Importance of Breastfeeding your child

Breast milk provides optimal nutrition for babies. It has the right amount of nutrients, is easily digested, and is readily available. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding until the baby is 2 years old.

Breastfeeding benefits for baby

1. Breast milk provides ideal nutrition for babies: The Best Gynaecologist in Jaipur recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months or much longer. During the first days after birth, mothers’ breasts produce thick and yellowish fluid called colostrum. It is high in protein, low in sugar and loaded with beneficial compounds. Colostrum is the ideal first milk and helps the new born’s digestive tract develop. After the first few days, the breasts start producing larger amounts of milk as the baby’s stomach grows.

2. Breast milk contains important antibodies: Breast milk is loaded with antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria, which is critical in those tender, early months.

3. Breast milk promotes baby’s healthy weight: Breastfeeding promotes healthy weight gain and helps prevent childhood obesity. Babies fed breast milk also have more leptin in their systems than formula-fed babies. Leptin is important for regulating appetite and fat storage.

Breastfeeding benefits for mothers

1. Breastfeeding helps you lose weight: Breastfeeding does burn more calories, and after 3 months of lactation, mothers can experience an increase in fat burning compared to non-lactating mothers.

2. Breastfeeding helps the uterus contract: During pregnancy, uterus grows immensely. After delivery, the uterus goes through a process called involution, which helps it to return to its previous size.Your body secretes high amounts of oxytocin during labour to help deliver the baby and reduce bleeding. Oxytocin also increases during breastfeeding. It encourages uterine contractions and reduces bleeding, helping the uterus return to its previous size.

Best gynaecologist hospital in Jaipur have health experts who suggest that mothers who breastfeed regularly have less blood loss after delivery and faster involution of the uterus.

3. Breastfeeding reduces risk for diseases: Breastfeeding seems to provide with long term health benefits. The total time a woman spends breastfeeding is linked with a reduced risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

Women who breastfeed have a lower risk for:

• high blood pressure
• arthritis
• high blood fats

4. Mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk for depression: Postpartum depression is a type of depression that can develop shortly after childbirth.Women who breastfeed seem less likely to develop postpartum depression, compared to mothers who wean early or do not breastfeed, However, those who experience postpartum depression early after delivery are also more likely to have trouble breastfeeding and do so for a shorter duration.