scores on reading and maths. This is thought to be connected to the emotional bond built up between mother and baby, which promotes intelligence.
5 – It lowers stress and the risk of postnatal depression
The breastfeeding technique could help improve the health of the mum as well as the baby, as studies have found that it can lower stress levels and reduce the risk of postnatal depression. This is because it releases hormones which promote a sense of calm and relaxation. Stress can lead to postnatal depression, so breastfeeding could help to reduce this risk.
6 – It may reduce cancer
Alongside the general health benefits to your baby’s health, it could also help to lower the risk of cancer in infants as well as you. Studies suggest that it could lower the chance of developing breast and ovarian cancers, and the longer the women breastfed for, the lower their risk was.
7 – It offers great savings to you and the environment
One of the main blessings to breastfeeding, aside from those to you and your baby’s health, is that it’s free! Formula and bottles add up and can be expensive, so breastfeeding is a great and natural solution to what to feed your baby. It’s also the best way to ensure your child gets all the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
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