{"id":3250,"date":"2019-01-10T08:04:17","date_gmt":"2019-01-10T08:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=3250"},"modified":"2021-08-10T00:41:13","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T00:41:13","slug":"20-major-benefits-of-breastfeeding-for-you-and-the-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/20-major-benefits-of-breastfeeding-for-you-and-the-baby\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Major Benefits of Breastfeeding For You and the Baby"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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No mother should ever be made to feel as though she is not doing enough for her baby, if she chooses not to breastfeed. This is a highly personal choice and many women will find that it can be painful, difficult, or upsetting. Others might be physically unable to breastfeed, or may be on medication. There are plenty of highly successful, healthy adults who were once young children that didn\u2019t get breastfed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parenting is different for everyone. The only rule is don\u2019t judge anyone else for their parenting style.
But, with that being said, the most common advice for most new Mothers, is that breastfeeding is the preference. If you have the option to do both, then this is the healthiest choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There area many reasons for this, and those go beyond the nutritional benefits that the baby will enjoy. Read on and we\u2019ll look at 20 compelling reasons to breastfeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. It\u2019s Bioavailable Nutrition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bioavailability refers to how easy it is for us to extract and use nutrients from the foods that we consume. While two different consumables might have the same content of amino acids, minerals<\/a>, or anything else; the reality is that we might get more or less benefit from each depending on how easily we can use those nutrients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most bioavailable sources of nutrients are almost always those that are available naturally as a part of our diet. The reason for this is that the human body evolved consuming those foods and thus adapted in order to be able to make the best use of them. Eat an apple for instance and you\u2019ll find it easier to absorb the same amount of vitamin C, as compared with a vitamin tablet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often this comes down to the other nutrients that are in the food alongside the key nutrient. Breast milk works in a similar way \u2013 but to a much higher extent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2 It\u2019s Bonding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the major reasons that so many mothers choose to breastfeed<\/a>, is simply that they find it to be a great way to bond with their children. Not only is this a time to be close physically, but there is also something highly rewarding about being able to provide for your child in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, there are plenty of other ways that a mother and child can bond and therefore you once again shouldn\u2019t feel bad if it\u2019s not something you\u2019re able to do. But if you can, then you will likely find it to be a rewarding and wonderful experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Bigger Breasts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Okay, so this might not be your number one reason to breastfeed\u2026 But if you\u2019re someone who has always wished their chest was a little more voluptuous, then breastfeeding is probably going to leave you very happy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you first became pregnant, you no doubt noticed some significant changes to your body. Among these, you likely spotted that your breasts and nipples got larger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now for some women, this will have been a big perk. The good news, is that as long as you are breastfeeding, you will find that your breasts stay that way seeing as they are swollen with milk<\/a>. There\u2019s likely lots of other reasons too \u2013 maybe even an evolutionary imperative to help the baby find and latch onto the nipple! Notice that babies will naturally gravitate towards the breasts, and the larger they are, the easier that is for them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Colostrum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We mentioned that milk was perfectly suited to provide a baby with all the nutrients <\/a>they need in a highly available manner. And we mentioned that this only makes sense, seeing as we evolved drinking breast milk in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, as it turns out, breast milk contains everything that a young baby needs for the first six months of their life and will even change its composition as they age. A good example of this is colostrum. This is the \u2018first milk\u2019 that develops when the baby is youngest (in the first few days) in order to help the digestive tract to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, there are other options out there that may provide the same benefit, but this is just the perfect example of how the body is so perfectly suited to creating precisely what the baby needs as they need it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Bacteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is a very new science that needs much further research before we\u2019re able to delve into it in greater detail. However, suffice to say that we are now discovering a hugely important role for bacteria in human health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We often think of bacteria as being \u2018germs\u2019 \u2013 i.e. unhealthy for us. In truth though, bacteria is good for us more often than it is bad for us. And the good kind provides us with a huge range of crucial benefits: ranging from the production of key neurotransmitters to breaking down food, to helping to improve the immune system<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The really amazing bit, is that mothers actually pass their own \u2018microbiome\u2019 on to their children during a natural birth: as the baby cries as it travels through the body, it actually ends up consuming some of the bacteria that lines the vagina! Babies born through cesarean may therefore actually have a relatively poor immune system as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s very possible that the breast milk provides one more place for babies to get crucial \u2018healthy bacteria\u2019 from their mothers, which could improve their IQs, immune systems, moods, and much more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. It\u2019s Easier\u2026 In Some Ways!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What many mothers (and even more fathers!) don\u2019t realize, is that breastfeeding <\/a>is not easy. It looks like this beautiful and peaceful process when we see it in the media, but in reality, many new mothers have great difficulty getting their child to latch on. Sometimes they will find that their nipples bleed and become broken and sore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But on the other hand, it\u2019s also true that in some ways, breast feeding makes less work. For instance, you don\u2019t need to keep as many bottles lying around, and you don\u2019t need to keep sterilizing said bottles!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have a newborn baby, you\u2019re going to find that you have a huge amount of work to do to keep them happy, healthy and quiet. Creating less washing up for yourself is definitely a big bonus in which case<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. There\u2019s So Much We Don\u2019t Know<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You might have been a little surprised earlier to learn about the importance of bacteria <\/a>and how this might be linked with breastfeeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well if you think that\u2019s surprising, consider that there are countless other examples of things we\u2019ve discovered lately about the human body and about breast milk more specifically. All the time we\u2019re learning new things \u2013 such as the fact that consuming more lutein can help your child\u2019s brain to develop faster and may even result in higher grades at school!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you consider how much we don\u2019t know about breast milk, it suggests that there are likely things left out of formulas and other products intended to replace said breastmilk. Therefore, it\u2019s probably safer to stick with the OG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. It Will Help You Lose Weight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019ve first given birth, you\u2019ll find that your body has been through a huge ordeal. It probably doesn\u2019t look or feel quite the way you remember it! This can be distressing <\/a>for some women who will miss the days when they had tight defined abs and could fit into the smallest items of clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, the good news is that if you breastfeed, you should find you more quickly return to your original size. You\u2019re literally creating a diet for your child. They are literally drinking the calories that you have in your body. As a result, you\u2019ll find that your stomach shrinks back down much more quickly and you are thus able to return to your original size more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. It Helps You Feel Like a Mother<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Believe it or not, when your child drinks from your breasts, it will help you to feel more like a Mum. This is something that mothers have been doing since the dawn of time and it\u2019s an image that many of us will associate with being a mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, this isn\u2019t to say that not breastfeeding is in any way missing out. It is simply to say that you might find you gain something additional by breastfeeding <\/a>that you otherwise wouldn\u2019t have. Even just shopping for maternity wear and figuring out ways to discretely feed in public. Sure, it can be a bit of a nightmare\u2026 but it is also something that many of us will only get to experience once or twice in our lifetimes. And life is all about the experiences you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yes: sometimes breastfeeding can be hard. Sometimes it can be a real struggle. But actually, this is in some ways part of the experience too. This is one of the early challenges you face as a Mum and as such, being able to get past it, will help you to feel all the more successful, accomplished, and confident going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Gives You More Iron<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now you might think that letting your sprog drink all the nutrients out of your breasts would result in there being fewer leftover for you\u2026 Thankfully, that\u2019s not how these things work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are just as many benefits for Mums as there are for babies in fact. Amenorrhea <\/a>\u2013 the absence of a menstrual period \u2013 is normal for 4-6 weeks after delivery. But for women who choose breastfeeding, the condition may last twice as long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that in turn means that you actually have more iron in your body. This is important because iron helps to carry oxygen around the body and also nutrients. This supports your immune system and ensures high energy levels. As your parent friends have already probably told you \u2013 you\u2019re going to need all of the energy that you can get!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Encourages Skin to Skin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It has been shown that skin-to-skin time is very beneficial for both mother and child. In fact, this is considered extremely important when the child is first born \u2013 which is the reason that mothers are encouraged to hold their children as one of the first things they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breastfeeding is a very useful way to encourage this \u2013 and may help with bonding, as well as encouraging the production of important and useful hormones and neurotransmitters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the pregnancy<\/a>, babies spend their entire lives inside the mother \u2013 literally as close as you can possibly get. During this time, they hear the mother\u2019s heartbeat and even the sounds of blood rushing through the veins and arteries (which may be why \u2018shh\u2019 has become the defacto sign for \u2018at ease\u2019). Skin to skin contact between a baby and their mother is the closest thing to this, so it should be no surprise that it\u2019s encouraged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, there is even a school of thought called \u2018the fourth trimester\u2019 which basically encourages parents to treat the first few months as though the baby were still in the womb. Keeping them as close as possible. Either way, even if you choose not to breastfeed, it\u2019s highly advisable that you still make sure to spend time skin-to-skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Aids Your Reproductive Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, there are likely countless benefits to breastfeeding that we simply don\u2019t know about yet. At the same time, there are also plenty that we know about but just don\u2019t quite understand yet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, did you know that breastfeeding can statistically lower your likelihood of ovarian, uterine, and breast cancer? This is an observation from several studies. For instance, one study found that breastfeeding for the first 2 years could reduce the likelihood of breast cancer by 11-25%!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our best explanation at the moment is that the repeated ovulatory cycles and exposure to high levels of estrogen experienced for those that don\u2019t go through breastfeeding makes them more likely to experience problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are other potential explanations too though. For instance, it might be to do with the stress<\/a>-fighting benefits of breastfeeding. Likewise, it could have something to do with autophagy \u2013 the tendency of the body to break down it’s own \u2018waste\u2019 cells when it has no other source of fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Reduces Your Risk of Heart Disease and Diabetes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As well as improving your chance of avoiding those cancers<\/a>, breastfeeding also lowers the risk of several other health problems. These include heart disease, diabetes, obesity and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The studies show that women are 12% less likely to have high blood pressure, 20% less likely to get diabetes, 9% less likely to have heart problems, and 19% less likely to have unusually high levels of bad fats in the blood. Wow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, nature wants to keep you as healthy as possible during this critical time in your child\u2019s life. And while we don\u2019t know what the mechanisms of all these things are at the moment, the stats speak for themselves. And we can easily guess a few possible reasons too: breastfeeding lowers stress, it potentially triggers changes in the body, it reduces hormonal flux, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. It\u2019s Environmentally Friendly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A nice \u2018added bonus\u2019 of breastfeeding <\/a>is that it also happens to be environmentally friendly. You\u2019re not using packets, you\u2019re not using plastic bottles\u2026 in general you\u2019ll be using nothing but your own breasts to feed your child! It\u2019s natural and it\u2019s completely clean and renewable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, you also don\u2019t need to buy the formula (meaning that it saves you money), you won\u2019t be using up as many resources in that respect either, you won\u2019t need to travel to and from the store in order to buy the formula\u2026 the list goes on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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15. It Avoids Plastics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While most plastics are designed to be baby safe when they\u2019re used in the construction of baby bottles (as you would hope!), the fact remains that they\u2019re still plastics \u2013 and these can have unwanted effects on young children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, this is mild. You shouldn\u2019t beat yourself up if you can\u2019t breastfeed. But it would be a good idea to do your research and make sure that the plastic bottles you use are completely free from toxins <\/a>and that they won\u2019t have unwanted effects like altering the baby\u2019s hormonal balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another thing to think about is the fact that bottles can get dirty. Again, you\u2019re sure to make certain to sterilize the bottles… but mistakes happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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16. Sucking is Good<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sucking is very good for your child\u2019s mouth. When they suck on a nipple, they are going to be developing their jaw muscles <\/a>and this can actually help their jaw and teeth to form correctly in the mouth. It\u2019s for this reason that a link has been demonstrated between breast feeding and the likelihood of needing braces in adulthood. In short, if your child breastfeeds, then they are less likely to need their teeth realigned in any way such as this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is interesting though, because a child who sucks on their thumb can actually create more problems for their teeth \u2013 often pulling them forward into a less functional and attractive configuration. Likewise, while baby bottles do have \u2018teats\u2019, it seems that these don\u2019t work in quite the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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17. Reduce Their Risk of Heart Disease and Cancer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Breastfeeding your child will right now reduce their likelihood of developing a range of diseases, as a result of improving their immune system. That alone is probably a good incentive to get started.
But what\u2019s more, is that it has also been shown to greatly improve their adult health too. Studies demonstrate that adults who were breastfed as children are significantly less likely to get heart <\/a>disease, cancer, or a host of other problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adults are also likely to benefit by having lower BMIs (body mass indices) and higher HDL (the good type of cholesterol). The reasons for this once again aren\u2019t completely understood, but what we do know is that this is a critical developmental period during which many of the child\u2019s most important systems and mechanisms are forming. If you support this process, then you can ensure that they grow up to be as strong and well-formed as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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18. Decreased Likelihood of Needing Glasses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another beneficial correlation that has been spotted out in the wild is that children who breast feed are less likely to need glasses. This likely has to do with the content of lutein <\/a>among other things, which will help your child\u2019s eyes and neurons to develop. There are other things in breastmilk that support healthy eye health too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing that surprises many people is that the eyes are actually considered a part of the brain – by many definitions at least. This is the only \u2018exposed\u2019 part of the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know that breast milk is highly beneficial when it comes to a child\u2019s brain development \u2013 and can greatly increase neural plasticity (the formation of new neurons and the connections between them). So, it only stands to reason that this improved function will also extend to the eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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19. It Fights Stress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You may have heard that observing a sleeping baby is actually an incredibly effective way to reduce stress<\/a>. There is something incredibly calming about being in the presence of someone who is completely innocent, at peace, and happy to snooze for much of the time (a screaming baby is considerably less relaxing however!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this is even more powerful for mothers. When you breastfeed, you will produce large amounts of oxytocin (the love hormone) along with many other endorphins like serotonin (the feel-good hormone). These also convert into melatonin \u2013 the sleep hormone \u2013 thereby helping you to drift off into sleep easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all these reason, many women will experience a kind of \u2018high\u2019 during and following breastfeeding. Among other things, this could help to combat postnatal depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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20. Makes the Transition to Food Easier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you breastfeed<\/a>, your child isn\u2019t really just drinking milk. He or she is rather consuming a kind of smoothie or cocktail that is comprised of all the things that go into your diet. When you change what you eat, you actually subtly alter the baby\u2019s diet as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This not only helps to further strengthen that connection between mother and child, but it also helps them to become more accustomed to different tastes and different experiences. As a result, when you eventually make the switch to providing your child with regular food, you\u2019ll find that they have a more developed palette and they are less likely to balk at the thought of eating broccoli and other things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, you may even be able to subtly influence their diet to be as healthy as possible this way!
And what\u2019s more, is that you might increase their chances of becoming more of a foodie in adulthood. This is just one more reason why they might actually have better immune systems long after they\u2019ve grown up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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