11 Benefits of breastfeeding to support the health of mothers and babies

Breastfeeding by means of breastfeeding and pumping is important to support the growth and development and health of the baby. Apart from helping to meet the nutritional needs of the baby, breast milk also offers a myriad of benefits for both mother and baby. To be more confident and enthusiastic about breastfeeding, consider the various benefits of breastfeeding, including exclusive breastfeeding for mothers and babies, let's go!

Various benefits of breast milk for babies and mothers

Given the importance and the many benefits of breastfeeding, the government issued regulations on exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. This rule is contained in Government Regulation no. 33 of 2012.

Under these regulations, getting breast milk every day is the right of a baby. You don't need to worry that your baby will be malnourished just because you get breast milk every day without other nutrients.

In fact, there are a myriad of benefits of breast milk for babies that are good for baby growth and development in early life.

Some of the benefits of breastfeeding for babies, including exclusive breastfeeding, are as follows:

1. Contains essential nutrients for babies

The nutritional content of breast milk includes carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Breastmilk or breast milk that is first given to babies is called colostrum.

Colostrum is the earliest milk discharge in the first few days after you give birth. In contrast to the color of white milk like milk in general, the color of colostrum fluid is not the case.

The distinctive color of this first breast milk is clear but slightly yellowish. Apart from being different in terms of color, the texture of colostrum is also different from breast milk because it tends to be thicker when held.

Seeing its different color from most milk, colostrum is often mistaken for breast milk with poor quality.

In fact, launching from the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), the quality of colostrum breast milk is very good for infant growth and development because it contains various important nutrients.

You should not waste this colostrum liquid because it contains a number of nutrients that are good for babies.

Get to know colostrum and its nutritional content

Colostrum is the first breast milk fluid that is prepared as the earliest intake for babies.

So, you don't need to doubt the nutritional content of this first breast milk liquid or colostrum. Colostrum is rich in levels of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, antiglobulins, white blood cells, and immunoglobulins.

Immunoglobulins in colostrum are antibodies that the baby gets from the mother and provides passive immunity to the baby.

This passive immunity is able to protect babies from the dangers of diseases caused by bacteria or viruses. The content of colostrum is also responsible for boosting the baby's immune system.

In fact, the nature of colostrum is a laxative so that it can help smooth the work of the baby's digestive system.

The amount of colostrum fluid in breast milk is not much, but the benefits in it are very good for babies.

Thanks to the benefits of colostrum, breast milk for the first time makes it advisable not to miss giving to babies.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, the various benefits of colostrum for babies are as follows:

Helps strengthen the immune system of newborns.
Forms a layer on the baby's stomach to prevent disease-causing pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses.
It is a laxative, which helps the baby's digestion to remove meconium (the first dark stool).
Helps prevent jaundice in babies by removing harmful waste substances from the baby's body.
Provide sufficient nutrients needed by babies for the development and growth of the baby's brain, eyes and heart.
Has a high protein content and quality, low sugar, rich in good fats and vitamins.
The amount of nutrient content is just right and suitable for babies so that it is easily digested by the newborn's stomach.
Prevent low blood sugar levels in babies.

After running out, colostrum will be replaced by milk-white milk as usual.

What if the baby can't receive colostrum right away?

Ideally, babies should be given colostrum immediately or a few hours after birth. Unfortunately, there are several conditions that require the mother or baby to get medical care first after undergoing the birth process.

This of course prevents the mother from giving colostrum to the baby. In conditions like this, you can actually get around using a breast pump.

How to store expressed breast milk must be considered carefully before giving it to babies.

In addition, every time the milk is expressed, the breasts will empty and make the milk production back automatically. In other words, pumping breast milk regularly can be a way to increase breast milk.

This is because every time the breast is empty after you pump the breast milk, the body will give a signal to the breast to produce milk again.

That is why the more often you breastfeed or pump breast milk, the more milk will be produced from the breast.

2. Meet all the nutritional needs of the baby

Breast milk is the best first food for babies. The first breastfeeding when a new baby is born is called early initiation of breastfeeding (IMD).

Despite the various myths of breastfeeding mothers and the challenges of breastfeeding, breastfeeding should not be overlooked.

In fact, when you experience problems with breastfeeding mothers, the doctor will usually provide treatment as well as drugs that are safe for breastfeeding mothers.

The benefits of breastfeeding are sufficient for all the energy and nutritional needs of the baby during the early life until the age of 6 months.

That way, actually giving other than breast milk such as formula milk, drinks, or additional food before the age of 6 months is not needed.

That is why the nutritional needs of babies every day can still be fulfilled properly even if they are only given breast milk.

In fact, giving plain water during the first 6 months is also not recommended for babies because it can prevent exclusive breastfeeding.

Not only that, breast milk is also able to meet half of the daily needs of ages 6-12 months and one third of toddlers aged 1-2 years.

Only when breastfeeding is no longer possible can you provide a substitute in the form of formula milk.

However, avoid giving breast milk mixed with formula (sufor) in one bottle.

3. Improve baby intelligence

Breast milk can actually help sensory and cognitive development in the baby's brain.

A study contained in Journal of Korean Medical Science, states that the intelligence development of babies who are given ASI is better than babies who are not breastfed.

These are the benefits of other breastfeeding for babies, especially exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months.

In addition, the cognitive development of babies who are breastfed until the age of 9 months is also better than if it is only given for the first 3 months.

Quoted from the page of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), breast milk can also affect the development of children's intellectual abilities.

The reason is, breastfeeding can build closeness and a sense of comfort which then affects the emotional development of children.

Intellectual abilities and emotional development that are more mature in children are useful to support their social life in the future.

4. The benefits of breast milk to increase the baby's immune system

Other benefits of breastfeeding, including exclusive breastfeeding, can help strengthen the immune system or the baby's immune system against disease.

This is because in breast milk there are a number of antibodies, white blood cells, and immunoglubulin A (IgA), especially the first liquid of breast milk or colostrum.

Breast milk colostrum contains immunoglobulin A (IgA) and several other types of antibodies for babies.

IgA plays a role in providing a lining to the digestive tract so that germs, bacteria, and viruses that carry disease can not enter the bloodstream.

On the other hand, the benefits of IgA in breast milk can also form a protective coating on the nose and throat.

While the benefits of antibodies in breast milk for babies are tasked with fighting viruses, bacteria, germs, and other disease-causing pathogens.

The benefits of white blood cells in breast milk for babies are that they contain important cells such as phagocytes to eradicate various germs.

This will certainly help protect the baby until the immune system in his body can function optimally.

Babies who get breast milk every day have a digestive tract that is inhabited by bacteria Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus.

You don't need to worry because they are not bad bacteria, but good bacteria that can help prevent the development of disease-carrying organisms.

That way, breast milk can make your baby's immune system stronger.

5. Prevent disease in infants

Interestingly, the benefits of providing exclusive breastfeeding for babies for a full 6 months have also been shown to reduce the risk of disease.

Take for example, such as respiratory infections, ear, urinary tract, diarrhea, pneumonia, obesity, diabetes, allergies, and so on.

This benefit is because the baby's body gets immunity from breast milk so that it can help fight infection attacks.

Not only that, the chances of babies experiencing gastrointestinal infections are also usually lower due to the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.

The reason is, breast milk tends to be more easily digested by the baby's digestive system. The benefits of breastfeeding can also help speed up the maturation process of the digestive tract so that it can perform its function optimally.

Breast milk that enters the digestive tract also provides benefits because it triggers the formation of an acidic atmosphere.

Furthermore, this acidic atmosphere will trigger the appearance of IgA and a protective layer in the digestive tract.

As previously explained, an increase in the amount of IgaA is related to a stronger defense system of the digestive tract against infection.

Meanwhile, the lining of the digestive tract acts as a protection so that microorganisms cannot penetrate into the bloodstream.

This is one of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for babies, which is to increase the body's resistance to disease attacks.

6. Prevent obesity in infants

Even though the baby is breastfeeding all the time, you don't need to worry that breast milk does not make the baby obese.

On the other hand, exclusive breastfeeding can help maintain body weight thereby preventing excess weight gain.

This can be caused by the development of different gut bacteria.

The number of gut bacteria in breastfed babies is higher and can affect the fat storage process, according to research in the journal Clinical Medicine.

In fact, the benefits of breast milk for babies can also be seen because it has a lot of leptin in the body.

Leptin is a hormone whose job is to regulate appetite as well as fat storage in the body.

As a result, the baby's weight gain does not jump up immediately. On this basis, breast milk has very important benefits for babies.

7. The benefits of breastfeeding to speed up postpartum uterine recovery

During pregnancy, the uterus develops over time as the baby in the womb gets bigger.

Then after giving birth, the uterus that no longer contains a baby will experience a process called involution.

Involution is a process in which the size of the uterus after childbirth returns to its pre-pregnancy size.

The process of changing the uterus to its original size is assisted by the hormone oxytocin.

Apart from helping to restore uterine size, the hormone oxytocin also reduces bleeding and encourages uterine contractions after childbirth.

Well, giving breast milk to babies can help increase the production of the hormone oxytocin.

As a result, the body's recovery process after giving birth can be even faster thanks to the benefits of this breast milk.

8. Breast milk has benefits as a natural contraceptive

Breastfeeding can actually delay your menstrual period thus helping to postpone pregnancy after delivery naturally.

This is referred to as lactational amenorrheaor the lactational amenorrhea method.

During breastfeeding, the production of the hormone estrogen usually decreases, whereas ovulation occurs when the level of estrogen in the body increases.

Here, breastfeeding can help slow down the ovulation process during the first few months after delivery.

However, it is important to note. It is not completely effective as a natural contraceptive to prevent pregnancy.

9. The benefits of breastfeeding reduce the risk of the mother experiencing postpartum depression

Postpartum depression or depression after childbirth is a type of depression that a mother can experience shortly after giving birth.

In this case, the benefits of breast milk for the mother can help reduce the risk of developing postpartum depression.

This is believed to be due to an increase in the hormone oxytocin and prolactin during breastfeeding. The process of breastfeeding triggers the mother's body to release the hormones prolactin and oxytocin.

Prolactin acts as a trigger for relaxation and also prevents the egg from ovulating for some time so that the menstrual cycle can be temporarily delayed.

While oxytocin acts as a trigger for closeness between mother and baby. That is why the release of these two hormones during breastfeeding is considered to have an anti-anxiety effect.

In addition, the release of these two hormones also provides benefits, which helps make the body more relaxed and relaxed. Especially if you apply the right breastfeeding position.

10. The benefits of breastfeeding reduce the mother's risk of disease

The benefits of providing breast milk for mothers are believed to help reduce the risk of cancer, such as breast and ovarian cancer.

Not only that, breastfeeding your baby can also help prevent metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome has a risk of causing a mother to experience heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other health problems.

11. Benefits of providing other breast milk, practical and economical

When your baby cries because of hunger in the middle of the night, it is certainly easier to breastfeed right away than you have to get up and make formula milk.

From an economic point of view, exclusive breastfeeding also has benefits, especially if it is continued until the baby is 2 years old.

This can help reduce the cost of buying formula every month. Given the importance of breastfeeding, make sure your baby drinks breast milk according to the daily breastfeeding schedule.

In essence, there are so many benefits of breast milk for babies and mothers. So, don't hesitate and worry anymore to give breast milk to the baby right after he is born.

In order not to be mistaken about various information about exclusive breastfeeding, you should consult a doctor.

You can ask questions and dig deeper information if there is anything that is not understood about breastfeeding for babies.