Breastfeeding is best for the baby’s brain and psychological well-being say, doctors.
Breast milk appears to be a baby’s first brain food. Breast milk contains a long chain of fatty acids with a composition that is very much like brain tissue. Thus, you are laying down the exact matrix in your baby’s brain that is needed by human beings.
In addition, breast milk is exactly the right food psychologically for an infant. It ensures contact with his/her mother, which the baby needs to become a social being.
Most mothers who successfully breastfeed their babies say the time investment is worth it. The creation of a special sense of closeness with their infant makes it all worthwhile.
Benefits of breastfeeding :
- Fewer ear and respiratory infections.
- Potentially fewer allergies.
- Reduced incidences of cancer.
- Protection against SIDS–sudden infant death syndrome.
- Disease preventing immunities are passed from mother to child.
- Reduced incidence of blood infections and meningitis.
- Lower mortality rate for infants.
- Assures contact with mother.
- Fewer incidents of serious diarrhoea.
- Reduced incidences of insulin-dependent diabetes.
- Acts as first brain food as it helps to set down the proper matrix for humans.
Benefits for mothers include:
- Fewer incidents of pre-menopausal ovarian and breast cancer.
- Sense of fulfilment.
- Eating more while potentially losing weight.
- The calming effect of nursing your infant and baby.
- Mothers and babies are more relaxed.
- Contraceptive effect (don’t rely on this fully, however!).
- Increased sense of pride in giving of themselves to their baby.
Advice for breastfeeding mothers:
- The more the baby breastfeeds, the more milk your body will produce.
- breastfeed early.
- breastfeed often.
- New babies breastfeed about every two hours. However, they often breastfeed for many reasons other than hunger. Therefore, allow the newborn to breastfeed as often as he or she wishes.
- Be sure the baby is sucking effectively.
- Offer both breasts at each feeding.
- If you must return to work, remember that baby can be breastfed part-time or you can express milk for full-time breastfeeding.
Myths about Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding ties the mother down
Breastfeeding twins is too difficult to manage
It is easier to bottle feed than to breastfeed
Many women do not produce enough milk
Pumping is a good way of determining how much milk the mother has
There is no way to know how much breast milk the baby is getting
There is not enough or no milk during the first few days after birth
The mother who bleeds from her nipples should not breastfeed
It is normal for breastfeeding to hurt
A bottle should always be introduced before a baby refuses to take one
A breastfeeding baby needs extra water in hot weather
Breastfeeding babies need extra Vitamin D
Breastfeeding babies need other types of milk after 6 months
Breastmilk does not contain enough iron for the baby´s needs.