Breastfeeding Benefits and Facts: The Best Ways to Feed Your Baby
If you’ve recently given birth, you want to know how you can give your newborn baby the optimal care and treatment. One of the first decisions you’ll have to make when caring for your new baby is whether you should opt for breastfeeding or formula feeding. You may have heard that breastfeeding is considered the healthier option for your child. However, what you may not know is that choosing to breastfeed can benefit the mother just as much as the child. Here are some of the main ways that nourishing your child with the best bottles for breastfed babies can enhance your well-being as well as that of your newborn.
Breastfeeding Provides Essential Nutrients
One of the main positive effects of breastfeeding is the high nutrient content of breast milk. By choosing to breastfeed your baby, you can provide her with the vitamins and minerals that she needs to thrive during the formative months. In the first few days after giving birth, the fluid that comes out of the breasts is known as colostrum. This special kind of milk, which has a yellowish hue and a thick consistency, is packed with vital nutrients for your baby. The high protein and low sugar content of this fluid are also essential to the development of your newborn’s digestive system.
As your baby matures, the contents of your breast milk adapt to the child’s evolving needs. This type of milk also contains antibodies, which are proteins in the blood that are created to fight off viruses and bacteria. When these antibodies are passed down to your baby, they can help her stay safe from various illnesses. Formula, on the other hand, doesn’t supply your newborn with any antibodies. As a result, formula-fed children may become prone to various infections and other health complications.
Breastfeeding Helps You and Your Child Maintain a Healthy Weight
This benefit of breastfeeding applies to both you and your baby. As your child gets older, she may have a lower risk of obesity if she has been breastfed. According to studies, breastfeeding can decrease the risk of childhood obesity by 15 to 30 percent, while formula feeding displays no positive effects related to promoting a healthy weight. This is primarily due to the fact that breast milk contains high levels of leptin, a hormone that plays a major role in supporting metabolism. The longer you breastfeed your baby, the better chance you have of helping her develop a healthy weight.
When you choose to breastfeed your child, you also benefit from the effects of breast milk. Studies have shown that women who breastfeed are often able to burn fat more easily after about three months of secreting milk. When compared to mothers who choose formula feeding, breastfeeding mothers generally have an easier time shedding pounds and maintaining a healthy weight.
Breastfeeding Helps You Save Money
Unlike formula, breast milk doesn’t cost you a penny. While you may need supplemental materials to support your breastfeeding, such as a nursing bra, the act of breastfeeding is completely free. Formula, on the other hand, isn’t only a less nutritious option—it’s also a much more costly one. You may end up paying hundreds of dollars per month exclusively on formula, which can add up to over a thousand dollars per year. Saving this much money by breastfeeding allows you to spend it on other necessities for your child, such as food, diapers, and clothing.
Breastfeeding Reduces Your Risk of Disease
Not only does choosing to breastfeed give you a healthier child, but it also makes you a healthier mom. Feeding your baby with breast milk helps to reduce your risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The milk-delivery system in your breast becomes altered after you breastfeed, allowing it to enhance many aspects of your health. One of the most notable ways in which your milk-delivery system supports your health is by shielding your breasts from precancerous cells. As a result, your risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer significantly declines.
Boost the Health of You and Your Child With Breastfeeding
The benefits of using breast milk are priceless. From weight to digestive health, numerous aspects of your overall well-being are supported by feeding your baby naturally. Additionally, choosing breastfeeding over formula feeding grants you the opportunity to develop a closer relationship with your child. This bond is something that makes every second of breastfeeding well worth it.
Resources— Healthline, Parents, The Washington Post
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