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Why Breastfeeding Is Important For You and Your Child

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There’s nothing more important for a mother than her child’s health, a new report by WHO has gone on to say that breast milk is the ideal food for newborns and infants as it provides them with almost all the nutrients they need for healthy development. It is not only safe but also contains antibodies that help protect infants from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia–the two primary causes of child mortality worldwide. Let us take a look at some of the benefits of breastfeeding and why it is important.

Ideal Nutrition

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Breastfeeding is recommended for at least 12 months, as different foods are introduced into the baby’s diet, breast milk contains many nutrients that are required by the baby in the first 6 months, During the first days after birth, the breasts produce a thick and yellowish fluid called colostrums, which is high in protein, low in sugar and loaded with beneficial compounds. Colostrums is the ideal first milk and helps the newborn’s immature digestive tract develop. After the first few days, the breasts start producing larger amounts of milk as the baby’s stomach grows.

Reduces disease risk

Breastfeeding has been found to reduce the risk of diseases in babies, it has been found to reduce illnesses like gut infections, cold infections, allergic diseases, diabetes, leukemia and Sudden infant death syndrome. Apart from that, the protective effects of breastfeeding seem to last throughout childhood and even adulthood.

Healthy weight

Breastfeeding can help your child prevent obesity as it promotes healthy weight gain in babies, studies have shown that the obesity rates are at least 20 percent lower in breastfed babies when compared to those who were not breastfed, each month of breastfeeding reduces the risk of obesity by 4 percent, this is because breastfed babies have higher amounts of beneficial gut bacteria, which may affect fat storage.

Makes Children Smarter

Studies have shown that there’s a difference in brain development between breastfed and formula-fed babies, it may be due to the physical intimacy, touch and eye contact associated with breastfeeding. Babies who are breastfed learn things much quicker and have positive effects.

May help the mother lose weight

Breastfeeding your child may allow you to help lose weight, according to a recent report, in first 3 months after delivery, mothers who have breastfed their baby may lose less weight than women who don’t breastfeed, and they may even gain weight, but after 3 months of lactation, they will likely experience an increase in fat burning and shed more weight than mothers who have not breastfed their child.

Lowers the risk of depression in mothers

After the childbirth, many mothers go through a type of depression called Postpartum depression, Women who breastfeed seem less likely to develop postpartum depression, compared to mothers who wean early or do not breastfeed, the reason behind is that breastfeeding causes hormonal changes that encourage maternal caregiving and bonding

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