BENEFITS OF EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING TO BOTH INFANT AND MOTHER BY AFIA BUTT, NUTRITION ADVISOR
Infant Benefits
Health Benefits For Infants
- Stronger immune systems
- Less diarrhea, constipation, gastroenteritis
- Fewer cold and respiratory illnesses like pneumonia or whooping cough
- Fewer ear infections
- Fewer case of bacterial meningitis
- Lower rate of infant mortality
- Lower rate of sudden infant death syndrome(SIDS)
- Fewer instances of allergies, eczema and asthma
- Fewer childhood cancers including leukemia and lymphomas
- Lower risk of type I and type II diabetes
- Less likelihood of becoming obese later in childhood
- improved brain maturation
Mother Benefits
Health Benefits for Mothers
a) Physically
- Promotes faster weight loss after birth burning about 500 calories a day to build and maintain a milk supply
- Stimulates the uterus to contract and return to normal size
- Less postpartum bleeding
- Fewer urinary tract infections
- Less chance of anemia
- Less risk of postpartum depression
b) Emotionally
- Breastfeeding produce the naturally soothing hormones oxytocin and prolactin that promote stress reduction and positive feelings in the nursing mothers.
- Increased confidence and self esteem
- Physical and emotional bonding between mother and child is increased
c) For Life
- Lower risk of breast cancer
- Lower risk of ovarian cancer
- Lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
- Lower risk of endometriosis
- Lower risk of osteoporosis
- Lower risk of diabetes
- Lower risk of hypertension
- Lower risk of cardiovascular diseases
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