The advantages of breastfeeding over artificial, all the positive properties of mother's milk. Health Benefits of Breastfeeding for Infants and Mothers

Breastfeeding has many benefits for mother and baby. Our portal conducted a large survey in which more than 1000 mothers took part. 95% chose to breastfeed their child. 27%, more than a quarter of all mothers, decide to breastfeed after the baby is 1 year old. What are the benefits of breastfeeding?

Benefits of breastfeeding for a baby

The nutrients contained in breast milk are ideally suited to the needs of the baby and its digestive capabilities.
Breast milk contains important antibodies, or immunoglobulins, that are passed on to the baby. Thanks to them, the child will be protected from allergies and infectious diseases.
Mother's milk is at the optimum temperature and always meets the needs of the baby.
The sucking movements themselves during breastfeeding contribute to the development of the tongue, palate and facial muscles of the child.
Breastfeeding promotes mental development: Breastfed babies have an IQ level three points higher than formula-fed babies. This is due to the presence of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) in breast milk. And the iron contained in milk supports the formation of many neurotransmitters and, therefore, also affects the active mental development of the child.
Another advantage of breastfeeding is the close tactile contact between the baby and mother. The baby, being next to his mother, feels safe. In addition, a feeling of affection develops between a woman and a child during breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding: Benefits for Mom

The benefits of breastfeeding are also tangible for the woman - it's practical, you don't have to pay for it and, with a little practice, it doesn't require much effort. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer and accelerates the recovery of the body after childbirth. During feeding, the hormone oxytocin is released, which is responsible for labor pains and, subsequently, for the restoration of uterine muscles.

Why is the right attitude important when breastfeeding?

The most important prerequisite for successful breastfeeding is the woman's confidence and sincere desire. Sluggish attempts to breastfeed “on duty” are usually doomed to failure. If you're not yet comfortable with breastfeeding, seek the help of an experienced lactation consultant.
If, for some objective reason, you are forced to transfer your baby to artificial feeding, read a lot of useful tips on this topic in the article “All About Bottles”.

Breast milk is a natural and complete food for babies. Caring mothers know about its benefits, but feeding is not always possible. Often, an early start to work, unwillingness to comply with a strict regimen, lack of information on how to ensure stable lactation, and other reasons interfere.

Almost every mother can breastfeed. This process requires the abandonment of a number of habits, but only it is the most natural and correct for a newborn child. That is why it is important to re-evaluate the benefits of breastfeeding before switching to artificial formulas with cow's milk..

Doctors say the vast majority of moms can breastfeed on their own

The uniqueness of breast milk

The beginning of breastfeeding is a difficult period for a mother who is not strong after giving birth. Establish lactation will help proper nutrition, regimen and applying the baby to the chest (up to 15 times a day). The support of the husband and relatives is especially important here, because the mother will have to devote most of her time only to the baby. When the process improves, the mother will be able to fully experience the benefits of breastfeeding.

No matter how many vitamins and microelements are included in a quality mixture, it will not be able to protect against infections and bring as many benefits as mother's milk. Breast milk is based on valuable amino acids necessary for the proper development of the child. It also contains lipase - a unique enzyme responsible for the digestion of fats, the absence of digestive problems. Other benefits of breast milk include:

protection against infections, colic and allergies - it is provided by leukocytes, immunoglobulins, antibodies against pathogens transferred by the mother earlier;
easy absorption and effective use by the body of the baby - thanks to lipase, which is only in mother's milk;
calmness of the baby - at the mother's chest, the baby calms down faster and falls asleep;
improvement in mental development - it has been proven that 5-year-old babies who were breastfed for up to 6 months have higher mental abilities than their "artificial" peers;
no hassle - picking up a mixture for a baby is not always easy, and bottles and nipples need to be sterilized.

Benefits of breast milk over cow's milk adapted formula

According to the content of fats, proteins and antibodies, breast milk in women and animals differs. It also changes as the baby grows. As a rule, it contains 87% water, 7% carbohydrates (including lactose), 4% fat, about 1% protein. Water satisfies the need for fluid, carbohydrates give the child's body energy and accelerate the formation of the nervous system. Proteins serve as the basis for the formation of hormones, enzymes.

Fats are allocated unevenly during lactation. There are few of them in foremilk, but by the end of feeding, the baby gets the most nutritious drops. Therefore, when the baby suckles slowly, do not take the breast.

Fats from mother's milk are easier to digest than those from cow's milk, goat's milk or a mixture. For their splitting, the enzyme lipase is responsible, which is not found in substitutes. Ready-made antibodies, hormones and amino acids (taurine, cystine, methionine) are also found only in breast milk.

Mix features

Modern mixtures based on cow's and goat's milk are close to breast milk, but cannot replace it (for more details, see the article:). They include more protein, which puts an increased burden on the baby's metabolism. Its large molecules hardly pass through the filters in the renal glomeruli. Due to the low digestibility of the proteins of the mixture, the risk of obesity in "artificial" children is higher.

For better assimilation, cow's milk proteins are split when creating a mixture, whey proteins are added, which are involved in metabolic processes. Milk fat is digested by the child's body on its own, since there is no assistant (lipase) in milk substitutes. The carbohydrate composition of the mixture is as close as possible to mother's milk. The quality product also includes prebiotics, unsaturated fatty acids.

Although manufacturers are trying to develop a formula that would completely repeat the composition of mother's milk, there is no such product yet.

Cow and goat milk

Unadapted cow and goat milk are not suitable for the development of an infant. They do not contain unsaturated fatty acids important for brain development, but they contain a lot of protein that animals need to form muscle fibers. With difficulties in organizing feeding, you need to choose good adapted mixtures, but do not use goat and cow milk.

The benefits of breastfeeding

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Neither mixed nor artificial nutrition has all the benefits that breastfeeding provides. The use of mother's milk has a positive effect on the mood, well-being and development of the crumbs, and has a positive effect on his health in the future. It is sterile, always at the optimum temperature and produced in the amount needed to cover the daily needs of the child.
Benefits for the baby
In addition to the advantages described above, breastfeeding contributes to the crumbs feeling of security and personal security, which lasts for many years. At an older age, this feeling remains, helps to reduce aggressiveness and increases adaptation in society. Breastfeeding allows for bite formation and reduces the risk of early dental problems.

Breast sucking allows you to form an excellent correct bite
Benefits for a premature baby
Mother's milk is necessary for premature babies whose digestive system suffers from a lack of essential enzymes. It begins to be produced ahead of time - immediately after childbirth, contains an increased amount of protein, fat, promotes active weight gain and protects the baby from infections.
Preterm infants who are breastfed are less likely to be diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis and pathological changes in the intestinal microflora.
If the baby is being fed through a tube, it is recommended to breastfeed if possible. Sucking will stimulate the mother's lactation, speed up the emptying of the baby's stomach and help him gain weight.
Benefits for Mom
In the postpartum period, oxytocin and prolactin are produced during lactation. The hormone oxytocin prevents postpartum hemorrhage and helps the uterus return to its previous size within 2 months. Prolactin calms the nervous system, allows you to relax during feeding.
Breastfeeding moms don't need to carry bottles around, so being away from home becomes more comfortable. All you need is to drink the right amount of water, eat right, and wear comfortable clothes that will allow you to feed your baby when needed.
Menstruation to a nursing mother does not come immediately, but this is not a 100% guarantee against pregnancy. If there is no next pregnancy in the plans, it is important to take care of contraception. If you follow the right diet, the young mother will not get better, but even lose the weight accumulated during pregnancy.

The only food and drink that a baby needs, even on a walk, is mother's milk.
Benefits for dad
Dad's support is one of the components of harmony in the family. Understanding the benefits of breastfeeding for spouse and child, he can adequately respond to attempts by loved ones to sabotage efforts to establish lactation. Night feedings will not bother the head of the family, he will not have to help his wife with boiling bottles and preparing the mixture.
Among other things, babies have a pleasant milky smell, which "artists" are deprived of. Their stools are soft, devoid of a pungent odor, and even a squeamish dad will master the change of diapers. For safety reasons, parents do not need to take the baby to their bed - it is better for mom to get up when he cries and feed on demand.
Memo to a young mother: how to breastfeed the first six months
The first food of a newborn is colostrum. It saturates, has a beneficial effect on the immune system and the gastrointestinal tract of the baby. Within 3-4 days after birth, milk begins to arrive. During this period, the mother needs to choose comfortable positions for feeding, learn how to attach the baby (we recommend reading:) to the chest. Questions that will definitely arise during feeding should be asked to the doctor. Answers to many of them can be obtained in the memo, which describes the features of feeding up to six months.

1 month
At this time, it is important for the mother to apply the baby to the breast from 8 to 15 times a day (on demand). Some of the babies suck for more than half an hour. Someone, on the contrary, spends 10 minutes at the breast and falls asleep, but after an hour he demands to eat again. For the first month, it is important for a mother to adapt to the regimen of a newborn, and not vice versa.
2 month
At the age of two months, the baby should also receive milk or breasts for soothing on demand. Some experts argue that intervals between feedings should be introduced at 4 hours. This is unacceptable because the child's diet remains chaotic. 2-3 months after giving birth, the mother may experience a decrease in the amount of milk (lactation crisis). You should not follow the lead of relatives and switch to cow's milk or formula. To overcome the situation will allow the regimen and consultation of a specialist in feeding.
3-4 month
During this period, the time intervals between feedings increase, as the baby has its own routine. If the baby is being fed on demand, there is no need for complementary foods and bottled water. According to WHO, up to 6 months, a baby does not need anything other than mother's milk.

At 3-4 months, the interval between feedings increases, but the baby still eats only milk.
5 month
The baby is growing up, but mother's milk is still his only food. Feeding becomes more rare and longer, the mother does not need to often interrupt her night's sleep. During this period, kids are interested in what adults eat. Parents, in turn, perceive this as a signal to start complementary foods. WHO recommends waiting a little, postponing cereals, juices, vegetables and fruit purees for up to 6 months.
6 month
Favorable time to get acquainted with new tastes. Complementary foods are introduced after agreement with the pediatrician, starting with cereals, hypoallergenic vegetables, fermented milk products. During this period, it also becomes necessary to supplement the baby with a bottle or spoon. Every month, the baby's diet becomes wider, but breastfeeding continues. By the age of one, mom can gradually reduce the number of attachments if she plans to wean the baby from the breast.
How much milk does a baby need?
A baby who has enough mother's milk gains about 600 grams of weight every month. He is active, and the number of urinations since the middle of the first month is 12 per day (wet diaper test). If the mother is concerned about the lack of weight of the baby, you need to find out how much he ate during feeding, weighing on an electronic scale before and after applying will help. Distant milk is more nutritious: if the baby has not completely sucked out the breast, he will feel hungry much earlier. Before you give him a second breast, it is important to make sure that there is no milk in the first one.

You can find out if the baby has enough milk by the results of the control weighing
Until what age should you breastfeed your baby?
According to the WHO, the minimum duration of breastfeeding is 6 months if there is no reason to introduce formula early. In the first 6 months after birth, mother's milk is the only food for the baby. It is recommended to supplement with water only in the heat, in order to prevent dehydration.
There are no definitive recommendations on the question of what age to breastfeed. A number of experts advise to continue up to 2 years, their opponents are convinced that 12 months is enough. In countries with an unstable economy and the risk of the spread of infectious diseases, babies are fed up to 1.5-2 years. After a year, mother's milk changes its composition, becomes more nutritious, helps to create a reliable barrier against infectious pathogens in the child's body.
lactation and physiology
Over time, the mother's milk production decreases. Approximately after 2.5-3 years, the mammary glands involute (they return to the “pre-pregnancy” state). Moms who want to experience the maximum benefits of breastfeeding can keep babies until they wean themselves or until milk production is complete.

After about 2.5-3 years, lactation ends on its own (see also:)
Difficulties during breastfeeding
The disadvantages of breastfeeding are related to the discomfort of the mother. She will have to follow a diet and regimen, give the crumbs most of her time. When milk overflows, tingling and soreness may occur in the glands, which will require additional pumping, since the baby will not be able to suck from the swollen heavy breast.
Sometimes the nipples of a nursing mother crack, which is accompanied by inflammation and pain during feeding. This can be prevented by regular breast care and the use of a cream based on lanolin and panthenol after each feeding. Many mothers are afraid that the breast will lose its shape, but this depends only on the individual characteristics of the body.
During lactation, the mother's body experiences a lack of vitamins and minerals. Nature is arranged in such a way that the rule “first to the baby, then to yourself” applies. In order not to lose teeth, maintain skin elasticity and hair shine, you need to ask the doctor to prescribe a vitamin-mineral complex. If a nursing mother is sick, the selection of drugs for treatment is also entrusted to the doctor, since many drugs contain substances that are passed into breast milk.

If a nursing mother is sick, only a doctor should prescribe her medicines.
Cons of formula feeding for a baby
The reasons why mothers switch to artificial feeding are different. However, it is important to remember that good adapted mixtures are expensive, and it is not always possible to choose the most suitable product in terms of composition. Other disadvantages of artificial feeding include:
allergic reactions to the components of the mixture;
low resistance of the baby to infections;
weak emotional connection with mother;
increased risk of anemia, obesity, allergization;
violation of the formation of intestinal microflora.

Not a single competent specialist will advise switching to mixtures, if there are no good reasons for that. Insufficient lactation cannot be a reason for not breastfeeding (see also:

Natural feeding of children is a unique process that can still be considered a natural phenomenon. Only breastfeeding can ensure the correct, completely natural and harmonious development of the baby. However, for many modern mothers, the benefits of breastfeeding are not as noticeable as the disadvantages.

Reasons against formula feeding

In most cases, women choose to formula feed their baby not because they cannot breastfeed, but because they find this method of feeding more convenient for them. At the same time, many young mothers do not understand that by doing so they not only deprive their child of proper nutrition, but also create many problems and troubles for themselves: not a single artificial mixture is able to provide the baby with such reliable health support and protection from diseases as mother's milk.

No pediatrician will recommend formula feeding a baby unless there are serious contraindications to breastfeeding. Even insufficient lactation is not a reason for not breastfeeding children. Full-fledged milk production in sufficient volumes does not begin immediately after the birth of a child, but only after two weeks. There are many ways to quickly normalize lactation, so in such cases it is very important to re-acquaint yourself with the benefits of breastfeeding and put a little effort into stimulating milk production.

The unique properties of breast milk

Most of the benefits of breastfeeding come from the unique composition of breast milk. The composition of mother's milk is still not fully understood, and many of its components cannot be synthesized. For example, the molecular fatty acids required for proper brain development simply cannot be included in a mixture. That is why formula feeding a child cannot be considered a full-fledged replacement for breastfeeding: not a single artificial mixture contains the set of valuable components that is present in breast milk.

The knowledge of most modern mothers about the value of breast milk in most cases is limited to the facts that it contains nutrients and antibodies that create immunity for the baby in the first six months of his life. However, not every woman knows that the composition of breast milk is constantly changing, adjusting to the developing body of the child.

The most amazing thing is that breast milk changes its composition in such a way as to satisfy the individual needs of the child - throughout the entire lactation, milk of the exact composition that the baby needs and is vital for his health and proper development is produced at any given moment.

So, in women who gave birth to premature babies, the composition of milk during the first two weeks is as close as possible to colostrum, which supports the baby's body. And in mothers who have given birth to twins, milk may differ in composition in different mammary glands.

In the last stages of lactation, milk becomes similar to colostrum, and the level of immunoglobulins in it rises to the maximum in order to give the baby as many antibodies as possible, which will protect him for another six months after breastfeeding is stopped. It is clear that when feeding a child with a mixture, it is impossible to achieve the same effect.

Benefits of breastfeeding for baby

Mother's milk is the ideal food for a newborn. It contains all the substances it needs (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, essential amino acids), and in optimal quantities. It is also very important that the benefits of breastfeeding have a delayed effect that extends not only to the first years of a child's life, but will accompany him throughout his life.

Breast milk has an optimal temperature, is completely sterile and has an antimicrobial effect. It is always available for the baby, while formula feeding requires additional efforts and maximum responsibility from parents.

If we compare the natural feeding of children with artificial, then the benefits of breastfeeding will become noticeable in the first months of a baby's life. Breastfed babies are healthier and less prone to various diseases. Babies have better digestion and a much lower risk of infectious diseases and allergic reactions.

Natural feeding of children significantly reduces the risk of many serious diseases. But, as already mentioned, the benefits of breastfeeding do not only appear in infancy. Research confirms that breastfed people are significantly less prone to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma and allergic diseases.

The benefits of breastfeeding are also shown in better development: such children have better memory and vision, as well as higher rates of mental development, which is also confirmed by research.

Benefits of Breastfeeding for the Mother

Some women mistakenly believe that breastfeeding children brings only inconvenience. However, breastfeeding also has benefits for the mother. Here are the benefits of breastfeeding that a breastfeeding woman receives:

In nursing mothers, postpartum bleeding passes faster and the risk of anemia is significantly reduced.
During feeding, calories are burned and excess fat accumulated during pregnancy is consumed, so it is much easier for a nursing woman to lose extra pounds and restore her figure.
Studies confirm that women who choose to breastfeed have a reduced risk of developing ovarian and cervical cancer, as well as several types of breast cancer, and the longer breastfeeding lasts, the more this protection becomes.
Nursing mothers cope better with stress, as during lactation, the release of hormones responsible for stressful conditions is suppressed.
Breastfeeding women are less likely to get sick - this advantage of breastfeeding is not only a protection that ensures the good health of the baby, but is also very important for modern working mothers.
Savings is another undoubted advantage of breastfeeding. Mother's milk is always available and does not require preparation before feeding, and this saves not only money, but also time and effort for parents.

Finally, breastfeeding strengthens the emotional bond between mother and baby. During feeding, not only the physiological needs of the child are satisfied, but also his need for close communication with the mother, which significantly improves the psychological and emotional health of the baby. And it is also believed that mothers who breastfeed their children later understand them better.

It benefits not only the baby himself, but his mother - few people know. On the contrary, it is often believed that breastfeeding is a special kind of maternal feat, when a mother sacrifices her health for the health of her child... In fact, breastfeeding is a completely natural part of a woman's reproductive cycle, a mandatory continuation of pregnancy and childbirth. Early termination of breastfeeding can cause problems due to disruption of the biological program of the body, but continued feeding, on the contrary, brings with it a number of benefits due to the hormonal stabilization of the mother's body.

So what are the benefits of breastfeeding for moms?

Postponing a new pregnancy . Breastfeeding affects female fertility, that is, the ability to conceive. The more often a mother feeds, the higher the level of the hormone prolactin in her body, and prolactin suppresses the production of hormones responsible for ovulation. Breastfeeding provides effective protection against the occurrence of a new pregnancy, when the mother breastfeeds exclusively at the first request of the child, 10 times or more during the day, with one maximum interval between feedings of no more than five hours. If at the same time the use of pacifiers and bottles is excluded, daytime feedings are not regulated and nighttime feedings are not limited, then in the first three months of feeding the probability of pregnancy is virtually zero, and in the next three months - less than 2%.

After the baby is six months old, breastfeeding gives less guarantee that a new pregnancy will not occur. At this age, babies begin to receive complementary foods, but if the baby continues to be breastfed frequently in combination with complementary foods, then the mother is partially protected from the onset of a new pregnancy.

It is especially important for the mother's body to start feeding immediately after childbirth and carry it out at the request of the child. During breastfeeding, the active action of the hormone oxytocin helps to restore strength after childbirth, the rapid contraction of the uterus and stop postpartum bleeding. That is why mothers who often breastfeed their babies are much less likely to experience such a postpartum complication as endometritis.

Further breastfeeding directly contributes to maintaining a good figure. In the first six months of feeding, a woman’s weight can sometimes increase regardless of her diet, but then the accumulated fats begin to be actively consumed, and the longer the mother feeds, the more her weight decreases. Weight is especially actively shed when feeding a baby at the age of 6-9 months - usually at this time a woman returns to the forms that she had before pregnancy, and then, due to the active burning of fat deposits on her hips, she can even become even slimmer! Excess weight rarely lasts the entire lactation period and, if it does happen, it most often indicates an unbalanced menu or hormonal problems.

The breastfeeding mother improves bone mineralization and reduces the incidence of osteoporosis , because thanks to the appropriate hormones, when breastfeeding, the mother’s body absorbs calcium better. And thanks to the long absence of menstruation, due to which the body loses iron along with the blood, a nursing mother is better protected from iron deficiency anemia.

❧ Fact: It is enough to breastfeed for only 9 months to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis by 25%!

Breastfeeding seriously protects a woman from cancer. Firstly, the risk of ovarian cancer is reduced (20% less with each birth if the baby has been breastfed for at least two months). Secondly, the risk of breast cancer is very seriously reduced: a mother who has brought up three children is half as likely to ever get breast cancer as a woman who has lactated for less than six months in her entire life. To the delight of supporters of long-term feeding, the same effect is observed if the mother fed at least one child for more than 13 months. Other studies have concluded that the risk of breast cancer decreases by 7% with each pregnancy and by 4.3% with each month of breastfeeding.

The duration of breastfeeding is directly related to health after menopause. . A large University of Pittsburgh study of nearly 140,000 women's medical records found that even those who breastfed for just one month had lower rates of blood cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension. In women who breastfed for more than a year, the risk of diabetes was already reduced by 20%, hypertension by 12%, high blood cholesterol by 19%, and the risk of heart attack or stroke was reduced by 9%.

There are also some psychological benefits. . Breastfeeding has a very strong effect on the character of the woman herself, making her softer and more sensitive, and especially on her relationship with the baby. Breastfeeding, during which both mother and her baby enter into a complex hormonal interaction, quickly contributes to the formation of a close, tender relationship between them. Of course, the mom who bottle feeds her baby loves her too. And at the same time, both foreign and the most modern Russian studies are unambiguous: the levels of maternal care and anxiety, the degree of response to the baby's needs, the accuracy of the mother's intuitive behavior, the degree of reaction to a real or potential threat to the crumbs and the joy of a long communication - all this is determined primarily by breastfeeding. With each breastfeeding, when mother and baby look at each other with tenderness and love, an invisible thread of mutual affection is born and becomes stronger between them.

Of course, there are very different mothers among those who are breastfeeding and among those who have chosen artificial feeding. But even the World Health Organization explicitly writes in its recommendations that breastfeeding mothers are generally more affectionate towards their babies. They complain much less about situations when the child requires attention and night feedings. Finally, breastfeeding mothers are much less likely to abandon or abuse their children. The feelings of closeness and love that breastfeeding evokes and sustains help mothers feel more positive about their babies at any time in their lives. Probably, this becomes especially noticeable and important at a time when a baby older than a year old begins to subject parents to irrational demands and emotional outbursts that are incomprehensible to him.

Since a nursing mother always has the best way of calming literally at hand, during this difficult time she has a much easier time psychologically.

Finally, prolonged breastfeeding also has more delayed positive effects. As foreign and Russian studies have shown, children who have been fed for more than a year show much fewer behavioral problems at school and adolescence. According to both mothers and teachers, long-fed children are less likely than others to behave rudely in the family and at school. So, breastfeeding now, mom saves herself both health and nerves for many, many years!

Benefits of breastfeeding for a baby

The nutrients contained in breast milk are ideally suited to the needs of the baby and its digestive capabilities.
Breast milk contains important antibodies, or immunoglobulins, that are passed on to the baby. Thanks to them, the child will be protected from allergies and infectious diseases.
Mother's milk is at the optimum temperature and always meets the needs of the baby.
The sucking movements themselves during breastfeeding contribute to the development of the tongue, palate and facial muscles of the child.
Breastfeeding promotes mental development: Breastfed babies have an IQ level three points higher than formula-fed babies. This is due to the presence of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) in breast milk. And the iron contained in milk supports the formation of many neurotransmitters and, therefore, also affects the active mental development of the child.
Another advantage of breastfeeding is the close tactile contact between the baby and mother. The baby, being next to his mother, feels safe. In addition, a feeling of affection develops between a woman and a child during breastfeeding.