Research-backed
Image: iStock
Breastfeeding is a healthy practice for both you and your baby, and its benefits extend far past weaning. As health experts stress on factors associated with various diseases, they often conclude that babies who were breastfed are less likely to encounter problems with chronic diseases.
According to the Daily Mail, “Breastfed babies are less likely to grow up angry and irritable”. This suggests that breastfed babies grew up to be less hostile than the other bottle-fed counterparts. Here are three reasons to determine that breastfed babies build a lifetime of good health.
1. Prevents Obesity
In the stage of infancy as well, breastfed babies are leaner as compared to formula fed peers and studies have suggested that they are less likely to become obese during their adolescence too. Obese children are more susceptive to becoming overweight adults whereas longer periods of breastfeeding highly reduce the risk of being obese in the adulthood as well.
The reason behind this is the control that breastfed babies develop. The baby gives out cues as to how much she would want to eat and when she would like to stop. This develops healthy eating habits in babies right from the start. Parents do urge bottle-fed babies to finish up the last ounce, whereas it can’t be done with a breastfed baby as when they are done they really are done!
Breastfeeding during infancy lowers the risk of strokes and heart attacks in the adult life. This is due in part to the presence of higher level of cholesterol in mother’s milk. Heart researchers have theorized that due to the cholesterol content in mother’s milk, a breastfed infant’s liver gets acquainted with metabolizing cholesterol far better than bottle-fed babies. This reason makes the blood cholesterol levels to lower down and thus reduces the risk of heart disease (1).
3. Setback to Allergies and Infections
The immune components of breast milk protect the babies from allergens and ultimately reduce the chances of the child developing asthma and other chronic disorders. It also helps in delaying the introduction of potentially allergy causing foods such as soy protein and cow milk into their diet, until the infant grows up and the immunity becomes more strong. It is suggested by the researchers that breast milk also plays a vital role in preventing the baby life-long from digestive disorders such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and childhood cancers as well.
Babies who are breastfed are less likely to be attacked my muscular disorders as well (such as Multiple Sclerosis) as human’s milk contributes to the myelin formation which ensures the protection of muscle recovery throughout his adulthood.
Breast milk has been found very protective for the baby as it saves them from a host of illness related to respiration and ear infections.
Breastmilk is indeed the unique food designed by the nature that will nurture the child’s body for a lifetime.
The influence of breastfeeding on a baby’s health is vaster than health experts have researched. Breastmilk contains some rare amino acids and fat sources that are very crucial for brain development, IQ, and bone health. Researchers have also come up with the fact that babies who are breastfed for longer durations are likely to turn well educated and high earning adults.
And yes the mom too gets benefitted when the baby breastfeeds, as the baby cultivates a deeper relation and a friendship with their moms for a lifetime.
