What are the advantages of breastfeeding?
The importance of breastfeeding lies in the components of breast milk, which contains all the nutritional needs of an infant, while it is not recommended to give cow’s milk to children under the age of two years due to the difficulty of their digestion in the stomach, while formula milk is dried milk that has undergone some changes to become similar to breast milk in terms of proteins and fats And sugars, but the quality of natural milk is never compared, because breast milk contains very important fats for the formation of the brain, and it also contains significant amounts of natural omega-3. Therefore, some studies conducted on some children who took formula milk compared to children who were breastfed confirmed Naturally, these children had better mental abilities and IQs than the children who took formula milk.
In terms of protein, the protein found in cow's milk or powdered protein is casein, which is difficult to digest compared to the natural protein found in breast milk. The proteins found in formula milk are non-human proteins that are foreign to the body, and it is possible that the infant's body has antibiotics against it, so it may suffer Children sometimes have diarrhea or allergies.
Mother's milk consists of very important substances, the most important of which is that it contains immune cells and immune bodies that strengthen the infant's immunity and make it able to combat some types of bacteria harmful to the body and viruses of the nose, ear and throat.
Breast milk composition:
And the composition of breast milk changes according to the stages of the child’s growth so that it is responsive to his nutritional needs. Therefore, the formula immediately after birth is colostrum that has a very large percentage of water and is in small quantities. After about a week has passed, it turns into milk, and its fatness and the percentage of fat in it increases as the age of the infant progresses until it is suitable for him and he is satisfied. .
In order to ensure that the child is in the process of obtaining his nutritional needs from breast milk, he must have urinated and may defecate about three or four times a day, with the importance of reviewing the specialist to measure the weight of the infant and ensure the safety of his growth. If the doctor finds any deficiency in growth, he may then prescribe artificial milk for him fit him.
Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother:
Breastfeeding is not only beneficial for the infant and its development, but is also beneficial for the mother because it represents a protective factor for her from several diseases, as:
- Reduces the risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.
- Protects the mother from depression postpartum thanks to some hormones secreted by the brain when breastfeeding.
- Protects against osteoporosis.
- Protects against obesity.
