Benefits of breast milk, a source of health for the baby and the mother

The first thousand days of a baby’s life, from minute zero of pregnancy to two years, represent a critical period of growth and development. This circumstance provides parents with the opportunity to foster an environment that promotes the good health of the newborn with a long-term projection.

In this sense, nutrition becomes key in this time frame, since its impact can be decisive. Breast milk is considered the most complete product that exists to feed a baby, since it offers a wide menu of benefits that directly influence their health, either through direct expression or through an electric breast pump, such as those found in this comparison at mimundobebe.com. Not surprisingly, when feeding the baby, the World Health Organization recommends the exclusive use of breastfeeding for at least six months (and even up to two years), due to the great benefits it incorporates in the long term .

What is breast milk?

Breastfeeding is not only the best option for the baby, but it has also been the method of choice since the beginning of time for safe parenting from the nutritional point of view. At this point, you may wonder what exactly is breast milk.

It is a nutritional source that is easy to digest and that provides the perfect balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and nutrients to achieve optimal growth and development of the baby . Within the amount of beneficial substances that breast milk includes, we can highlight the following: antibodies and white blood cells, probiotics (up to 600 different species), hormones, growth properties, antibacterial properties, oligosaccharides (special carbohydrates that stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the digestive system), long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (important for the development of the brain, eyes and nervous system) and cytokines (special proteins involved in cell communication and the formation of the immune system), among others.

beneficios de la leche materna

Breastfeeding not only offers the baby personalized nutrition, but also incorporates other important variables such as absolute availability and free delivery. However, the health benefits go far beyond these savings-related advantages, as they have a far-reaching impact on both mother and baby.

Benefits for the baby and the mother

The benefits for the baby are numerous, but here we show some of the most important in terms of the degree of repercussion of which they are a result:

  • Decreased rates of sudden infant death syndrome in the first year of life , an effect that becomes even stronger when breastfeeding is used as the exclusive food.
  • Lower neonatal infant mortality rates, with a reduction of approximately 21%.
  • Decreased risk of developing eczema, asthma and food allergies throughout life.
  • Slightly improved performance on cognitive development tests.
  • Lower incidence of infectious diseases, such as diarrhea, pneumonia, ear infection, respiratory tract disease, bacterial meningitis, urinary tract infection, bacteremia, and necrotizing enterocolitis.
  • Improved dental health with less risk of cavities .
  • Long-term obesity risk reduction when exclusive breastfeeding for at least four months.
  • Decreased rates of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, lymphoma, leukemia, and Hodgkin’s disease in older children and adults.

And if that weren’t enough, breastfeeding also exposes the baby to different tastes and flavor profiles of the foods that the mother eats, which can influence her acceptance and preferences of foods throughout her life.

Regarding the benefits that breastfeeding holds for women, we find:

  • A non-verbal communication and bond with the baby that serves to support an increasingly intimate and effortless mutual exchange, especially if the mother remains present while breastfeeding with lots of contact, conversation and eye contact.
  • Weight recovery prior to pregnancy , increasing energy requirements, promoting the mobilization of fat reserves and accelerating the uterus to contract to its original size.
  • Decreased risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Ultimately, it is a practice that offers good immediate and future-planned results, from which both parties involved in the process greatly benefit.