Breastfeeding – the way nature intended human children to be fed – holds a number of advantages over bottle feeding with formula milk, both for mother and child. Here are the most obvious ones:
Health benefits to baby
It is significant that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breast feeding for the first six months of a baby’s life, then supplemented by solids up to age 12 months or beyond. The WHO estimates that increased levels of breastfeeding, particularly in developing countries, could save over a million children’s lives each year. The reason is that breast milk is full of antibodies which boost a baby’s immature immune system and protect him from vomiting, diarrhoea and other common infections. Studies also indicate a lower incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (”cot death”) in breastfed babies.
Health benefits to Mom
Breastfeeding also has a number of benefits for mothers – in particular a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer in women who have breastfed one or more babies. Not only that but producing all that milk burns a lot of calories and helps Mom to shift those unwanted kilos she may have picked up during her pregnancy.
Parent-child bonding
Breastfeeding can help cement the emotional bond between mother and baby which is so vital to a baby’s development (and even survival).
Cost and convenience
There is no doubt breastfeeding is a lot cheaper than alternate forms of feeding. You don’t need any special equipment, and of course the milk itself is free. It’s also a lot more convenient: no need to lug around bags full of things when you’re out and about, and little danger of running out if baby is particularly hungry that day! It makes night-time feeds a lot less difficult logistically, and you don’t have to worry about mixing the milk wrong or ensuring it’s the right temperature.
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