The Benefits of Breastfeeding

Due to increasing work pressure it is becoming difficult for mothers to breastfeed their children. They prefer to put the baby on formula as soon as possible. However the benefits of breastfeeding far out weigh those of formula. Some of the benefits are obvious while some of them have been proved empirically. Breast milk provides the baby with better nutrition than formula. Breast milk is free. It is convenient, always fresh, sterile, and the correct temperature. Unlike formula, it is live it actually contains live cells and antibodies. Not only does breast milk keep babies healthy from the inside, it also has antibacterial properties that work on the outside of a baby's body.

Human milk, the best food for babies because it is composed of the right amount of nutrients, in the right proportions, for the growing baby. A living, biological fluid, it contains many unique components. For example, lacto ferrin provides optimal absorption of iron and protects the gut from harmful bacteria and special growth factors and hormones contribute to optimal growth and development. The mother's own milk changes during a feeding from thirst quenching to hunger satisfying. It also helps because the taste of the milk changes depending on the changes in the mother's diet. The first milk is called Colostrum, it is packed with components, which increase immunity and protect the newborn's intestines. Human breast milk specifically encourages the growth of Lactobacillaceae, which are helpful bacteria that can inhibit many of the disease-causing gram-negative bacteria and parasites. In fact, there is a striking difference between the bacteria found in the guts of breast- and formula-fed infants. Artificially fed babies have higher rates of middle ear infections, pneumonia, and cases of gastroenteritis. Human breast milk contains lysozyme which is a potent digestive ingredient at a level thirty times higher than in any formula. Interestingly, while other contents of breast milk vary widely between well nourished and poorly nourished mothers, the amount of lysozyme is conserved, suggesting that it is very important. While carnitine is present in both breast milk and formula, the carnitine in breast milk has higher bio-availability. Breast-fed babies have significantly higher carnitine levels than their counterparts. Carnitine is necessary to make use of fatty acids as an energy source. Other functions of carnitine have been hypothesized, but have not yet been proven.

Babies often like to nurse at night, but doctors recommend that babies stop feeding at night after their teeth come in for fear of promoting tooth decay. But breast-fed babies are at less risk of tooth decay due to breast milks antibacterial properties. Breastfeeding appears to reduce the risk of obesity and hypertension. Breastfeeding delays the onset of hereditary allergic disease, and lowers the risk of developing allergic disease. Breastfeeding increases the effectiveness of immunizations, increasing the protection against polio, tetanus, and diptheria vaccines. Breastfeeding protects against developing chronic diseases such as: celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and childhood cancers.

There are ways in which breastfeeding also helps the mother. Another well-documented benefit of breastfeeding is more rapid and sustained weight loss. Milk production uses up 200-500 calories a day. Studies have proven that mothers who breastfeed for at least 6 months throughout their lifetime have a decreased risk of breast cancer, and similar reduced rates have been shown for ovarian and uterine cancers. Surveys of medical professionals have shown that breastfeeding mothers tend to have high total cholesterol levels, made up largely of the HDL fraction. This may prove to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. Immediately after birth, repeated bursts of oxytocin released in response to the baby's sucking cause contraction of the uterus. This protects mothers from postpartum hemorrhage.

There is evidence of the hormonal effects of breastfeeding, which may result in the having a closer bond with her infant. The physical closeness during breastfeeding could be the reason for the development of such a strong bond. A recent survey in a developing country found that when breastfeeding rates were increased among mothers with a significant abandonment rate, fewer of these mothers abandoned their babies. Studies in the past have suggested that there may be a lower rate of child abuse in breastfeeding families considered to be at risk.