The advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding your new baby have been laid out and debated over for quite some time now. Some of the benefits of breastfeeding are clearer than others, however.
For Baby
The advantages of breastfeeding for your baby are:
1. Customized for Your Baby
It’s impossible to find baby food that is so customized to your baby’s needs, and even matches your baby’s genetic material by 50%. Breast milk changes in composition every day and over time with your baby’s growth, even between feedings. Your baby can digest this more easily than formula food, too.
2. Helps Your Baby Develop
Many ailments afflicting your baby’s digestive system can be avoided, or at least the risk of getting them minimized, by breastfeeding. The nutrients found in breast milk help your baby grow and develop. In fact, the IQ of breastfed babies was once found to be up to 10 points higher than formula-fed babies! The chances of your baby suffering from other ailments like leukemia, asthma, and ear infections are also lessened.
3. Soothes Your Baby
The endorphins released when a baby breastfeeds help to soothe him or her, making for less crying and more relaxation. It can even act as a pain reliever, and will certainly strengthen the mother-child bond.
For Mom
The advantages of breastfeeding for you are:
1. Quicker to Start
Put simply, preparing bottles and formula while you’re stressed and possibly sleep-deprived and your baby is crying can be overwhelming, sometimes leading you to make mistakes or experience a lot of frustration. Breastfeeding is relatively quick, saving you time immediately, and thus perhaps even allowing you extra sleep!
2. Protects You
It’s not just babies who benefit from disease prevention associated with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers avoid many diseases and ailments afflicting formula-feeding mothers, too. These can include type 2 diabetes, several types of cancers, osteoporosis, hemorrhage, and more. Plus, under the right conditions, it can act as a birth control method just as effective as any oral contraceptive.
3. It’s Easy
Not only is it protective and quick to start, but it’s easy to learn. After the initial period of adaptation, there’s not much to learn about breastfeeding, a fairly intuitive process for most women.
Conclusion
There are many more benefits besides these, including the fact that breastfed babies have less offensive diaper smells. It’s much more convenient, making traveling less of a hassle, and you can sleep while breastfeeding. The emotional benefits of breastfeeding are clear, too. The endorphins released don’t just soothe your baby, either — you are naturally happier as well. What could be better than having a few quiet minutes relaxing in a chair with your baby suckling at your breast, knowing that you’re helping him or her to grow and develop into a healthy child?
Breastfeeding might be a controversial subject among parenting experts these days, but it has worked for thousands of years! The benefits of breastfeeding are clear — formula-fed babies are simply at a disadvantage. If possible, breastfeeding your baby is a wonderful experience not to be missed out upon.
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