According to data collected by the CDC, there were 3,747,540 births in the U.S. in 2019. About 9% of those babies were born with a low birth weight while about 10% were born preterm.
Are you an expecting mother? You might be wondering what you can do to make sure your baby is born healthy and develops into a healthy baby too.
You’ll want to know the benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mommy so you can both maintain good health. Keep reading to learn more.
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1. The Baby Will Get All the Necessary Nutrients
The most important benefit of breastfeeding is that you’ll know that your baby is getting every nutrient they need to survive and thrive. Most pediatricians recommend breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life to help them develop strongly.
The nutritional components in breastmilk will adjust as your baby’s health needs change. You won’t have to worry if your baby is getting the right amount of nutrients when breastfeeding.
2. It Protects Against Illness
Breastfeeding your baby also helps them develop a strong immune system. The nutrients your breast milk provides help to protect them against common illnesses that occur in early childhood like colds, ear infections, respiratory tract infections, and gut infections.
Since your baby isn’t able to get all their vaccinations during their first few months, they’re exposed to serious conditions that most people don’t get anymore. Your breast milk will keep them protected.
3. Breastmilk Has Live Antibodies
Your breast milk is also loaded with live antibodies. These antibodies are necessary for healthy development. They also help to fight against viruses and bacteria to prevent your baby from developing illnesses.
The majority of baby formula doesn’t contain the antibodies your body develops and passes to your baby through your breastmilk. This means that deciding not to breastfeed doesn’t provide your baby with the crucial antibodies they need from you.
4. There’s a Decreased Chance of SIDS
SIDS is when a baby suddenly and unexpectedly dies before the age of one. This terrible event occurs more often than people might think.
You’ll be happy to hear that breastfeeding can reduce the chance of SIDS happening to your baby. A stronger immune system is one of the reasons for the decreased chance of SIDS.
Babies that are breastfed are also more easily woken from sleep and this can prevent SIDS as well.
5. Achieve a Healthy Baby Weight
Breastfeeding is an important part of human development because it helps your baby reach the weight recommended by pediatricians. Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of your baby becoming obese as they grow.
Babies who are breastfed from the start develop more healthy bacteria in their gut. This can help with the storage of fat.
Breastmilk transfers leptin to your baby, formula doesn’t. Leptin helps to regulate appetite. This ensures that your baby will eat the right amount and not more.
6. Breastfeeding Helps You Recover Faster
Breastfeeding also provides you with many health benefits. While breastfeeding your baby your body releases oxytocin. This hormone helps to reduce the size of your uterus back to how it was before your pregnancy.
Breastfeeding helps you burn calories too. Actually, it can even make you feel tired sometimes according to this article from Serenity Kids. This can help you lose the baby’s weight faster. It can make maintaining a healthy weight easier over time.
7. It Lowers Your Chance of Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a kind of depression that many mothers develop after giving birth to their children. The good thing is that mothers who breastfeed from the start are less likely to develop postpartum depression.
The reason why the chance of developing postpartum depression is lower because of the release of oxytocin that occurs in the breastfeeding process. Oxytocin is the hormone associated with love and empathy.
8. It’s More Convenient
Giving your baby breast milk might also be more convenient and inexpensive for you. Traveling with a baby can be a lot of hassle at the start. Car seats, baby bags filled with diapers, and bottles can be a hassle to carry around.
When you breastfeed your baby, you won’t have to worry about taking bottles or formula with you everywhere you go. All the supplies you need to care for your baby can get expensive, including formula. Take the cost of formula off your list of expenses by breastfeeding your baby.
9. It Lowers Your Chance of Developing Illness Too
Breastfeeding your child comes with a reduced risk of developing illnesses for you too. There are fewer chances of developing ovarian or breast cancer for Mothers who breastfeed their newborns.
You’ll also lower your risk of developing chronic conditions like arthritis, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
10. Breastfeeding Helps You Bond with the Baby
One of the greatest benefits of breastfeeding is that it lets you bond with your newborn in a way like no other activity can. The physical connection of breastfeeding your child and providing them with the necessary nutrients creates an emotional connection no one else can have with your baby.
Learning to breastfeed your baby means that you’ll also have to create a breast pump schedule to conserve all the milk your body will produce. Learn how to do it today.
Explained: Benefits of Breastfeeding for Baby and Mommy
There are so many benefits of breastfeeding for both baby and mommy. Some of the most important beneftis of breatfeeding are listed in the guide above, have a look. Breastfeeding will help you bond with your baby and provide them with all the nutrients they need.
Did you find this article informative? Make sure to check out some of the other health-related blogs on our site if you did.
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