What is breastfeeding
Release time : 01/18/2025 18:13:27
Whether mothers should breastfeed their babies should become a hot issue in today's society.
But whether it should or should not be advocated, there is no doubt that everyone's starting point is for the best of the baby.
To truly conduct a scientific analysis of this focus, we still need to analyze it from many aspects such as its source.
What is breastfeeding? Whether mothers should breastfeed their babies should become a hot issue in today's society.
But whether breastfeeding should or should not be advocated, there is no doubt that everyone's starting point is for the best of the baby.
What is breastfeeding? Newbie mom, let's get to know.
Breastfeeding refers to the method of feeding a baby with the mother's milk.
Studies have shown that babies who are breastfed develop healthier, with effects including enhancing immunity, improving intelligence, reducing the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome, reducing childhood obesity, and reducing the risk of allergic diseases.
Over the past few decades, there has been growing evidence that breastfeeding is beneficial to health, and suggestions for putting it into practice continue to increase.
Currently, the World Health Organization believes that breastfeeding can reduce child mortality and its health benefits can be extended into adulthood.
On a population basis, exclusive breastfeeding is the recommended way to feed infants for the first 6 months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding with the addition of appropriate supplementary foods until 2 years of age or beyond.
To enable mothers to implement and adhere to exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, the World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend that breastfeeding should start within the first hour of the baby's birth.
The benefits of breastfeeding are advocated by a considerable number in society. Breastfeeding is recommended because it offers numerous advantages to the child's nutrition and health.
1. Promote maternal and infant health: Breast milk is the ideal food for newborns, containing all the nutrients required for growth and development, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients are crucial for the growth of the baby. 2. Enhance immunity: Breast milk contains abundant antibodies that can help the baby resist infections and reduce the risk of illness. Additionally, breastfeeding can also enhance the immunity of the mother, reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. 3. Promote intellectual development: Breast milk contains a substance called taurine, which plays an important role in the development of the baby's brain. Studies have shown that babies who are breastfed develop faster in cognitive, language, and motor skills than those who are not. 4. Promote digestive system maturation: Breastfeeding helps the baby establish a healthy digestive system. The enzymes and antibodies in breast milk protect the baby from pathogens and promote the balance of gut microbiota, which aids in digesting food and preventing constipation or other digestive issues. 5. Provide emotional security: For newborns, physical contact and sounds from their mothers are important sources of emotional security. Breastfeeding allows the baby to feel the warmth and care of the mother, helping to establish a close bond between mother and child. 6. Promote parent-child interaction: Breastfeeding is not just a way of feeding but also a way of parent-child interaction. Mothers can engage in eye contact, touch, and talking with the baby through breastfeeding, enhancing the emotional connection and promoting the emotional development of the baby. 7. Extend breastfeeding duration: Breastfeeding can continue until the baby is 6 months old or even longer. This means that the mother can continue to provide nutrition to the baby during this time and also take care of other needs of the baby. 8. Reduce allergy risk: Studies have shown that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of allergies in babies. This is because breast milk contains immunoglobulin IgA that can combat certain pathogens, thereby reducing the occurrence of allergies. 9. Promote postpartum recovery: Breastfeeding helps with uterine contraction, reduces bleeding, and promotes wound healing. It also alleviates psychological burden on the mother and helps her return to pre-pregnancy status more quickly. 10. Pass down cultural values: In many cultures, breastfeeding is seen as a sacred act representing love and continuation of life. Through breastfeeding, mothers can pass on these values to their children, passing on family and cultural values.
1. The benefits of breastfeeding for babies are countless: Nutritional richness, easy to digest and absorb, with the proportion of protein, fat and sugar suitable for the growth and development needs of infants under 6 months.
The milk minerals are low and buffering power is weak, which is beneficial to digestion.
A low glomerular solute load is beneficial for renal protection.
The human milk is rich in SIgA, lactoferrin, Bifidobacterium and lysozyme, etc. These factors can prevent the occurrence of infant intestinal infectious disease.
Human milk also contains substances that promote brain development such as taurine, nucleosides that promote tissue growth, and DHA that enhances vision.
Breastfeeding can also promote a strong bond between mother and child.
Conducive to the healthy growth of infants.
At the same time, it can stimulate uterine contraction and promote the mother's early recovery.
After a baby is born, when sucking its mother's breast, it first comes into contact with aerobic bacteria on its mother's nipple that need oxygen to survive, and then anaerobic bacteria in the milk tube that can survive without oxygen. Then it can suck milk.
Physiological breastfeeding is the process of feeding bacteria first and then feeding milk. This process can promote the establishment of normal flora in the infant's intestines, which not only facilitates the digestion and absorption of breast milk, but also promotes the maturity of the immune system and prevents allergies.
Specific benefits also include: (1) Breastfeeding is conducive to the healthy growth of infants. Breast milk, especially colostrum, contains rich nutrients needed by infants and is an irreplaceable high-quality milk with any dairy product. Babies can suck breast milk, which is very beneficial to the healthy growth of babies. It can be said to be harmless.
Breastfeeding is beneficial to enhancing the baby's resistance and immunity.
Breast milk, especially colostrum, contains large amounts of antibiotics that infants need to fight infections.
Therefore, if the baby sucks breast milk, it enhances the baby's resistance and immunity, making the baby less sick or not sick.
Breastfeeding is conducive to the digestion and healthy development of infants.
Because breast milk has many advantages, balanced nutrition and optimal ratio, it is an advantage that other foods do not have or do not fully have.
Therefore, adopting breastfeeding is conducive to the digestion of infants and is conducive to promoting healthy development and healthy growth of infants.
Breastfeeding is beneficial to enhancing the relationship between mother and child.
As the saying goes,"mother and child are connected to heart" means that the relationship between mother and child is very close, just like one heart.
New mothers can enhance their affection, care, and love towards their babies through the stimulation of breastfeeding. Babies feel a closeness and warmth from sucking on breast milk, which not only makes them feel safe but also brings them joy.
Thus, the emotional bond between mother and child is constantly nurtured and refined through this delicate interplay of communication and growth.
(5) Breastfeeding is economically beneficial.
Lactation is not only beneficial to the baby's growth and development but also to the mother's recovery. It is cheaper than other feeding products, economical and practical.
(6) Breastfeeding is convenient and quick.
The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous. It is not only cost-effective and convenient, but also provides a ready supply of milk that can be easily accessed at any time. This makes it ideal for infants who require frequent feedings due to their young age.
Because infants do not eat in a regular and fixed manner, they will cry if they are hungry. They have no rules. If other foods are used for feeding, it is difficult to meet these needs and conditions, only breastfeeding can meet them.
The breast milk is clean and safe.
Human milk is unquestionably the best food for feeding infants.
It is safe, clean, non-toxic and has no side effects. It is the "safe food warehouse" provided for babies by all new mothers.
(8) Breastfeeding can reduce the occurrence of infant allergies.
Because breast milk is clean, safe, non-toxic, has no side effects, and has natural antibiotics, antiviral drugs, etc., breastfeeding can greatly reduce and reduce the occurrence of various allergies in infants.
If other substitutes are used to feed, various allergies will inevitably occur, resulting in poor food, uneasy sleep, and discomfort in life, which will affect the healthy growth of the baby.
2. The benefits of breastfeeding for mothers Breastfeeding is conducive to the recovery of maternal health.
Through childbirth, the new mother has changed her body and spirit. If breastfeeding can be used after childbirth, it can help the mother's uterus recover and reduce vaginal bleeding, prevent postpartum anemia, and promote physical recovery.
It also helps delay the postpartum period for new mothers.
Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of ovarian and breast cancers in women.
Scientists have conducted investigations, statistics and analyses to find that compared with those who did not breastfeed, new mothers who breast-fed had a significantly lower risk of developing ovarian or breast cancer.
Research has shown that the duration of breastfeeding can be an important factor influencing a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, even surpassing genetic factors.
This study found that breastfeeding a child for more than six months reduces the risk of breast cancer by 5%. Even if the mother has a family history of breast cancer, this is true.
Women who breastfeed their babies tend to lose weight faster and more effectively than those who feed their babies with formula.
What is the best duration of breastfeeding? Even if it's good, a baby can't always rely on breast milk to grow. On one hand, it's difficult for mothers to provide enough milk, and on the other hand, it's also not conducive to the baby's own growth.
Therefore, mastering the appropriate duration of breastfeeding is crucial for mothers.
So how long is it best for children to breastfeed? Some people think that breast milk is no longer nutritious after 6 months, and some even think that breast milk is not as nutritious as formula milk powder. Some people also say that when breastfeeding exceeds one year old, children will become stupid.
Various concepts without scientific basis have led to many babies not receiving breast milk, or being forcibly weaned after 6-8 months.
Indeed, for many people (including some doctors), breastfeeding beyond the age of one is a novelty.
Moreover, in their minds, there are two deep-rooted prejudices about breast milk: The first common prejudice is,"After X months, breast milk will be unnutritious."
In fact, milk after 6 months is not without nutrients, but without immunoglobulin. Immunoglobulins enhance children's immunity. Therefore, you can find that children who have breast-fed milk generally do not catch a cold before 6 months, but children start to catch a cold after 6 months. Some people will catch a cold after 6 months.
However, breast milk after 6 months is also nutritious. There is still no food that can replace the nutritional value of breast milk. However, breast milk cannot fully satisfy the baby's development at this time. The baby needs to gradually accept other foods for growth, so it is necessary to scientifically add complementary foods., this is the beginning of the weaning period.
Gradually, babies will transition from soft foods to chunky foods, and eventually to foods similar to those of adults, typically around the age of 2.
And breast milk, from being the main staple to becoming a supplementary meal for the baby, eventually just serving as one of their snacks.
A great deal of research has proven that breast milk is rich in nutrients at all times, including fats, proteins, calcium and vitamins, especially important for the health of the baby.
It takes a child up to the age of 6 years to fully develop their immune system. Before this time, prolonged breastfeeding acts as an innate defense mechanism against numerous infections common among young children, such as ear infections, gastrointestinal problems, and respiratory illnesses. It also protects against serious conditions like childhood cancer, diabetes, and rheumatic arthritis.
For those with an allergy, it is even more important to breastfeed until the child is one year old.
What's particularly remarkable is that as the child's age increases and they consume more complementary foods, there is a decrease in the frequency of sucking on the breast milk. However, breast milk automatically concentrates nutrients and antibodies, delivering all the necessary nutrition to the child without any loss.
Equally important is the long-term breastfeeding of infants, which provides a complete fulfillment of their psychological and emotional needs.
Extending breastfeeding can help to consolidate the close bond between mother and child, as well as establish a sense of security in the infant.
When children feel tired, frightened, irritated or sad, sucking on the breast can provide them with the most timely, effective and warm comfort. When a child needs help, they will receive human assistance instead of items such as a pacifier, toy, or snack.
Therefore, if the mother's milk is good, it can let him eat for a longer period before weaning, and there is no nutritional value in the breast milk of 6-8 months old. The claim that "there is no nutritional value in the breast milk of 6-8 months old" is unscientific and one-sided.
Breastfeeding has many advantages, but there are still many precautions that mothers need to take when breastfeeding their children.
1. If breast milk is insufficient or not suitable for breastfeeding, a certain amount of preterm infant formula can be given under the guidance of a doctor and gradually transitioned to regular formula according to the results of physical growth detection of the baby.
2. During breastfeeding, most mothers experience no menstrual periods or irregular menstrual cycles, but this does not mean they are not ovulating.
Therefore, while breastfeeding, it is important to take precautions regarding contraception.
Strict contraception is required for 12 months after term vaginal delivery and for 24 months after cesarean section.
For breast-feeding mothers, contraceptive methods can choose tool contraception (condom) or intrauterine device contraception (choose types that do not contain drugs). Oral contraceptives or safe period contraception are not recommended.
Because oral contraceptives reduce or even eliminate lactation, safe period contraception is not safe at all.
3. In the "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B", there is a quite clear stipulation that "newborns can receive breast milk from mothers who are positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) after being injected with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth."
A mother who wants to breastfeed a child who is pregnant with hepatitis B and hepatitis B vaccine is injected within 12 hours after birth, and hepatitis B surface antibodies are produced, otherwise it is inappropriate to breastfeed.
HBsAg can be detected in the milk of pregnant women with hepatitis B, but there has been no report of HBVDNA being detected in the milk, so it is unclear whether their milk is infectious. Breastfeeding is okay as long as the mother's nipples do not rupture and bleed, but before nursing, the mother should wash her hands with soap and running water to reduce the chance of exposure and transmission.
The vast majority of studies show that hepatitis C pregnant women and hepatitis C antibody-positive pregnant women are less likely to have hepatitis C virus in their milk and can be breastfed. However, if the nipple is ruptured and bleeding, nursing should be stopped.
It should be pointed out that hepatitis virus exists in the saliva of pregnant women with hepatitis, so pregnant women should not feed their children mouth to mouth, and should pay attention to disinfection and isolation.
The medical part covered in this article is for reading and reference only.
If you feel unwell, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately, and the medical diagnosis and treatment will be subject to offline diagnosis.