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PREPARING FOR BABY
Information on the benefits of breastfeeding and handy, downloadable checklists for mum to prepare for the exciting day
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Benefits of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding benefits everyone, and that is why the World Health Organisation and all Departments of Health in the UK recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life.
For a baby, his mother’s breastmilk is the only food designed specifically for him: it can not be replicated, and changes as he grows, to suit his needs. The nutrients in breastmilk are more easily absorbed than formula milk, so a baby will receive maximum benefit, as well as being protected by the antibodies produced just for him.
For a breastfeeding mother there are many health benefits too, as well as simple, practical ones: breastmilk is ready on demand at just the right temperature, without the need to sterilise bottles or carry around a bag of kit when out and about.
For the whole family – breastfeeding is virtually free, and can save hundreds of pounds on equipment and formula milk. And for the wider community, breastfeeding is much better for the environment: no packaging to contend with, and no processing involved. Formula milk is made from cow’s milk: the dairy industry is one of the most energy-intense industries, and uses huge amounts of pesticides and fertilisers.
A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Essex's Institute of Social & Economic Research and the University of Oxford also (controversially) suggested that breastfed babies are at an advantage in terms of social mobility and life chances.
BENEFITS FOR BABY
Immediate benefits
A baby will immediately feel a sense of comfort and security while breastfeeding, so it is important for him to have the opportunity to feed as soon as possible. Colostrum helps him to produce his first stool to excrete meconium and lines his stomach and intestines to better defend against bacteria and viruses.
If there is a family history of diabetes or allergies, a baby is less likely to develop these if he is breastfed. In addition, breastfed babies are less likely to:
- be constipated, as their stools are softer, or to suffer with diarrhoea
- have gas problems or vomit after feeding
- suffer urinary tract infections
- suffer ear infections
- be admitted to hospital with gastroenteritis and respiratory infections
Breastmilk contains vital substances to help the development of a baby’s brain, retina and central nervous system, as well as growth factors and hormones.
Longer term benefits
Studies have indicated that a breastfed baby may:
- have less likelihood of chest infections until the age of 7
- be less likely to develop eczema and asthma
- have a lower risk of becoming obese and suffer from high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and tooth decay in later life
- be more likely to achieve higher scores in intelligence tests
BENEFITS FOR MOTHER
The suckling of a baby at the breast immediately after birth encourages the release of oxytocin (the ‘love hormone’) in the mother, which sends a signal to her breasts to release milk. Oxytocin encourages the uterus to contract, to prevent haemorrhaging and begin to return to its pre-pregnancy size. Breastfeeding can delay the return of a mother’s period (thus conserving iron in her body). While she is less likely to conceive during this time, it is not a foolproof method of contraception.
Studies have shown that breastfeeding can:
- Lower the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer
- Lower the risk of premenopausal breast cancer
- Build bone strength, resulting in fewer fractures and reduced risk of osteoporosis in later life
- Decrease the risk of Type II diabetes in the long term
Studies also suggest that, due to increased oxytocin levels, breastfeeding mothers show less postnatal anxiety and depression than artificial feeding mothers. As her baby is less likely to suffer from respiratory infections, diarrhoea and gastroenteritis if he is breastfed, she will probably pay fewer visits to her GP, and therefore experience less associated stress. Prolactin, the milk producing hormone, is thought to have a calming effect on a mother, too.
Breastfeeding helps mobilise fat stores and burns up to 500 calories a day, to help a mother to lose pregnancy pounds faster. A bottle feeding mother would need to cycle uphill for an hour in order to use up this many calories. In general, non breastfeeding mothers lose less weight and are not as successful in keeping it off as breastfeeding women.
There is a suggestion that a breastfeeding mother’s metabolism changes to regulate blood sugar levels and this, together with more efficient weight loss and good cholesterol levels, may lead to a lower risk of heart problems for women who have breastfed.
Of course, a woman should not be made to feel guilty if she made an informed choice not to breastfeed, or if breastfeeding did not work out for her. The most important thing is that a new mother receives support and information, as well as encouragement, to do what is best for her and her baby.
