If you’re pregnant or a new parent, it’s likely that you have already started thinking about whether to breastfeed or formula feed your baby. There are many reasons new mothers are encouraged to try breastfeeding their newborns.
Here are some of the benefits of breastfeeding.
Better for the Immune System
Breast milk contains antibodies, which are proteins in the body that help fight illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC), studies reveal that breastfed babies have a lower chance of getting a variety of health problems, including:
- Asthma
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Ear and respiratory infections
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Gastrointestinal infections (diarrhea/vomiting)
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (disease in which the lining of the intestinal wall dies)
Helps With Ease-of-Digestion
Babies’ stomachs are primed to accept breast milk. For most babies, breast milk is generally easier to digest than formula. This may be part of the reason why breastfed babies have statistically fewer digestive problems.
Balanced Nutritional Profile
Formula offers the nutritional components of breast milk, but breast milk is a complex fluid that contains antibodies, enzymes, hormones, and much more. These essential components aren’t present in formula. Mother’s milk changes over time and the milk will always contain just the right amount of nutrients that a baby needs to grow.
Keeps Things Affordable
Formula can be convenient, but it is also expensive. Breastfeeding is free. Breastfeeding your child can help your growing family save a few dollars, while reaping the many health benefits it offers.
Offers Health Benefits for Mom
According to the CDC, breastfeeding doesn’t just benefit your baby. Breastfeeding also has benefits to the mother, including decreasing the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. The American Academy of Pediatrics also notes that mothers who breastfeed have a lower chance of postpartum bleeding and menstrual blood loss, as well as an earlier return to prepregnancy weight.
Presents an Opportunity for Bonding
Because there is substantially more skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby during breastfeeding, it can be a great way for them to bond.
