Benefits of breastfeeding: The health of the mother and child

Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to ensure the health of the mother and baby. Breast milk is the ideal nutrition for infants as it contains all the necessary nutrients required during the first months of life. In addition, breastfeeding has many health benefits for the mother, including reducing the risk of some diseases and strengthening the spiritual relationship between mother and child.

  Benefits of breastfeeding for children

Breastfeeding is one of the most important factors that positively affect children’s health in the early stages of life. Due to the unique composition of breast milk, it has multiple benefits that contribute to enhancing the health of the child:

– Resistance to viruses and bacteria: Breast milk contains natural antibiotics that help protect the child from bacterial infections and diseases.

– Reducing the risk of diseases: Breastfeeding reduces the risk of diseases such as middle ear infections, respiratory infections, colds, intestinal infections, sudden infant death syndrome, digestive disorders, diabetes, and leukemia.

– Maintaining a healthy weight for the child: Breast milk contains a balanced composition of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. This helps in promoting healthy growth and maintaining the child’s weight at an appropriate level.

– Intelligence development and brain growth: Breast milk granules contain important nutritional components for the development of the nervous system and brain growth. Breastfed babies often show better levels of intelligence and learning ability.

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  Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother

Breastfeeding is also beneficial for the mother, as it contributes to achieving important health and psychological benefits for her:

– Shrinking the uterus and reducing postpartum bleeding: The breastfeeding process stimulates uterine muscle contractions, which helps to quickly reduce its size after birth. This natural action reduces the chances of bleeding and contributes to the mother regaining her health faster.

Breastfeeding strengthens the relationship between the child and the mother: Breastfeeding enhances the intimate interaction between the child and his mother, as it helps build a strong emotional bond between them. This helps develop confidence and security in the baby and makes the motherhood experience more connected and close.

– Returning to pre-pregnancy weight by utilizing adipose tissue: During pregnancy, fat accumulates in the mother’s body to support the growth of the fetus. When a mother breastfeeds, she consumes these fats to produce milk, which helps in losing weight naturally and effectively after giving birth.

– Reduces the risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer in the future: There is evidence to suggest that women who breastfeed for a long time may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer in the future.

With these health and psychological benefits, breastfeeding is an ideal choice for mothers, as it helps them regain their health after childbirth and strengthens family bonds between them and their children.

  The number of times the infant is breastfed per day

When an infant is a newborn, he needs several feeding sessions per day to ensure his nutritional needs are met and he grows healthy. In the first weeks of life, the number of breastfeeding sessions can reach 12 times in 24 hours. This means that the infant may breastfeed every one to three hours.

This dense feeding pattern at first is important to meet the needs of the young infant and ensure the supply of nutrient-rich milk. Short, frequent sessions are suitable for new infants who cannot take in large amounts of milk at each session.

Over time and as the baby grows, he or she will gradually begin to reduce the number of feeding sessions per day, and the sessions will become longer and more regular. Mothers can always consult their pediatrician or lactation consultant to get guidance on how to appropriately meet the infant’s needs according to his or her stage of development.

  Tips for the mother during breastfeeding

The breastfeeding period is a vital time for the health of the mother and baby and requires the mother to pay special attention to taking care of herself and her baby. Here are some important tips for mothers during this period:

– Eat healthy, balanced meals: The mother should eat meals rich in important nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Eating healthy meals can provide the mother with the energy needed to produce healthy milk for the infant.

– Taking nutritional supplements: The mother may sometimes need to take nutritional supplements such as vitamin D and folic acid, according to the doctor’s instructions.

– Consult a doctor before taking medications and supplements: Before taking any type of medication, nutritional supplements, or herbs, the mother must check with her doctor to ensure that these substances are safe and appropriate during the breastfeeding period.

– Avoid smoking, alcohol, and drugs: The mother should avoid consuming any of these substances during the breastfeeding period, as this can negatively affect the infant’s health and development.

Taking care of health and proper nutrition during the breastfeeding period contributes to providing healthy milk and enhances the health of both the mother and the child. Mothers adhere to these tips to avoid any health problems and ensure the healthy growth of their children.