Breast milk is an amazing, free and convenient source of adequate nutrition for babies. An overview of the properties of breast milk below shows why it is the ideal food for babies. It must be noted that not all mothers can produce adequate breast milk for their child. Such mothers should speak with their health professional to provide support.
- Breast milk contains all the healthy nutrients needed by your baby. While formula baby foods can provide some of these nutrients, the nutrients in breast milk are better absorbed by the baby. The healthy nutrients help grow the brain and develop the nervous system of your baby, improving intelligence when they grow.
- Breast milk also contains many disease fighting elements protecting your baby against infections such as ear, digestive, lung and reducing the occurrence of common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea or pneumonia. Where there is an infection and or illness, it helps with quicker recovery.
- Breast milk also reduces the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), asthma and skin problems related to allergies, leukaemia, diabetes and obesity. This protection can continue as the baby grows older.
- Components of breast milk keep changing with time after birth to meet the nutritional needs of babies and provide appropriate level of protection against infections. For example, in the early weeks after birth, the milk contains a huge amount of antibodies and molecules which prevent the thriving of harmful microbes in the developing immune system of the baby. Breast milk is therefore produced by your body with the needs of the babies ‘in mind’. This disputes the myth that breastmilk is not adequate in water and other nutrients for the child even before his sixth month of life.
- The safety of the milk also contributes to infection prevention especially in areas of poor hygiene and inadequate access to clean water.
- Breast (milk) feeding does not only provide priceless health benefits for the baby but also the mother. Mothers are likely to lose the weight gained during pregnancy, reduce their risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer and help them space their children .
Production of milk however does not translate into effective breastfeeding. Mothers therefore need to be supported to exclusively breastfed for the first six months after birth and to continue complementary feeding until the child is 2 years old in order not to deprive babies of the benefits of this nutrient packed food.
Breast (milk) feeding is an investment in both baby and mother considering the roles it plays in the health and development of both baby and mother.
Related article: How to support new mothers to breast feed their babies
Written and reviewed by Irene Danquah
Last page review: 23/12/2021
Next page review: 31/12/2024