The Health Benefits of Breastfeeding to Both Mother and Child
Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby. Breast milk is very easy to digest and it has all the nutrients that meet the needs of an infant for the first 6 months. Undoubtedly, breast milk is an unequalled source of nutrition for a baby. Breastfeeding not only offers a number of significant health benefits to an infant, it also provides several benefits for mom.
Breastfeeding offers many health benefits for the baby. The benefits to the baby from breastfeeding, may include, but are not limited to:
- a decreased chance of developing allergies;
- an improved fatty acid profile in the blood, which can prevent heart disease in later years;
- improved immunity against ear infection, lower respiratory tract infection and diarrhea;
- better bone health;
- some protection against cancer;
- protection against diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.
The health benefits for women who breastfeed are:
- experience close bonding and psychological well-being that breastfeeding provides;
- may experience less stress or anxiety during breastfeeding. This is due to the release of hormones such as oxytocin and prolactin, which provides calming effects;
- protection against developing diabetes and heart disease;
- a reduced risk of osteoporosis later in life
- a decreased risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers.
