Breastfeeding: Why Is It The Best Option?

Breastfeeding is unanimously recommended by pediatricians and world health organizations  as an exclusive food for the first few months of life. Milk stored in the breast is the only food capable of naturally covering the baby’s health and energy needs in the first months of life. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), the practice and promotion of breastfeeding would reduce child mortality by 20% and save more than one million lives a year. Breastfeeding in the first three hours of life is a miraculous food. But even so, less than 40% of mothers in the world give their baby breast milk as an exclusive food in the first months.

Among its advantages, it is confirmed that breast milk  contains high doses of nutrients, is harmless and prevents infections, allergies and intestinal discomfort. All in all, we can say that it is a free food and a powerful way to nurture the emotional bonds between mother and child.

natural food

Breast milk is a natural and harmless food that goes directly from mother to baby. Breast milk does not require prior preparation, sterilized products or drinking water. This advantage prevents the child from consuming contaminated milk. The guarantee that it is a food that contributes like no other to your baby’s health and growth is 100%.

Breast milk contains antibodies and more than 400 nutrients in its composition. A curious fact is that every mother, regardless of her culture or eating habits, generates the same type of milk with the same nutrients.

This varies only according to the baby’s developmental status and nutritional demands. In other words, a mother in Spain and Bolivia has, in principle, the same amount of nutrients in breast milk. Compared to formulas or artificial milks, breast milk is superior.

Disposition

Breast milk is an affordable food. Its production is synchronized with the child’s nutritional demands and will only be affected if the mother, for some reason, stops offering her breast to the child or starts replacing breast milk with other foods.

It is very common to see mothers worried about the small amount of milk they store in their breasts. However, more than the quantity, they must give importance so that the child is satiated and satisfied. If she doesn’t cry, she doesn’t need other foods and seems to be growing at a great rate, according to her pediatrician, so there’s nothing to worry about.

In the first month, the mother releases from her breasts a liquid called colostrum, which is yellowish in color and very liquid. This is a complete food with the necessary nutrients for your baby to survive the first month.

Breast milk will go where the mother with her child goes. In case of absence of the mother for work or other reason, it can be chosen to store the milk for the next hours of feedings.

gratuity

Breast milk is a food that cannot be bought in markets and pharmacies. It’s available 24 hours a day right there on the mother’s chest. Therefore, its gratuitousness is another reason why breast milk is the best food for your baby and even for yourself.

Studies indicate that breastfeeding your baby (at least for the first few months) works as a natural – though not entirely safe – method of controlling fertility. In other words, if you are breastfeeding, you are less likely to become pregnant, it helps in the natural weight loss of pregnancy, prevents type 2 diabetes, and postpartum depression.

In the baby, the consumption of breast milk contributes to the prevention of infections, allergies and reduces the risk of obesity.

variety of flavors

Breast milk is not always the same or tastes the same. Even in the same feeding, its composition can vary. In the first few minutes, the mother releases clearer, liquid, and tasteless milk to cleanse the baby’s taste buds and quench his thirst. In the next few minutes, it offers the baby a thicker food with nutrients to satiate your appetite and food demand.

The taste of milk varies according to the foods the mother eats. Therefore, a balanced diet, rich in fruits, proteins and fiber, is necessary. Restrict the consumption of cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol, sweets and pepper during this period of breastfeeding. After all, what you consume is what your baby will ingest.

From six months, mothers are advised to supplement their natural diet with solid foods, such as baby food, jam and purees. Breastfeeding should be done for at least six months of the baby’s life and can be extended up to two years of life if this is the wish of the mother and child.