The Importance of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the best foundation for a healthy life for children and has advantages for mothers and babies’ health & well-being. Breastfeeding also benefits the entire family and society economically. Human milk supplies specific nutrients, both in size and maturity, that children need to grow. The immune molecules, called antibodies, present in the human milk protects your newborn from illness. The immune system of your body makes antibodies that help you fight each disease and illness. Newborn’s immune system will be very much immature to fight illness-causing germs. So breastfeeding is necessary as it gives immunity power to babies to fight illness and to those which the mother has been exposed.

Until the babies are about six months of age, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended, with the implementation of suitable supplementary feeding other than breastmilk. Babies should be fed with breastmilk until they are about six months old with suitable supplementary feeding. In addition to uninterrupted breastfeeding until 12 months, it can be carried on beyond that depending on baby’s and mother’s desire.

Breastfeeding benefits babies more than anyone. There are a lot of benefits to babies, even more than we can list. Some of the main benefits of breastmilk feeding are reduced risk of gastrointestinal infections like diarrhoea, atopic diseases including asthma, middle ear infections, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, obesity in childhood and later, Type 1 & type 2 diabetes, childhood cancer and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

According to the recommendations, all health employees have a duty to encourage, support and promote breastfeeding. Health workers, however, should identify that any breastfeeding has a lot of benefits for both mother & baby. Breastfeeding is a standard physiological process. However, it is an ability or skill which the mother and baby should practice and it may require assistance. The assistance and encouragement of partners, families and health care providers are required. Mothers who rejoin the workforce also need their colleagues to support them.

Breastfeeding also has several physical benefits to the mother such as a reduced rate of breast cancer, cervical cancer and ovarian cancer. Even if the normal supply of food and water are not available, still a breastfeeding mother can feed their child during stressful conditions. Breastfeeding helps women to lose weight after giving birth. It reduces the risk of mothers with gestational diabetes developing type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.

Breastfeeding is economical & environmentally friendly as it leaves no waste products or no carbon footprint. It won’t cost you a penny and it helps in decreasing the risk of illness which results in reduced healthcare costs.

Researches show that for many years the immune system of your child will not be fully mature. Baby will be shielded by breastfeeding while the immune system is developing, and it grows rapidly too. Does it imply that children never get sick? No, they can and do. However, the illness will be less severe and less durable than if the child were not given the necessary nutrition through the mother’s milk. So don’t hesitate to give the most healthy food they deserve, the breastmilk. Because breastfeeding is never a choice, it’s a responsibility.