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| |    The Benefits of Breastfeeding by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Benefits for your baby Nothing beats the nutritional value of mother's milk Human breast milk contains the best possible combination of the nutrients your baby needs and it is easily digested. Breast milk is often referred to as "the ideal food," and for at least the first 4-6 months of life, many babies do not need anything more than the breast milk you provide. The exception to this is that breastfed babies, especially those with dark skin, may need supplemental vitamin D during the winter months. Bonding Establishing a close bond with your baby early in life helps give him an important foundation of love and support. Breastfeeding is a very special way for you to create this type of bond. Fighting infection Babies get fewer infections while they are being breastfed, compared to babies who bottle feed. This effect extends well beyond the first 6 months of age. You have the unique ability to help your baby fight infection by passing on antibodies in your breast milk. Breast milk also stimulates his own antibody production. This is especially important during the first 6 months of your baby's life, when the antibodies he got from you during your pregnancy slowly disappear and his own immune system has yet to fully mature. Breastmilk also contains infection fighting cells that can kill bacteria and viruses. Protecting against allergies Current theories suggest that exposures to a variety of foods early in life can trigger the development of allergies. Allergy-inducing foods include the cow milk proteins and soy proteins found in all but the very most expensive (and smelly) formulas. Breastmilk is very pure and can limit your child's exposure to potential allergens. Most babies require no other forms of food in the first 6 months of life. Some studies suggest that breastfed babies are also less likely to develop eczema and asthma. Does breastfeeding make babies smarter? There has been a lot of debate on the question of whether breastmilk makes babies smarter. Breastmilk does contain certain nutrients that may be important for brain growth that are not found in formulas. Several studies do show that children who were breastfed have, on the whole, slightly higher IQ scores than babies who were not breast fed. But that doesn't prove that the breast milk caused the children to be brighter. If parents with higher IQs are more likely to breastfeed, their children could have higher IQs because of heredity alone, or because of the parenting they received, apart from the milk type. Certainly, there have been millions of very bright children who have been raised on the bottle, so that the effect of breastfeeding is not likely to be terribly strong. More important is how you talk with, play with, and in other ways stimulate your baby and child. Benefits for you A Healthy baby While this is clearly a benefit for your baby, parents all agree that having a healthy baby is a number one priority in their lives. A lower incidence of infection for your baby can translate into less time spent by you on trips to the doctor. Returning your body to pre-pregnancy shape Breastfeeding does burn calories. While your focus after having a baby should be on healthy eating and not just getting rid of your remaining pregnancy pounds, women find that breastfeeding while eating an appropriate diet can help accelerate weight loss. In the early days and weeks after delivery, stimulation of the breasts and breastfeeding also stimulates your uterus to contract to its original pre-pregnancy size more quickly. Convenience Breastmilk involves no preparation, no mixing, no bottles (or bottle washing) and no standing over a bottle warmer in the middle of the night. You are all your baby needs. From a practical and economical standpoint, breastfeeding can save you quite a bit of time, not to mention money.
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