According to the Recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), breastfeeding should be at least 1 year old for your baby, and preferably for 2 years if possible.
Breast milk is the most natural, safest and most complete natural food for infant growth, it contains all the nutrients and antibodies needed for infant growth, especially breast milk contains 50% fat, in addition to supplying the baby's body heat, but also to meet the baby's brain development needs of fat (60% of the structure of the brain comes from fat); Rich in calcium and phosphorus can make the baby grow tall and strong; Immunoglobulins can effectively prevent and protect infants from infection and chronic diseases; Bifid factors and oligosaccharides can inhibit intestinal pathogen proliferation and aid digestion. In addition, close contact and parent-child relationships with breastfeeding stimulate the baby's brain and mental development.
Breastfeeding enhances mother-child relationships
Breastfeeding stimulates the release of oxytocin in the mother's body. Oxytocin not only stimulates uterine contractions and milk secretion, but also promotes the development of maternal sexual behavior and the formation of intimate relationships between mother and child.
Breast milk is easier to digest than formula
Compared to the milk of other animals, babies are more likely to digest breast milk because human milk contains an enzyme that aids digestion. Compared to milk, breast milk forms softer curds in the baby's stomach and is more quickly assimilated by the body's systems. Although breast milk contains less protein than milk, almost all of it is available to babies. Instead, about half of the protein in milk is excreted from your baby's body as waste. Similarly, breastfed infants absorb iron and zinc better.
Breast milk provides perfect infant and young child nutrition
Human milk is the only superior food for feeding infants and young children, and it is suitable for humans. Choosing any alternative to feeding is a far cry from that. In terms of growth, health, development and all other short- and long-term benefits, breastfed infants and young children should be established as referenced, normative samples.
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer
If all women who were not breastfeeding or who had breastfed for less than 3 months were breastfed for 4-12 months, the chance of breast cancer in premenopausal women was 11% lower than the current probability. If all women with children were breastfed for 24 months or more, the same odds would be reduced by 25 percent. Women who start breastfeeding at an early age are less likely to develop the disease.
The benefits of breastfeeding for mum
1. Breastfeeding is conducive to cultivating a good parent-child relationship. The mother enjoys the satisfaction of motherhood, and the child feels the mother's concern, has a sense of security, and is conducive to the emotional exchange between mother and baby.
2. During breastfeeding, ovulation will be suspended, and the effect of natural contraception can also be achieved, which helps to postpone another pregnancy. Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer and protect the health of the mother.
3. Breastfeeding can promote the contraction of the uterus, help the uterus shrink to its previous size, reduce vaginal bleeding, and prevent anemia.
4. Does not affect the mother's figure, breastfeeding can effectively consume the fat accumulated during pregnancy, can promote the recovery of the figure, and avoid postpartum obesity. Wearing a suitable cotton bra during lactation allows the breasts to be plumped and avoid sagging.
5. Breastfeeding mothers have a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence, especially in matters such as their children's education.
The benefits of breastfeeding for your baby
1. Breast milk contains all the nutrients that babies need and contribute to their development.
2. It is very easy to digest and absorb, and can be effectively used by the baby's body. For babies, the various nutrients of breast milk are not only just right, but because the baby's gastrointestinal digestion and kidney excretion function have not yet developed, they cannot withstand excess protein and minerals. Although the protein and mineral content in breast milk is not as good as that of cow's milk, it can be reconciled into a ratio conducive to absorption, so that the baby's nutrients can be absorbed, but it will not increase the burden of digestion and excretion. Breast milk also has a good ratio of fatty acids, which are not only easily absorbed, but also contain enough essential fatty acids for normal development of babies.
3. There are still enough amino acids and lactose and other substances in breast milk, which have a stimulating effect on the development of the baby's brain.
4. Breast milk not only improves the baby's immunity, protects the baby from infection, prevents diarrhea and respiratory infections, but also reduces the baby's allergy. Infant formula takes breast milk as the standard and imitates the formula "like" breast milk as much as possible, but no matter how it is imitated, some things just can't be imitated. The most typical are a variety of anti-infection factors, such as immunoglobulins, complement, lysolysin, and anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory factors. The most important thing for the baby's immune function is the colostrum (containing antibodies, defecation factors) that is secreted within 7 days after childbirth, and the mother should feed the baby as much as possible.
5. Breastfeeding is more closely related to the development of the baby's personality and the cultivation of parent-child relationship. During breastfeeding, the baby and the mother have skin-to-skin, eye-to-eye contact, which meets the baby's need for warmth, safety, and love.
The social benefits of breastfeeding
1. Economy: If artificial feeding is used, it costs hundreds of yuan or thousands of yuan per month for milk powder, and it is also necessary to buy bottles, pacifiers, etc. Breast milk does not cost money to buy milk powder bottles, which reduces the additional energy and money required by the baby to see a doctor when the baby is sick, reduces the burden of family diseases, and increases the quality of life of parents.
2. Convenient: breast milk hygiene, temperature is suitable, easy to carry, you can breastfeed at any time and anywhere. Eliminate the hassle of milk dispensing, warm milk, washing bottles and nipples.
3. Artificially fed infants need to supplement vitamins and minerals earlier, while breastfed infants do not need or add later.
4. The temperature is suitable and reduces the chance of pollution, and the breastfed child is not susceptible to disease and has good physical fitness.
5. Psychologists have long confirmed that babies who are held more during infancy will not cry when they grow up and are more independent.
6. Breastfeeding mothers are more loving to babies, contribute to the intelligent development of children, cannot abandon or abuse their children, and contribute to family harmony and social stability.
This kind of insistence is beneficial to both the health of breastfeeding mothers and the growth and development of babies. And the risk of breastfeeding is much lower than that of artificially fed milk powder. Even breastfeeding mothers who return to work can still breastfeed through various milking and breast milk preservation methods.