Health Benefits of Baby & Mother
Breastfeeding decreases the risk of a number of diseases in both mothers and babies. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends efforts to promote breastfeeding.
Early breastfeeding is associated with fewer nighttime feeding problems.
Early skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby improves
breastfeeding outcomes, increases cardio-respiratory stability and
decreases infant crying.
Reviews from 2007 found numerous benefits. Breastfeeding aids general
health, growth and development in the infant. Infants who are not
breastfed are at mildly increased risk of developing acute and chronic
diseases, including lower respiratory infection, ear infections, bacteremia, bacterial meningitis, botulism, urinary tract infection and necrotizing enterocolitis.Breastfeeding may protect against sudden infant death syndrome, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, lymphoma, allergic diseases, digestive diseases and may enhance cognitive development.
Growth
The average breastfed baby doubles its birth weight in 5 to 6 months.
By one year, a typical breastfed baby weighs about 2½ times its birth
weight. At one year, breastfed babies tend to be leaner than formula-fed
babies, which improves long-run health.
The Davis Area Research on Lactation, Infant Nutrition and Growth
(DARLING) study reported that breastfed and formula-fed groups had
similar weight gain during the first 3 months, but the breastfed babies
began to drop below the median beginning at 6 to 8 months and were
significantly lower weight than the formula-fed group between 6 and 18
months. Length gain and head circumference values were similar between
groups, suggesting that the breastfed babies were leaner.
Infections
Breast milk contains several anti-infective factors such as bile salt stimulated lipase (protecting against amoebic infections) and lactoferrin (which binds to iron and inhibits the growth of intestinal bacteria).
Infants who are exclusively breastfed for the first six months are less likely to die of gastrointestinal infections than infants who switched from exclusive to partial breastfeeding at three to four months.
During breastfeeding, approximately 0.25–0.5 grams per day of secretory IgA antibodies pass to the baby via milk.This is one of the important features of colostrum. The main target for these antibodies are probably microorganisms in the baby's intestine. The rest of the body displays some uptake of IgA, but this amount is relatively small.
Maternal vaccinations while breastfeeding is safe for almost all
vaccines. Additionally, the mother's immunity obtained by vaccination
against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough and influenza can protect the baby from these diseases, and breastfeeding can reduce fever rate after infant immunization. However, smallpox and yellow fever vaccines increase the risk of infants developing vaccinia and encephalitis.
Mortality
Babies who are not breastfed are almost six times more likely to die
by the age of one month than those who receive at least some breast milk.
Diabetes
Infants exclusively breastfed have less chance of developing diabetes mellitus type 1 than those with a shorter duration of breastfeeding. Breastfed infants appear to have a lower likelihood of developing diabetes mellitus type 2 later in life.Breastfeeding is also associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes among mothers who practice it.
Childhood obesity
The protective effect of breastfeeding against obesity is consistent, though small, across many studies. A 2013 longitudinal study reported less obesity at ages two and four years among infants who were breastfed for at least four months.
Allergic diseases
In children who are at risk for developing allergic diseases (defined as at least one parent or sibling having atopy), atopic syndrome can be prevented or delayed through 4-month exclusive breastfeeding, though these benefits may not persist.
Other health effects
Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
Breastfeeding or introduction of gluten while breastfeeding don't protect against celiac disease among at-risk children. Breast milk of healthy human mothers who eat gluten-containing foods presents high levels of non-degraded gliadin (the main gluten
protein). Early introduction of traces of gluten in babies to
potentially induce tolerance doesn't reduce the risk of developing
celiac disease. Delaying the introduction of gluten does not prevent,
but is associated with a delayed onset of the disease.
About 19% of leukemia cases may be prevented by breastfeeding for six months or longer.
Breastfeeding may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease in later life, as indicated by lower cholesterol and C-reactive protein levels in breastfed adult women.Breastfed infants have somewhat lower blood pressure later in life, but it is unclear how much practical benefit this provides.
A 1998 study suggested that breastfed babies have a better chance of
good dental health than formula-fed infants because of the developmental
effects of breastfeeding on the oral cavity and airway. It was thought that with fewer malocclusions, breastfed children may have a reduced need for orthodontic intervention. The report suggested that children with a well rounded, "U-shaped" dental arch, which is found more commonly in breastfed children, may have fewer problems with snoring and sleep apnea in later life. A 2016 review found that breastfeeding protected against malocclusions.
Intelligence
It is unclear whether breastfeeding improves intelligence later in life. Several studies found no relationship after controlling for confounding factors like maternal intelligence (smarter mothers were more likely to breastfeed their babies).
However, other studies concluded that breastfeeding was associated with
increased cognitive development in childhood, although the cause may be
increased mother–child interaction rather than nutrition.
Mother
Breastfeeding aids maternal physical and emotional health. Breastfeeding and depression in the mother are associated. Mothers who successfully breastfeed are less likely to develop postpartum depression.
Maternal bond
Hormones released during breastfeeding help to strengthen the maternal bond.Teaching partners how to manage common difficulties is associated with higher breastfeeding rates. Support for a breastfeeding mother can strengthen familial bonds and help build a paternal bond.
Fertility
Exclusive breastfeeding usually delays the return of fertility through lactational amenorrhea, although it does not provide reliable birth control. Breastfeeding may delay the return to fertility for some women by suppressing ovulation. Mothers may not ovulate,
or have regular periods, during the entire lactation period. The
non-ovulating period varies by individual. This has been used as natural
contraception, with greater than 98% effectiveness during the first six
months after birth if specific nursing behaviors are followed.
Hormonal
Breastfeeding releases beneficial hormones into the mother's body.Oxytocin and prolactin hormones relax the mother and increase her nurturing response.This hormone release can help to enable sleep. Breastfeeding soon after
birth increases the mother's oxytocin levels, making her uterus contract more quickly and reducing bleeding. Pitocin, a synthetic hormone used to make the uterus contract during and after labour, is structurally modelled on oxytocin. Syntocinon, another synthetic oxytocic, is commonly used in Australia and the UK rather than Pitocin.
Weight loss
It is unclear whether breastfeeding causes mothers to lose weight after giving birth.
Reduced cancer risk
For breastfeeding women, long-term health benefits include reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer.
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