Benefits of Breastfeeding
When a woman becomes pregnant, or is just beginning to think about becoming pregnant, there are many decisions she considers: What kind of birth will she have? Who will attend her birth? What kind of equipment will she need? The list is endless. One of those decisions is how she will feed the baby. This decision is more than a lifestyle choice. There are significant differences between babies who are breastfed and those who are not. Often overlooked in the decision process are the benefits of breastfeeding for mother, father, and the community as well. So what are these benefits? How does choosing to breastfeed make a difference?
For Baby
Breastfeeding is how the human baby is meant to be fed. It provides milk made specifically for the baby, with all the nutrients a new baby needs and in exactly the right proportions, whether the baby comes on its due date or weeks ahead of time. Human milk digests more completely and easily than breast milk substitutes. Because the baby is not exposed to foreign proteins, the risk of allergies also is much lower.
A human baby needs food that promotes brain growth. By the time she is grown, she will be able to do a variety of complicated actions, from tying shoes and buttoning a shirt to driving a car and balancing a check book. No other mammal can accomplish these things. Decosohexanoic acid (DHA) and aracghidonic acid (AA) play important roles in the development of the eyes and the brain. Colostrum, the first milk a baby receives, contains high concentrations of readily available DHA and AA at a time when large amounts of fatty acids accumulate in the central nervous system and the retina. DHA and AA also contribute to the development of language skills and higher IQ.
The antibodies and immunities in human milk protect the baby against a myriad of illnesses from the common cold to cancer. Babies who are breastfed are less likely to contract respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses, ear infections, colitis, and diabetes. Sometimes babies who are older and taking solid foods will reject food and increase their nursing, as if they knew this was good medicine for them and easier on their tummies.
Because babies breastfeed when they are hungry and stop when they are full, they have a much lower risk of becoming obese when they get older. Some mothers worry that they can’t measure what a baby gets when they are breastfeeding. As long as the baby is having plenty of wet and dirty diapers, parents can be sure he is getting plenty to eat in just the right amounts for him to grow at a healthy rate, without the temptation to “finish” a certain amount.
For Mother
Immediately after birth, the baby’s suckling causes the release of hormones that contract the uterus, helping to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and helping a mother’s uterus to return more quickly to its non-pregnant state. If a mother is fully nursing without offering complimentary foods or pacifiers, the return of her periods is delayed. This reduces concerns about anemia and delays a return to fertility, helping with spacing of children. The added calories a mother burns from producing milk help her lose pregnancy weight more quickly. For the mother who has a history of diabetes, studies show blood sugar levels are lower. Breastfeeding mothers also have a higher level of HDL, the “good” cholesterol, which results in a lowered risk of heart attack. Breastfeeding also results in stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis.
The risk of developing breast cancer, as well as cancer of the uterus and ovaries, is dramatically reduced. The benefits are cumulative, increasing the longer a mother breastfeeds over the course of her reproductive lifetime, up to as much as 11 to 25 percent reduced risk.
There are psychological benefits for mother as well. Breastfeeding provides a unique interaction between mother and baby. Prolactin, a hormone released while breastfeeding, has a calming effect, and mothers who breastfeed have a lowered incidence of postpartum depression. Mothers who breastfeed spend no time preparing the milk or cleaning up afterward. It is always ready and at the right temperature. This is a big bonus for nighttime feedings.
For Father
Having a healthy baby is a benefit for every father. The cost savings — breastfeeding is free after all — are significant. Depending on the type of breast milk substitute, a family with a breastfed child can save anywhere from $1,600 to $6,000 a year.
Often a father may feel there is no role for him if the baby is breastfed. There are many ways a father can participate in the care of his baby outside of feeding. Fathers have bigger hands and broader chests than mothers, which can make burping an easier task for them. Hearing a father’s deeper voice through his chest can often lull a baby to sleep more quickly than a mother’s voice can. Fathers play differently than mothers do, too.
Fathers appreciate the convenience of being able to pick up and go somewhere without having to pack anything extra for baby. Breast milk is always ready to feed, at the right temperature, and in a clean, attractive container.
For the Community
Breastfeeding is good for the environment. Breastfeeding results in less waste and pollution. It requires no consumption of natural resources, such as grazing land, metals and paper for packaging, heat for preparation, or fuel for transport, and there is less waste in disposal. It frees up health care resources because breastfed babies have fewer illnesses requiring doctor visits, prescriptions, or hospitalizations. Breast milk is never recalled for contaminants and is exposed to far less toxins than breast milk substitutes.
Breastfeeding is a unique and priceless gift to a family and the world. The benefits of breastfeeding make a significant difference for baby, parents, and the community at large.
