The importance of breastfeeding cannot be overemphasized.
Nursing your baby directly from the breast ensures that your baby gets vital nutrients and antibodies needed for survival at the early stage of life.
It also helps to build the necessary bond between mother and child, which is very important for the child’s development.
“Breastfeeding reminds us of the universal truth of abundance; the more we give out, the more we are filled up, and that divine nourishment – the source from which we all draw is, like a mother’s breast, ever full and ever flowing.” -Sarah Buckley
Many mothers know that breastfeeding Is good, but they do not know how really important it is, especially exclusive breastfeeding. So, let’s discuss the importance of breastfeeding.
I will discuss 14 importance of breastfeeding to the mother and the baby, but before that, let’s see some frequently asked questions about breastfeeding.
What Are The Benefits Of Breastfeeding
We hear the words breastfeeding, lactation, nursing, feeding and other related words among the mother’s circle common. Do we even know what it means?
Breastfeeding is the act of feeding an infant from the breasts. It is also called nursing a baby. Lactation is the process of producing and releasing milk that begins during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, hormonal changes in the body stimulate the breast in readiness for breastfeeding. It may start from the early second trimester.
As changes occur in the breasts, the woman may notice fuller breasts, a sensitive nipple, darker areola, and other symptoms.
Some women may start producing breast milk before delivery, but others do not. Breast milk is the primary source of nutrition for an infant.
It contains the right amount of carbohydrates, fats, protein, and a varying amount of vitamins and minerals. Although breast milk can be pumped and fed through a bottle, breastfeeding usually involves feeding directly from the breasts.
When a baby is born, it is advised that the mother puts the baby on the breasts within the first hour after birth as it initiates the sucking reflex.
Why Is It Good For Babies To Be Breastfed?
You may ask, what are the benefits of breastfeeding to babies? After all, there are so many excellent products of infant formula out there.
Yes, the baby formula contains vital nutrients, but formula cannot replace the role of breast milk. Breast milk is specially made by your body for your baby to suit his changing needs.
It’s like you have a table of nice delicacies, including your child’s favorite meal that you prepared. Though these other meals are great, your child will choose his favorite meal because it appeals to him more.
The body makes breast milk tailor-made for every child’s unique needs, and the composition changes depending on the baby’s needs.
But formulas contain a specific composition of nutrients, which may not meet the baby’s specific nutritional needs at times.
Breast milk is also provided, which the formula doesn’t have. The first milk, Colostrum, is super beneficial because it contains all the nutrients, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fats.
Your baby will need these nutrients for the first few days after birth. It also contains antibodies, which help develop your baby’s immune system.
It enables the baby to develop the necessary gut bacteria, helps the baby learn latching techniques and acts as a laxative to release the first stool (meconium).
You can see that breastfeeding is the best choice for your baby so consider making it part of the feeding plan for your child.
Benefits of Breastfeeding For Mom And Baby
Breastfeeding is not only beneficial for your baby, but there are also valuable benefits for the mother. Let’s see some importance of breastfeeding
1. It’s the most suitable meal for an infant
2. It contains all the proper nutrients needed for optimal growth in the first few months of life
3. A natural immunity for the infant
4. Early initiation creates a mother and child bond
5. Aids uterine contraction
6. Reduces the risks of diseases in the mother and the infant
7. Promotes weight loss in the mother
8. Lower risk of postpartum depression
9. It may serve as a natural birth control
10. A hygienic way of feeding
Is Breastfeeding Better Than Formula?
There is so much raving about breastfeeding. Is it better than the formula?
Yes, breastfeeding is better than formula feeding because breastmilk contains just the right amount of nutrients your body needs at times.
Formula as feeding is also cool (especially for mothers with delayed milk flow or C-sections).
The manufacturers of formulas try to replicate breast milk, adding essential nutrients needed for a baby, but there are many things formula can not give a baby.
Like the vital antibodies in the colostrum, the softness and warmth of the mother’s breast give the child a sense of security, and sucking at the nipple helps the baby learn how to latch well and bite.
It may also stimulate the child to start teething early. Do not also forget that breastmilk meets a specific baby’s needs.
Breastmilk composition changes at times to suit the baby’s needs, but formula only contains specific nutrients for the baby.
Breastmilk And Formula Which Is More Convenient?
If you use breastmilk or formula, which is more convenient? The answer depends on individual women’s choices. To some women, breastfeeding is more convenient, and to others, the formula is.
I used both formula and breastmilk to feed my baby, and I think breastfeeding is more convenient than formula feeding.
With breastfeeding, you do not have to go through the hassles of washing and sterilizing bottles, mixing milk, cooling the milk, and all that.
Though, if you are into exclusive breastfeeding, it can be quite tasking because your infant will always demand your time because breastfed infants feed more frequently than infants who feed on formula.
Aside from the fact that your infant will be more demanding, I think breastfeeding is more convenient, especially for a stay-at-home mum.
However, a working mum may feel the formula is more convenient because of work. If you are a working mum, you may decide to combine breastfeeding and formula feeding.
Though I think it would help if you breastfed your baby exclusively for the period when you are on maternity leave.
You should discuss this with your doctor or midwife, which works better if you are in conflict about what to do.
Are Breastfed Babies Healthier?
You may want to know if breastfed babies are healthier. Yes, breastfed generally have few risks of infections and disease and are healthier because breastmilk provides Immunity for the newborn.
This is not to say that formula-fed babies are not healthy; they are, but natural Immunity from breastmilk puts breastfed babies at lesser risk of infection.
Do Breastfed Babies Have A Higher IQ?
Are breastfed babies smarter than formula-fed babies? This is an ongoing debate between moms and sometimes it can be exhausting.
Studies show that babies who exclusively breastfed had higher IQs than those solely fed on formula. They also show better cognitive functions.
This doesn’t mean that has not been exceptions to the rule. As a matter of fact, it is still very possible for a child that was not exclusively breastfed to outsmart a child who was.
Are Breastfed Babies More Clingy?
Not all breastfed babies will be clingy, and some will. Breastfeeding does create a strong bond connection between mother and child, but all babies are different.
My son was breastfed for a year and two months, and he was very clingy. He didn’t want to stop breastfeeding, but gradually I was able to wean him.
I have also heard of a kid who stopped taking breastmilk after 8 months. So all babies are different; a baby feeding with formula can also be very clingy.
It all depends on how you connect with the child and the baby’s personality.
13 Importance Of Breastfeeding For You And Your Baby
We have been discussing the importance of breastfeeding infits. Let’s discuss some of the importance of breastfeeding in more detail.
1. Breast Milk Is The Ideal Meal For Babies
The body is so unique in its function that every time I read or see how the body works, I can’t help but marvel at the creator’s intelligence.
During pregnancy, as several changes occur in the body, the body prepares the breasts for breastfeeding.
After birth, the first breast milk colostrum contains nutrients like protein, glucose, fats and antibodies to protect young infants because they are at higher risk of infection and diseases because their immunity is not fully developed.
The antibody immunoglobulin is one of the antibodies present in breast milk.
It prevents the baby from getting sick easily by forming a protective layer in the baby’s nose, throat, and GI tract, so once the baby becomes exposed to viruses, bacteria, and other infectious agents, the baby does not get sick.
Instead, the baby’s body is stimulated to produce its antibodies in response to the infectious agents.
In a regular formula, you do not get antibodies, so when the baby becomes exposed to contagious agents, he is more likely to fall sick.
2. Reduces The Chances Of Diseases
The importance of breastfeeding is that you are assured of a lesser risk of diseases and other infections in your baby’s body.
Exclusive breastfeeding involves giving only breast milk to your infant for the first six months, with no water, juice, glucose, or any other fluid.
It reduces your child’s exposure to infectious agents as the baby’s immune system is still developing.
Giving the child stuff like glucose, tea, or juice may expose the child to infection, as the cup, tea cup, juice, and teaspoon may have been contaminated because it wasn’t properly sterilized when washing.
However, exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of infections like middle ear infections.
There is a reduced risk of gas intestinal disease and respiratory diseases as breast milk forms a protective barrier in the nose and GI tract preventing infections.
3. Reduces Cold/ Infection
Since there are not many fat tissues around the baby’s skin to reduce cold, breast milk helps prevent the baby from getting a severe cold.
It also reduces the risk of ear-throat infections and childhood leukemia. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of developing type 1 & type 2 diabetes later in life.
Breastfeeding plays a huge role in reducing allergies like sneezing, asthma, skin rashes, eczema, and dermatitis in the infant.
Other diseases/ailments that breastfeeding reduces the risk of are: gut infection, sudden infant death, bowel diseases, reduced dental cavities, fewer speech problems, etc.
The importance of breastfeeding indeed cannot be over-emphasized.
4. Promotes Healthy Weight In Babies
Exclusively breastfed babies tend to self-regulate milk intake compared to bottle-fed babies. If you compare the nipple and the teat of a formula bottle.
The teat is bigger. This makes formula-fed babies always take more in each feed. But breastfed babies are better able to regulate their feeding.
Most times, they stop feeding when they have satisfied their hunger. This is vital to developing healthy eating patterns later in life.
Studies have shown that breastfed babies also have more leptin ( a hormone responsible for regulating appetite). It may be why breastfed babies do not overeat.
Leptin, and with gut bacteria, helps regulate fat storage helping to prevent excess body weight.
Since the composition of breast milk changes depending on the baby’s needs, breast milk may not contain too much glucose when the baby does not need it.
All these are the importance of breastfeeding that helps promote a healthy weight gain in the baby, preventing childhood obesity.
5. Improves IQ And Cognitive Functions
One of the importance of breastfeeding to babies is that they have higher chances of developing a better IQ. Research has shown that breastfeeding has significant positive effects on babies.
For preterm babies, there is an increase in development and growth. Also, breastfed babies have a higher intelligence quotient and reduce learning difficulties.
As the child grows older, he has a lesser chance of developing behavioral problems. Higher IQ and increased developmental rate may be due to the baby getting the right and adequate nutrients early in life.
It may also result from the physical intimacy & touch, eye contact & emotions displayed when breastfeeding. This can stimulate alertness and the use of the senses.
6. Promotes Mother & Child Bonding
This is one of the best importance of breastfeeding. Newborns enjoy the comfort of the womb. So, when they are brought to the outside world, it is normal for the infant to feel scared, unsure & worried.
That is why early initiation of breastfeeding within the first 1hr after birth is vital. It creates a strong bond between mother and child and helps the child to feel safe and secure.
Regular breastfeeding helps strengthen this bond. When my baby was an infant putting on the breast was one of the easiest ways to stop him from crying.
Once I cuddled him a little and put him on my breast, he calmed down almost immediately; this unique communication we used when he had an infant.
While breastfeeding, I always noticed that he looked into my eyes for affirmation, and I would give him a big smile, tickle his feet or give him my arm to grasp.
It became part of our routine almost every time I breastfed him, and he became so fond of me. Indeed there is this unique communication between mother & child when breastfeeding.
I believe breastfeeding is the best time to develop that parent-child bond you so desire, and you build on it from infancy through childhood and adulthood.
7. Helps Women Lose Belly Fat After Pregnancy
The importance of breastfeeding to the mother is to lose belly fat. I know how it feels to look still pregnant, even when you have given birth.
The uterine expansion during pregnancy and the extra baby fat cab increase the tummy size.
In the post on how to lose tummy fat after pregnancy, I wrote ten tips you can use to achieve your pre-pregnancy tuning, and breastfeeding is one of the ways.
As you breastfeed, the hormone oxytocin is released, which helps the uterus to contract & reduces bleeding. So, the longer you breastfeed, the more chances you get your flat tummy back.
Extended breastfeeding helped me to a great extent to reduce body fat after delivery. So, you may consider exclusive breastfeeding for six months.
You could also consider breastfeeding your infant for a year and more, even when giving complementary foods, because your body uses more fat to nourish your baby and produce breast milk.
This is a benefit of breastfeeding for mom & baby.
8. Helps With Weight Loss
Another importance of breastfeeding to the mother is to lose body fat gained during pregnancy.
During the first three months of breastfeeding, most women who breastfeed experience weight loss compared to non-breastfeeding mothers.
Why is this, the frequent feeding will leads to more milk production. To produce milk, the body will use some fat stores in the body.
So, you have a greater chance to burn out excess fat and calories from the body. Also, breastfeeding helps keep you active because you will always have to feed the infant.
After the first three months of breastfeeding, weight loss may become slower. So try to watch what you eat as excess junk and sugar stuff are unhealthy for your baby and could also make you gain more weight.
You should eat well an adequate diet containing the right nutrients not only for your health but that for your baby.
Do not skip meals in a bid to lose weight, but instead, practice portion control. You can learn more about this in the post provided here.
Drink lots of fluids and eat water-based fruits like watermelon, cucumber, and oranges. Play with varieties of veggies in your diet; there are tons of delicious recipes you can check out online.
Eating well will replace the nutrients in your body that you lost during delivery and boost your milk supply.
9. Promotes Uterine Contraction
Breastfeeding helps contract the uterus back to its original size after pregnancy. After delivery, it is normal for the uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size gradually.
This is called involution, and the hormone oxytocin produced during pregnancy facilitates this process. Oxytocin is secreted in high amounts during labor.
It is also secreted during breastfeeding. So the earlier you breastfeed, the more prolonged oxytocin secretion, aiding uterine contraction and facilitates lochia flow.
10. May Act As A Natural Contraceptive
Another importance of breastfeeding is to act as a natural contraceptive. The hormone oxytocin produced during breastfeeding suspends menstrual flow in some women.
It is temporary birth control for women who do not see their periods while breastfeeding. It is called the lactation amenorrhea method of Birth control (LAM).
So this is another importance of breastfeeding to women that do not want to go through discomfort during their periods or does not want to find birth control methods after birthing?
Note that the LAM method of Birth control is temporary, and it may not work for all women, so it is advised that you see your Doc/midwife for more professional advice.
11. Reduces The Risk Of Some Diseases In The Mother
Breastfeeding is nature’s way of providing long-term protection against certain diseases and conditions like breast cancer, arthritis, heart disease, urinary tract infections, anemia, etc.
12. Promotes Emotional Health
The hormones oxytocin & prolactin during breastfeeding are natural triggers for positive mood feelings and stress reduction.
So emotionally, it can help boost the mother’s feelings. As a result, women have fewer chances of post-partum depression if they are less stressed and breastfed effectively.
As mentioned earlier, breastfeeding creates a physical bonding between the mother and child. This also has a positive emotional effect on the mother and the child.
I know how contented I always felt when my baby was sucked from my breast. It made me feel content, happy & fulfilled as a mother.
With frequent breastfeeding, mothers also get to learn and understand their baby’s unique individuality and traits; they also know, cue their infants, and sign in case anything is wrong.
This is an importance of breastfeeding because it serves as a useful to trusted caregivers when you are not there to nurse your baby.
13. Saves Time And Money
Another importance of breastfeeding is that it is cost-effective compared to bottle feeding.
If you choose to feed yourself directly from the breast for six months, you will save time and expenses on formulas, changing formula bottles.
This also saves the money spent on sterilizers, time spent on sterilizing formula bottles, making the milk and cooling the milk before feeding.
You also spend time washing bottles and buying breast pumps, brushes, soapy water, and cleaning materials. In comparison, you can use this time and money to prepare healthy, wholesome meals for you and your family.
Breast milk is sterile, there is a lesser risk of contagion, and it is easy to give without many hassles. Yes, exclusive breastfeeding may not always be easy for working moms.
But as they say, determination is vital. You can decide to combine breastfeeding with formula feeding for your baby.
Please read the post on the best breastfeeding tips here to learn all about hacking breastfeeding . This post will help any woman who wants to breastfeed her child.
Conclusion
These are great importance of breastfeeding and I hope you learnt a thing or two. If your schedule will not allow breastfeeding, you can try pumping breastmilk for your child in your absence.
There are many superstitions when it comes to breastfeeding and they sometimes overshadow the truth. If you are ever confused or in doubt, speak to your doctor.
I personally believe there are no stupid questions when it comes to your health and that of your baby. I hope you found this super helpful.
Don’t forget to share with other moms!
