7 Reasons Why Women Should Choose Breastfeeding

 

Breastfeeding is a normal way to feed an infant.You must be wondering about feeding your baby while pregnant. I’m sure you are aware of the immense emotional benefit that breastfeeding provides to the newborn baby through skin-to-skin contact and mothers milk. This determines the overall development of your child. I am also sure you are aware of the several health benefits of breastfeeding.I like to share 7 important reasons concerning yours and your child’s health. These might help you to make a definitive decision about feeding your baby.

7 REASONS

1. Breastfeeding enhances the IQ of children. This happens due to presence of essential elements for brain development in the mothers’ milk.
2. Breastfeeding protects babies from common illness like diarrhoea and pneumonia. This is because mothers’ milk provides active transfer of antibodies as well as live cells, which protect babies.
3. Breastfeeding prevents babies from getting obese and undernourished. It is well-known babies in India are either undernourished or getting obese in some sections of the population.Breastfeeding provides a double duty action to prevent both these problems.
4. Breastfeeding builds and boosts the immunity of babies even for contracting Covid-19.Mothers’ milk acts as a immunity booster through its immune modulator function during first few years of life helping a baby to develop its immune response or strengthen it. Research has shown in Covid-19 that if a mother was positive, breastfeeding protects the baby.
5. Breastfeeding reduces the chances of mothers to develop cancers. Scientific analyses revealed that mothers who breastfeed longer are protected from breast and ovarian cancers. The reason is that breastfeeding women have fewer menstrual cycles throughout their lives, and therefore less exposure to estrogen, which has been shown to fuel some types of breast cancers. Another theory is that breastfeeding makes breast cells more resistant to mutations that can cause cancer.
6. Breastfeeding reduces chances of mothers to develop type-2 diabetes Scientific data clearly establishes the protection from type-2 diabetes. Research has found that breastfeeding increases insulin sensitivity and improves glucose metabolism in the mother.
7. Powdered infant formula is an ultra-processed food product, harmful to health by nature of processing,it is high in sugars and is not a sterile product. In case you choose to give other milks, need to follow how to prepare and give it safely as WHO suggests.

 Given the 7 reasons, women need to demand all what it takes (policy, services and support) to be successful in breastfeeding…Read my next column, “7 Vital Steps for Success in Breastfeeding”

 

Dr. Arun Gupta MD FIAP

Central coordinator

Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI)

 

3^rd December 2020 - 29 years of trusted information

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