World Breastfeeding Week: 5 reasons why babies should be breastfed
Nutritionally, and otherwise, breast milk is the best for babies, and the benefits of breastfeeding are myriad. Apart from providing all the nutrients a baby requires, breastfeeding helps newborns build immunity against various diseases and allergies, and even contributes to their emotional well-being. Here are some benefits breastfeeding offers for babies.
First week of August is the World Breastfeeding Week
Breast milk contains antibodies which are crucial to your baby health, particularly during the first six months of their life. Antibodies help fight a number of virus, bacteria, and other infections, thus protecting your baby. Additionally, a 2009 German study found that breastfed infants are at a lower risk of SIDs (Sudden Infant Death), thus proving the importance of breastfeeding yet again.
Breastfeeding helps keep risk of many health-problems at bay
It is also generally seen that breastfed babies are at a lower risk of catching colds and contracting respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus, and whooping cough. Also, when compared to formula-fed babies, breastfed babies have a decreased risk of malnutrition, obesity and heart diseases. In addition, all the nutritional goodness of breast milk is also great for boosting immunity among babies.
Breastfeeding for better emotional and mental well-being of infants
Amazingly, breastfeeding also assures mothers of the emotional well-being of their child as it promotes physical closeness, and body-to-body touch. Not just that, research has shown that babies who were breastfed during initial stages of life have higher IQs and show higher levels of sound mental health. Thus, breastfeeding goes a long way in promoting emotional and mental stability in your child.
Breastfeeding promotes oral health and immunity in babies
Since breastfeeding requires jaw and mouth movements on part of the baby, this exercise promotes better oral health in them, and reduces risk of tooth decay, or other oral health problems. What's more? Breastfeeding improves infants' ability to respond better to immunizations for bacterium caused infections such as polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and haemophilus influenza, among others.
