There’s good reason why the saying ‘breastfeeding is best’ is so popular. Breastfeeding has many benefits for your baby and you – which is why it’s a great idea to try to breastfeed for at least the first six months of your baby’s life.

First days of breast feeding

Straight after birth and for the first few days of breastfeeding, your breast milk is called colostrum. This incredible golden/yellow coloured milk is nutritionally complete and, more importantly, contains essential antibodies to help protect your baby from infections. Colostrum is low in fat and high in protein, too. They only need tiny amounts per feed and have extra brown fat stores to keep them going until your milk supply starts to come through (around day 3). Colostrum is high in carbohydrates, high in protein but low in fat which is why it’s very sticky.

Ongoing benefits for your baby

After the first few days, your breast milk changes. In fact, its complex composition constantly adapts to meet your baby’s developing nutritional and immune requirements.For example, as you come into contact with new infections, your baby will get some immunity from them through your breast milk. Further, breastfeeding may reduce his risk of developing eczema, asthma and allergies later in life; and has been shown to reduce the likelihood of obesity and related conditions such as type 2 diabetes.Oligosaccharides are special carbohydrates found naturally in breast milk. They encourage the growth of friendly bacteria in the digestive system, which can help prevent potentially harmful bacteria from attaching to the wall of the intestines or gut. This supports your baby’s natural defences from the inside.Your baby also needs a continuous supply of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), things like Omega-3 – which are in your breast milk from birth – for the development of his brain, eyes and nervous system. You should eat LCP-rich foods such as oily fish when breastfeeding.

A beautiful bond

Breastfeeding helps cement the connection between mother and child. Holding your baby while he feeds provides intimacy and comfort. Skin-to-skin contact helps to regulate his heart beat and body temperature, too.

Health benefits for you

Breastfeeding is beneficial for mums, too. One study suggests there could be a positive effect on postpartum weight loss for women who breastfeed beyond six months¹. It can also delay the return of your menstrual cycle, which may help maintain your iron levels.Recent studies have found that breastfeeding has a number of other long-term advantages for mums. It’s said to improve metabolism and reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer². Some evidence suggests that extended breastfeeding may also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes³. The benefits are dose related, which means that the more exclusively and the longer you breastfeed, the higher the overall benefits.

References

1. Dewey KG, Heinig MJ, Nommsen LA. Maternal weight-loss patterns during prolonged lactation. Am J Clin Nutr. 1993;58 (2): 162–6.
2. Baby Friendly Initiative. Breastfeeding Research available at: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/news-and-research/baby-friendly-research/maternal-health-research/ovarian-cancer/ and https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/news-and-research/baby-friendly-research/maternal-health-research/maternal-health-research-breast-cancer/
3. Stube A et al. Duration of Lactation and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes. JAMA 2005;294: 2601-2610.

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