New Mom? Breastfeeding Facts to Help You Get Started
Life with a child will never be an easy one; you will worry a lot because you want the best for them, and it will always be an endless series of questions if you are doing enough for them.
What more if you are a first-time mom caring for a newborn? Everything seems new to you while wanting to give them the best care there is.
Motherhood is a daunting and lifetime adventure. There will always be concerns about your child's health. Don't worry; you will be able to give them the best protection against infections through breast milk.
Breastfeeding not only protects your baby from various common diseases, but it also helps you bond with your baby.
Here are some facts about breastfeeding that could motivate you to start your breastfeeding journey:
Breastmilk Protects Your Child from Infections
Your first milk, colostrum, contains unique proteins that coat your baby's intestinal tract, protecting them from harmful bacteria that could cause infections.
On the other hand, formula milk does not provide your baby the needed antibody protection. A Healthline article said that numerous studies show that babies who are not breastfed are more susceptible to health issues such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and infection.
Breastmilk Promotes Healthy Weight
Studies found that obesity rates are 15 percent to 30 percent lower in babies that were breastfed than formula-fed babies.
Breastfed babies are concluded to have a reduced risk of future obesity by four percent.
Babies who are breastfed are also found to have more leptin in their systems, a key hormone responsible for regulating appetite and fat storage.
Breastmilk Affects Brain Development
Studies suggest that breastfeeding can make babies smarter. It added that breastfed babies have higher intelligence scores and are less likely to have behavioral problems and learning abilities.
Breastfeeding May Help You Lose Weight
Your baby is not the only one who will reap the benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding reportedly burns around 500-600 calories a day.
Women who breastfeed are more likely to lose weight than those who do not breastfeed for three months after delivery.
However, diet and exercise are still the most important factors in losing weight.
Breastfeeding Can Lower Risk of Depression
Aside from losing weight, mothers who also breastfeed are found to have a lower risk of depression. Postpartum depression is a type of depression that affects up to 15 percent of mothers.
This might be because breastfeeding causes hormonal changes. One of the most noticeable changes is the increased amount of oxytocin produced.
Breastfeeding Saves Time and Money
Formula milk can be expensive and can be time-consuming in cleaning and sterilizing bottles. With breastfeeding, you do not have to worry about formula milk, cleaning the bottles, and warming up bottles.
Breastfeeding depends on the mother's choice. But it can help to know that there are certain benefits that you can get from this practice.
The American Academy of Pediatrics supports extended nursing as long as necessary. It is not an issue of how old your child can still be breastfed.
"It's completely appropriate that a mother should avail herself to her infant or toddler. That's in no way damaging to the child," Dr. Lori Winter, of the American Academy of Pediatrics, was quoted in an ABC News report.
Check out:
Alyssa Milano Battles Wendy Williams in Support of Breastfeeding Advocacy
Mexico City's Breastfeeding Campaign Unwittingly Sexualizes Women and Shames Mexican Mothers
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