For many years,
scientists have been discovering the ingredients that make breast milk
the perfect food for babies. They've uncovered so far over
200 compounds that help fight infection, assisst the immune
system to mature, aid in digestion, and support brain growth.
All of these are natural properties of a mother's milk that
science simply cannot copy.
After the birth of the baby, the important long term benefits of
breastfeeding include reduced risk of asthma, allergies, obesity, and
some forms of childhood cancer.
The
more that
scientists continue to learn, the better breast milk looks.
In addition to making your baby healthier, breast feeding may also make
him or her more intelligent. Many studies have proved that
breast fed babies tend to be more smarter than babies who were fed with
formula or by other methods. Breast feeding helps support
brain growth in an infant, which is something every mother should think
about.
The health benefits for the nursing mother are just as good as they are
for the baby. The hormones that are released during breast
feeding will curb blood loss post delivery and help to shrink the
uterus back to its normal size.
Long term, the breast feeding mother will have a lower
risk for premenopausal breast cancer,
which is the kind that strikes before the age of 50. Health
benefits for mom will begin to show within three to six months of
breast feeding and tend to increase the longer that breast feeding
continues.
By now, you should realize that human breast milk is one power packed
liquid!
It
offers more for
your baby than formula, or any other scientific creation for that
matter. As you begin to plan for the future of your baby,
make a commitment to breast feeding him or her for as long as you
possibly can. It will do both your bodies good.
Foods to Avoid When Breastfeeding
Getting Started Breastfeeding
Post Pregnancy Weight Loss
