Breastfeeding: Pros and Cons for Mom and Baby
Becoming a mother marks the beginning of a profound journey, one not to be taken lightly by any woman. This journey encompasses various challenges but also offers abundant rewards. Throughout the initial months of your baby's life, adhering to the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), you will be tasked with providing breast milk.
Breastfeeding stands as the oldest and most innate method of nourishing a newborn, despite the array of alternative options available today. While some mothers exclusively breastfeed, others may choose bottle feeding, and there exists the option of combining both methods. It's imperative to recognize that breastfeeding yields numerous benefits alongside a few drawbacks.
This article endeavors to unveil the positive impacts of breastfeeding on both mother and child, while also addressing its associated drawbacks in the concluding section.
Everything you need to know about breastfeeding
Breastfeeding refers to the act of a mother who breastfeeds her baby so that the baby can feed on breast milk. If it is advisable to exclusively breastfeed your infant during the first six months of life, other points about breastfeeding should also be known.
Breast milk: to meet the nutritional needs of the baby
All the research undertaken over the years on breastfeeding shows that breast milk provides many benefits to baby and his mother. And this, on several levels: psychological, physiological and nutritional. It constitutes “the” reference in terms of nutrition for a baby, during the first months of his life. Indeed, while providing sufficient nutritional intake to the infant, breastfeeding allows for a strong bond between the child and his mother.
According to the WHO, exclusive breastfeeding is best for a baby up to 6 months. After the sixth month, the energy intake obtained in breast milk is no longer sufficient to properly contribute to the growth of the toddler. Thus, mixed breastfeeding will be required, including breast milk and solid foods, which will need to be diversified, and if necessary infant milk .
Baby breastfeeding: some points to clarify
Before starting this paragraph, let's emphasize a fundamental point: to breastfeed properly, the mother must want to do it. This should not represent an obligation for her. Now that this point is clarified, let's continue with the principle of breastfeeding.
The very first feeding is done as soon as possible, usually 30 minutes after the birth of the newborn. The infant is placed on his mother to encourage her to breastfeed. This also helps prevent the appearance of chapping on the mother's breasts.
As for weaning, there is no precise data to define the ideal period to begin it. In any case, the mother can decide to stop breastfeeding if, for example, her work forces her to do so, or when she no longer enjoys it. In all cases, stopping breastfeeding must be accomplished gradually and gently. It will take the cherub some time to acclimatize to this new situation.
Furthermore, when mother is breastfeeding, taking medication is strongly discouraged, or even prohibited. This is because any substance swallowed by the mother passes into the milk and is likely to harm the baby's health. This is the case if she drinks alcohol or smokes tobacco. However, if you need treatment, talk to your doctor first.
The main benefits of breastfeeding for the mother
While breastfeeding promotes the bond between a mother and her baby, it also has several other benefits. Here are a few.
To recover better after childbirth
Breastfeeding triggers the release of oxytocin, a hormone that aids in reducing postpartum bleeding and facilitates the uterus's return to its pre-pregnancy state. Consequently, this accelerates the mother's recovery process.
To combat postnatal depression
Studies have indicated that breastfeeding contributes to lowering the likelihood of postnatal depression among new mothers, a condition impacting nearly 15% of them. The release of oxytocin, commonly referred to as the "relaxation hormone," plays a key role in this process by reducing stress and enhancing mood.
Better health for mom
Nursing your infant serves as a preventive measure against various diseases, including type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. Prolonged breastfeeding, surpassing one year, notably diminishes the risk of cancer. Additionally, it lowers the likelihood of heart disease and hypertension.
The beneficial effects of breastfeeding for the newborn
There are many things to know to help baby feel better during his first months. In particular, he needs a reassuring environment to live without stress. To do this, you can add a small night light in his room so that he does not sleep in the dark.
Aside from that, feeding is also important. In reality, breast milk is a natural food providing all the nutrients essential for an infant. Simple to digest, it guarantees sufficient nutrition for the little one during his first six months. It is clear that this milk has various benefits for the baby.
Breast milk: a more than useful colostrum for baby
During the first days following childbirth, a woman's mammary glands secrete an opaque, yellowish milk called “colostrum”. This substance, containing little sugar, is rich in proteins and full of protective antibodies.
Colostrum stimulates infant growth. It is of great importance because it helps in the development of the newborn's digestive tract. In addition, it strengthens its protection against possible viral and bacterial infections.
Containing immunoglobulin A and maternal antibodies, colostrum is useful for the immune system. It helps form a protective layer within the toddler’s digestive and respiratory tract.
Breastfeeding: for a healthy gut
Breast milk contains bacteria that are favorable to the body, in this case probiotics. It also contains prebiotics, substances essential for the multiplication of these bacteria. These help keep the intestines healthy.
According to studies, the presence of these probiotics in the intestine of a baby helps stop the manifestation of atopic conditions, such as asthma. All in all, breastfeeding your newborn is essential to preserve your baby's health.
Nutrients as desired
In addition to probiotics, breast milk is a source of nutritional elements. As indicated previously, milk alone provides all the necessary nutrients to infants until they are six months old. This milk is rich in vitamins, proteins, fats and sugars. It is perfectly suited to the evolving nutritional needs of your little one.
For a vigorous and efficient brain
Drinking breast milk can be greatly beneficial to your little angel's cognitive development, especially if he or she was born prematurely. Some studies have shown that breastfed babies have a higher intelligence quotient or IQ. Better yet, they are less predisposed to learning and behavioral disorders.
Good immunity for the little one
Breast milk offers protection to the infant against a range of illnesses, such as ear infections, childhood leukemia, atopic eczema, sudden infant death syndrome, gastroenteritis, among others. Furthermore, sustained breastfeeding provides lasting immunity for the child, extending into adulthood. This long-term protection shields against conditions like heart disease and diabetes later in life.
To maintain a good weight and have a healthy body
As you may have noticed, breastfeeding is beneficial for both the mother and her baby. Another benefit: it helps you gain weight healthily. This also promotes the prevention of childhood obesity. According to specialists in the field, this is certainly due to the fact that breastfeeding has an impact on the intestinal flora. Starting to wean the baby around 6 months will therefore be beneficial.
Some disadvantages to note about breastfeeding
Unfortunately, while there are many benefits of breastfeeding, there are unfortunately some negative points. Several reasons can actually push some mothers to favor the bottle. So here are some of the drawbacks.
A painful start to feedings for mother and child
Starting breastfeeding can sometimes be very difficult. This, both for mom and her little darling. Establishing this ritual can be painful for the mother during the first few days. This is because the baby's sucking can sore the nipple. In other cases, breast milk may not come in. For his part, the little one may have difficulty breastfeeding.
Difficult to combine professional life and breastfeeding
Certainly, the law provides certain provisions to offer young mothers the opportunity to breastfeed their babies. Despite this, it can be complex to combine professional life with life as a mother. Generally, with maternity leave, the mother gets around two months off after giving birth. If she is an employee, it will undoubtedly be quite complicated for her to continue breastfeeding until her baby is six months old.
Negative effects on sleep
When a woman is breastfeeding, she will occasionally have to get up in the middle of the night for nighttime breastfeeding. During the first months, baby will surely ask for milk during the night. Mom will need to keep a wall night light on in the room to avoid any accidents during feeding. And of course, it will have a bad impact on your sleep. If you can, express your milk and keep it cool in the fridge. That way, if you're really tired, Dad can take over feeding the little one.
Conclusion on breastfeeding
To conclude this article, it's crucial to emphasize that breastfeeding remains the optimal method of nourishment for newborns. Breast milk provides essential nutrients and energy required for a baby's healthy growth.
Nevertheless, if breastfeeding isn't feasible due to various circumstances, selecting the most suitable infant formula becomes paramount. Regardless, it's important to acknowledge that even the smallest amount of breast milk benefits a child's health positively.
Despite the aforementioned drawbacks, nothing surpasses the nourishment provided by a mother's milk. Furthermore, breastfeeding fosters an intimate bond between a mother and her child. Whenever possible, aim to breastfeed your baby during the initial months, ideally up to six months of age
.