The benefits of breastfeeding for the mother and the child are numerous, but how can we get all these benefits, and how can we face the problems related to breastfeeding?

The benefits of breastfeeding for the mother and the child are many, so the World Health Organization recommends that breast milk remain the main food source for the child until he reaches the age of half a year, and it also recommends continuing breastfeeding until the age of one year in addition to solid food.

The immediate benefits of breastfeeding your baby

The immediate benefits of breastfeeding a baby include

1. Improve the functioning of the digestive system

One of the benefits of breastfeeding the baby is that breast milk contains many compounds that directly affect the digestive system positively, as shown in the following:

Many substances, including hormones such as cortisol and insulin, growth factors and free amino acids, regulate the growth and development of the digestive system.

Other factors, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, reduce the risk of life-threatening infections in the digestive system, and on top of these infections is a serious disease called Necrotizing enterocolitis-NEC.

Immune system compounds that are abundant in breast milk, such as IgG and IgA antibodies or immune system cells, significantly reduce the baby''s risk of gastrointestinal infections.

Enzymes are special compounds in breast milk that not only contribute to the regulation and implementation of a proper digestion process, but also protect the body from the risk of infections and infectious diseases.

Ultimately, it has been proven that feeding based on breast milk contributes to the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract of a growing child.

Thanks to these compounds and others, it was found that breastfeeding improves the performance of the physiological digestive processes in the child, as the emptying of the stomach is faster, and the process of dismantling enzymes such as lactase is better.

In addition, it reduces gastrointestinal risks in premature infants, such as hyperpermeability, and significantly reduces the risk of gastrointestinal and inflammatory complications, such as diarrhoea.

2. Boost the child''s immunity

Breast milk protects against the risk of infectious diseases, which is one of the important benefits of breastfeeding for the child.

This is due to the many special compounds that are not available in commercial formula milk, including proteins, IgA antibodies, and lipids such as free fatty acids, monoglycerides, and others.

In addition, it contains carbohydrates, some types of glycoproteins, and white blood cells, which are all of the compounds that a child needs to strengthen his immune system and strengthen his body.

The statistical outcome of these and other compounds is reflected in lower morbidity, doctor visits, hospitalizations, and mortality among breastfed babies.

The difference was noted especially in the field of infectious diseases in childhood, as children who received breast milk are 5 times less likely to develop infectious diseases in the digestive system.

In addition, the chances of them suffering from infectious diseases in the respiratory system were 50% less, and when infected, the duration of the disease was significantly shorter, and their chances of developing middle ear infections decreased by 1.5 times. ).

These data remained important even after comparing the primary data such as the social level, the cultural level, and others for children who were fed with natural milk and those who received artificial milk. Thus, the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the child.

3. Providing comprehensive food for the child

Despite the best efforts made by commercial companies to ensure that formula milk contains all the basic nutritional components that a child needs, it seems that technical limitations and human errors will continue to limit the ability of formula milk to approach the nutritional value available in breast milk. Which provides the benefits of breastfeeding the baby.

This is because breast milk contains all the nutritional compounds a child needs, and even mothers who suffer from malnutrition have complete milk in terms of its nutritional value, which cannot be confirmed and guaranteed when the child receives formula milk.

The long-term benefits of breastfeeding a baby

As for the long-term benefits of breastfeeding, they include

1. Provide protection against infectious diseases

This positive effect continues even after weaning a baby from breastfeeding (more on how to wean a baby!).

Babies who were breastfed for at least six months were less likely to catch infectious diseases, even after they started eating regular food.

They are twice as likely to have recurring ear infections in the first year, their duration of illness is twice as short until the age of two years, and they are less likely to stay in hospital for childhood treatment.

2. Provide protection from chronic diseases

One of the benefits of breastfeeding a child is that it protects against the risk of developing chronic diseases when they grow up. After decades, the risk of obesity for children who are breastfed is twice as low.

Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of developing cancer during childhood, in addition to reducing the lifetime risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as leukemia.

Breastfeeding also contributes in several ways to reducing risk factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary artery disease in the heart, in the future.

Children who have been breastfed are less likely to develop diabetes, especially type 1 diabetes or juvenile diabetes, and this may be due to less exposure to cow''s milk, which has been shown to be a risk factor for developing childhood diabetes.

One of the benefits of breastfeeding a child is also that it contributes to reducing the risk of immune diseases, including various allergic diseases, asthma, and others.

3. Increase brain development and mental abilities

It was found that there is a relationship between breastfeeding for at least 6 months and the increase in the scores of various intelligence tests (IQ) in childhood and adolescence.

In addition to the previous benefits of breastfeeding, breastfeeding has been shown to benefit the sensory systems, as the development of the visual and auditory systems in children who have been breastfed has been better.

4. Reducing stress and calming the child

The emotional bond that arises between the mother and the child during breastfeeding, and some substances that are available in breast milk may explain this fact, as it has been proven that breastfeeding contributes to relieving stress in the infant. Although we don''t consider infants to be a particularly stress-prone group.

However, the anti-pain and calming effect enjoyed by breast milk contributes to the child''s social and mental development, and improves relations between family members, especially between the mother and the infant, and these are among the very important benefits of breastfeeding.

Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother

There are many benefits of breastfeeding for the mother as well, here are the most important ones:

1. Shrinking the uterus and speeding up the healing process

Thanks to the hormone oxytocin, which is secreted in large quantities during breastfeeding, breastfeeding mothers suffer from a lower rate of complications during the postpartum period.

2. Reducing stress in a nursing mother

This may be due to the direct effect of hormones, such as prolactin and oxytocin, which are known to directly affect the nervous system.

3. Reducing the possibility of mental disorders

The benefits of breastfeeding for breastfeeding mothers, from mild depression to child abuse or neglect, are much lower compared to mothers who do not breastfeed.

4. Stimulate weight loss

Weight loss may be the result of burning a large amount of calories, about 500 calories per day, while breastfeeding.

5. Delaying the onset of ovulation and menstruation

Menstrual periods after childbirth are delayed during the breastfeeding period, although it is by no means possible to rely solely on breastfeeding as a method of contraception.

6. Prevention of ovarian and breast cancer

It contributes to preventing and delaying osteoporosis, and this is one of the very important benefits of breastfeeding for the mother.

7. Prevention of chronic diseases

For life and not only during the lactation period, including severe obesity, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, and others.

8. Economic savings

Formula milk is expensive, as parents have to spend a lot of money in order to provide it for the child, which can be avoided by resorting to breastfeeding.

The right way to breastfeed

The mother must start breastfeeding the child from the first hours after birth, as one of the benefits of breastfeeding is that it strengthens the relationship between the mother and the child, as well as gives the child the nutrients he needs to strengthen and protect him.

Here are the steps for breastfeeding

Prepare to breastfeed by sitting in a comfortable chair.

Prop your baby on a pillow on your lap.

Support your breast with one hand and the baby''s head with the other.

Hold the breast in the right way by placing the index and middle fingers on the nipple and the rest of the fingers under the breast, while the thumb is left outside.

Touch the lower lip to your nipple so that he opens his mouth wide.

Bring the baby close to the breast, not the breast to the baby.

Insert the nipple and part of the brown areola around the nipple into the baby''s mouth so that the baby begins to suck the milk.

Notes on breastfeeding

Here are some important notes for easy and smooth breastfeeding and being able to achieve the benefits of breastfeeding for you and your baby as follows:

Ensure that your baby is properly supported during breastfeeding by placing him on your stomach or on a pillow for breastfeeding.

Ensure that his mouth is attached to the breast tissue, and that he is catching the nipple properly.

Ensure that the movements of his jaw put pressure on the milk ducts and cause milk to flow and exit from the nipple without causing the nipple to crack or feel pain.

At the beginning of the breastfeeding process, the mother may feel a slight sensitivity in the nipples or pain, as a result of the baby catching the nipple incorrectly, pressing on her breast and her nipple.

The mother should talk to her baby while breastfeeding and pet him as well.

The baby breastfeeds little in the early days, but as time goes by he will nurse according to his needs.

The child should not be forced to breastfeed, and should not be fed breast milk through a bottle of milk, as this may cause the child to reduce the desire to breastfeed.

Breastfeeding is stopped after a period ranging from six months to two years from birth, and this is when the child stops feeling the need to breastfeed.

With time, both mother and baby learn how to breastfeed that is best for both.