Breastfeeding is a particularly important process for both the baby and the mother. This is due to the fact that this procedure has several benefits at once, which every woman who has the opportunity to provide valuable substances and food to her child needs to know. These can be both psychological and physical factors that are especially valuable in the first years of life. Therefore, breastfeeding has a significant positive impact on both mother and child, and knowledge of these aspects is critical.
Physical Benefits
One of the main benefits of breastfeeding is the provision of essential nutrients. This is due to the fact that the mother’s milk contains all the necessary components that ensure the complete and correct development of the baby (1, 6). In addition, they help to reduce the possibility of problems with the digestive system, such as colic (3). A large amount of essential nutrients also contributes to building a more robust and stronger immunity in infants. This process occurs due to antibodies in the mother’s milk, which help protect babies from infections and illnesses. Another benefit of breastfeeding is assistance in detecting allergic reactions a child might have. This is due to the fact that infants immediately react to any changes in the mother’s diet; thereby, it is possible to timely determine the food to which the child’s body can react.
Considering the health of new mothers, breastfeeding also has some advantages. There is an opinion that it allows new mothers to lose weight gained during pregnancy faster. Moreover, it helps to reduce the uterus to its pre-pregnancy size and significantly reduces bleeding after delivery. On the other hand, it is worth remembering that there may be some deviations in health as breastfeeding lumps (2).
Breastfeeding, in addition to physical benefits, also has psychological benefits for the mother and child. Hence, it is one of the leading agents in establishing a bond between them, which can help foster a close relationship. This is because during this process, there is a crucial skin-to-skin connection, which is strengthened every time. In addition, this time, that mother and baby spend together, can help women to get the rest and relax they need.
Mental Benefits
It is also worth noting that breastfeeding helps with postpartum recovery. Research stated that “depression and anxiety disorders represent the most common obstetric complications during pregnancy and the first-year post-partum, reducing the mother’s ability to effectively perceive, decipher, and respond to their infant needs” (4). On the other hand, it is noted that “elucidating the relationship between breastfeeding and postpartum depression is challenging because women with depression may have difficulty sustaining breastfeeding, and women who experience breastfeeding difficulties may develop depression” (5). However, despite this factor, many women experience mental problems due to the lack of communication with their children. Therefore, when breastfeeding, they get this precious time and thereby significantly reduce the risk of postpartum depression.
Conclusion
In conclusion, breastfeeding provides a large number of benefits for both the baby and the mother, which women who have the opportunity to feed a newborn in this way should be aware of. Henceforth, among the physical benefits is strengthening the baby’s immunity and providing multiple critical nutrients. On the psychological side, breastfeeding helps strengthen the bond between mother and child and, in some cases, can help with postpartum depression. It is also worth remembering about some complications that may occur, such as lumps in the breasts of women. However, this problem is easily treated in specialized medical facilities.
References
- Breastfeeding benefits both baby and mom. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Web.
- Hazell, T. Benign breast disease: Causes, symptoms, and types. Patient [Internet]. 2022. Web.
- Marshall J, Ross S, Buchanan, P, Gavine A. Providing effective evidence-based support for breastfeeding women in primary care. Bmj [Internet], 2021; 375. Web.
- Postpartum depression. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Web.
- Rivi V, Petrilli G, Blom JMC. Mind the mother when considering breastfeeding. Frontiers [Internet]. 2020; Web.
- The importance of breastfeeding. HSE [Internet]. Web.