Should I breastfeed my baby? Benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mother. Benefits of breastfeeding for mother Benefits of breastfeeding for mother

Often, women expecting a baby for the first time have doubts about whether they should breastfeed their baby. To understand how beneficial it is for the child and for the mother, it is worth evaluating all the benefits breastfeeding.
Indeed, despite the abundance of artificial nutrition and its improvement, mother's milk is still irreplaceable. If there are no compelling reasons for refusing to feed, there is no need to doubt its benefits and importance.

What are the benefits of breast milk?

Mother's milk is unique. It absorbs all the substances the baby needs. In addition, it is created by the female body specifically for each baby. Taking into account his needs and development characteristics.

According to Komarovsky, natural way It is always better when you are not sure that another way has advantages.

Here are the additional advantages the pediatrician notes:

Breastfeeding helps prevent your baby from developing the habit of thumb sucking. He satisfies the sucking reflex by applying himself to the mother's breast.

When going on a long trip, it is much easier to breastfeed your baby than to prepare formula on the road.

Mother's milk is completely sterile.

Moral satisfaction from closeness with the baby. The feeling that a child receives something that no one else in the world can give him.

Breastfeeding – best solution for mothers who do not have medical conditions that prevent them from breastfeeding.

It is especially important in the first six months of a baby’s life. The optimal feeding time is until the child is 1 year old.

Benefits of breastfeeding. Under favorable circumstances, breastfeeding is preferable and healthier than artificial feeding. It's all about the positive properties that mother's milk has; unfortunately, they cannot be reproduced artificially.

Benefits for the baby

Full compliance with the child's needs. Breast milk contains about 100 components that are not found in cow's milk; however, it is impossible to find an equivalent replacement for them. Mommy's body has one unique feature - it can adapt to the baby's needs; as a result, the amount of milk he needs is produced (proper consistency, fat content and density). The composition of milk changes from feeding to feeding, from month to month, thus taking into account the baby’s biorhythms and satisfying needs that change with age. The child receives milk that is easily digested and most adapted to development at a given age. Breast milk contains minimal sodium salts (this is three times less than in cow's milk); This factor affects the functioning of the baby’s kidneys – they experience less stress. Also, breast milk is “poorer” in phosphorus; If this drink contains a high phosphorus content, then children who are bottle-fed and constantly consume this product may face the problem of calcium deficiency in the blood. It should be noted that mother’s milk provides the newborn’s body with valuable moisture.
No problems with digestion. If we compare cow's milk and mother's milk, the first contains 3.5% protein, and the second only 1.5%. However, breast milk contains a particularly valuable whey protein - lactalbumin, which is better absorbed and nutritious compared to the main component of cow's milk - caseinogen. There are no significant differences in the fat content, but the fat in mother's milk is better broken down and easily absorbed in the intestines. In other words, it is easier for a child’s body to get more benefits and nutrients from mother’s milk than from cow’s milk (after all, its main purpose is to feed calves).
Freshness of mother's milk. If you are breastfeeding, you can be sure that the milk you offer your baby is properly “prepared” optimal temperature, always sterile, does not contain harmful impurities (provided that there are no contraindications to breastfeeding).
Breast milk helps improve digestion. Breastfed babies rarely experience constipation because mother's milk is easily digested by the newborn's immature digestive system. They also almost never suffer from diarrhea or intestinal colic, because mother’s milk “fights” harmful microorganisms in the intestines, forms normal microflora and ensures the correct course of digestion processes. Even the excrement of breastfed babies has a more pleasant “aroma” (and in rare cases causes irritation on delicate skin) than that of bottle-fed babies.
Preventing obesity. If a mother chooses breastfeeding, her baby will not face obesity. After all, the baby consumes as much food as he considers necessary; therefore, the risk of overfeeding is reduced to zero. According to the results of the study, people who were breastfed, already in old age, extremely rarely encounter the problem excess weight, as well as high cholesterol levels in the blood.
Intellectual development. Breast milk promotes brain development. Naturally fed children have a higher IQ (at least this characteristic remains pronounced until they reach the age of fifteen). The whole point is that breast milk abounds fatty acids, from which the child’s brain is built. In addition, close contact with the mother that occurs during feeding promotes mental development.
No allergy to breast milk. The likelihood of an allergic reaction increases if mommy eats certain foods; in other cases it is kept to a minimum. Cow's milk contains beta-lactoglobulin, which can sometimes cause quite severe allergies. If a baby suffers from a similar allergy to cow's milk, he is prescribed special soy formulas, the composition of which differs sharply from the composition of breast milk, and can also cause allergic reactions. It has been proven that, unlike “artificial” children, “natural” children are less likely to suffer from asthma in childhood.
Protection against infections. Numerous studies have shown that breastfed children in the first year of life have virtually no predisposition to such ailments as:
Strengthening the oral cavity. When sucking milk from the mother's breast, babies exert maximum effort than when feeding from a bottle, so breastfeeding facilitates the process of teething, “training” of the oral cavity, proper development of the jaws, palate, and strengthening of the gums. And as recent studies have shown, children who were breastfed had teeth that were subsequently less susceptible to caries.

Benefits for mommy

Convenience. Mom does not have to purchase formula in advance, prepare it, cool it; Mother's milk is a product that is always ready for use.
Saving. Mothers who practice breastfeeding do not have to buy formula, bottles, nipples, or sterilizers, which allows them to save significantly.
Reducing the time of the postpartum recovery period. During breastfeeding, intense contraction of the uterus occurs (due to the production of the hormone oxytocin), which in turn accelerates its return to the size it was before pregnancy. Breastfeeding also significantly reduces the amount of postpartum vaginal discharge (lochia). If the baby was attached to the breast in the first minutes of his birth, then the mother’s placenta will separate faster, reducing the likelihood of postpartum hemorrhage and the development of anemia. During the feeding process, mommy can afford to rest a little.
Quick figure recovery. Many women who practice breastfeeding notice after some time that their fat deposits accumulated during pregnancy have disappeared. This is possible under one condition - proper nutrition, when a nursing mother receives exactly as many calories per day as necessary to support the nutritional value of milk (the calories should come with food rich in valuable nutrients As a result, the baby’s nutritional needs will be satisfied, and your own figure will be “honed” (after all, it is known that lactation is an active metabolic process, and the female body spends about 80 kilocalories of energy to produce one portion of milk).
Postponement of menstruation. In the first six months, after the baby is born (if he is fully breastfed), the mother’s body produces prolactin, which prevents the production of hormones (progesterone, estrogen), which leads to lactational amenorrhea. As a result, ovulation and menstruation are suppressed. Some mothers who fed their babies “on demand” noted that they could not get pregnant throughout the entire lactation period. However, this feature cannot be completely relied upon if you are planning to prevent conception.
Strengthening bones. Breastfeeding improves bone mineralization after the baby is weaned (provided you consumed enough calcium during lactation). The result is a reduced risk of hip fractures after menopause.
Women who breastfeed their children are not at risk for certain types of cancer (including uterine and breast cancer that occur before menopause).
The most important advantage is that during breastfeeding, mother and baby find themselves together, their skin touches, eye contact is established (at least 6 times a day). This is enough to get emotional satisfaction, express your love and enjoy shared pleasure. Breastfeeding promotes a close relationship between a mother and her baby. Such contact “gives” vital feelings and sensations to the child: peace, security, stability.

Natural, given by nature, is better than artificial, and mother’s breast milk is the best food for a baby. Someone might argue: what other benefits of breastfeeding are there, since babies gain weight so well from formula? However, a well-fed child does not mean healthy, and he does not need extra calories. Before the age of one year, it is more important to eat food that is as easily digestible as possible and contains everything a growing body needs. And this is just breast milk.

For a newborn baby, mother’s milk is indispensable - it provides food, drink, and protection.

For health and growth
Chemical composition Mother's milk is very close to the baby's tissues, so it is absorbed almost entirely. The balance and concentration of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements completely cover the baby’s nutritional needs, and if the mother has enough milk, then the baby does not need any other diet in the first months of life. For him it is food, drink, and medicine.

The benefit of breast milk lies not only in its nutritional content, but also in protecting the baby from disease. Breastfeeding saturates the child's body with immunoglobulin proteins, which help resist infections. A newborn baby’s own immunity is undeveloped, and even a “harmless” runny nose virus can cause a serious illness in such a baby. This is what happens with formula-fed babies, since formulas based on cow's or goat's milk do not contain human immune proteins. Many mothers have noticed that babies who are breastfed get colds and intestinal infections much less often.

The advantages of breastfeeding include the fact that natural born children, as a rule, develop harmoniously and quickly. Human milk contains growth hormones, enzymes that help nutrients be well absorbed, and various biologically active substances. It promotes settlement digestive tract the child with beneficial lactobacilli, which ensure good digestion and immunity.

Without breastfeeding, the baby’s gastrointestinal tract becomes colonized with E. coli, which, when actively multiplying, causes diarrhea and colic due to increased gas formation and other digestive disorders. Intestinal dysbiosis in childhood as a natural result Not proper nutrition(feeding with formulas) causes diathesis and allergies, which are difficult to treat and can bother you for many years.
For a beautiful smile and mental development
The benefits of breastfeeding include the formation of a child’s correct bite and beautiful, even dentition, dentists note. This is facilitated by the shape of the mother's nipple. Children who are fed from a bottle get used to the pacifier and, more often than others, cannot do without a pacifier, and grow nervous and restless. And then their teeth have to be artificially straightened.

Breastfeeding is also beneficial emotionally, according to child psychologists. During breastfeeding, close emotional contact arises between the baby and mother, which develops a mutual feeling of love, tenderness and trust. The emotional connection between mother and child, established during this period, contributes to the further building of parent-child relationships in a favorable direction.

And finally, the last benefit of breastfeeding for the baby. Mother's milk is always ready for use, it does not need to be brewed or heated, and it is completely sterile.

Breastfeeding not only has a beneficial effect on the psychological state, but also protects the woman’s body for years to come.

There are benefits to breastfeeding for the mother as well. The sooner after birth the baby is placed on the mother’s breast, the better for both of them, if, of course, the condition allows. The most favorable option is when the newborn is placed on the mother's stomach right in the delivery room, before the umbilical cord is cut and the placenta is born.

A newborn, if he is healthy and full-term, begins to actively suckle at the breast immediately after birth. This causes increased production of oxytocin in the mother’s body, a hormone that causes contractions of the muscles of the uterus. Thanks to this, the placenta is born quickly, blood loss is reduced, and the woman recovers more easily after childbirth. The further postpartum period for mothers who put the baby to the breast early and continued breastfeeding usually proceeds without complications.

Another advantage of breastfeeding is that the mother, who is not yet strong after pregnancy and childbirth, is less tired. At least she is spared the trouble of preparing food for her infant child. The infant's feeding schedule for the first months of life is every three hours with a six-hour break at night. How many times during this time would she have to boil water, brew the mixture, cool it, pour it into a bottle, then wash this bottle and disinfect it... A mother who sticks to breastfeeding is spared all this hassle. Especially at night.

The advantages of natural feeding also include the following.

Fast weight recovery. Many women gain too much weight during pregnancy, that is, they gain a few more pounds than normal. Getting back slim after this is not so easy, except for one thing the right way- long-term breastfeeding. It’s just that during it, all the “reserves” on the stomach, butt and thighs are processed into the energy necessary for milk production.
Intimacy without the risk of re-pregnancy. While the mother is breastfeeding, her body produces the hormone prolactin, which is a natural contraceptive (suppresses ovulation). Therefore, the lactation period is safe in terms of unplanned conception. But to maintain prolactin levels, breastfeeding must be regular, without interruptions.
Having several children and breastfeeding them for a long time (up to 1 - 1.5 years) is the best protection against breast cancer in the future.. Oncologists conducted a study that confirmed that the longer a woman’s breasts perform their natural function, the less likely it is for a tumor to develop in it. This is especially important to remember for those who refuse to feed their baby their own milk for fear that their breasts will lose their shape.
Prevention of osteoporosis. During menopause, the female body rapidly loses calcium, causing bone tissue to thin out and become brittle. This is dangerous due to the occurrence of fractures from minor injuries, which often lead to disability. To avoid this misfortune, you need to create calcium reserves at a young age, while you have the opportunity. And it is best absorbed during lactation. Therefore, the longer the breastfeeding period continues, the more calcium the body stores.
Strong immunity. Since a nursing mother must provide immune protection to her baby, her body produces an increased amount of immunoglobulins. They are enough for both the child and her. During breastfeeding, not only babies, but also their mothers are not susceptible to seasonal colds and intestinal infections.

In addition, as noted by psychologists and doctors, breastfeeding women more easily adapt to a new social role - being a mother. The same hormones - oxytocin and prolactin - give them resistance to stress and additional strength. Such mothers are not in danger postpartum depression, and caring for a baby doesn’t seem so difficult. They also tolerate the inevitable lack of sleep more easily. In a word, only advantages.

And finally, another argument in favor of breastfeeding, financial. Breast milk is not only a healthy product, but also free. And buying formula, bottles, warmers and other feeding equipment will cost your family a pretty penny.

Enjoy your natural breastfeeding for a long time!

A woman who is aware of the benefits of breast milk for her baby will never be faced with a choice: to breastfeed or not. In this case, there can be only one justifiable reason for refusing breastfeeding - medical contraindications to this.

Meanwhile, some new mothers are ready to deny their baby the most necessary things for him in the first months of his life. They find various excuses and arguments for themselves, including, perhaps, a change in the shape and former youth of the breast.

Whatever concerns a woman may have about breastfeeding, her doubts are likely to be completely erased if she is well informed about the benefits breastfeeding has for herself.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding for a woman?

All neonatologists and pediatricians unanimously declare that early breastfeeding (that is, in the first minutes after birth, while still in the delivery room) is extremely important and useful. Therefore, it would be good to study this issue before birth, in order to start feeding the baby from the first minutes of his life.

Perhaps not in very detail and not comprehensively, but every woman knows about the benefits of mother’s milk for a newborn. But we, as a rule, think least of ourselves. But it turns out that the process of lactation has many benefits for the mother.

Fast recovery after childbirth

The baby's sucking of the breast has a beneficial effect on the condition of the mother's body already from the first attachment. It stimulates the production of hormones - prolactin and oxytocin, which accelerate postpartum recovery and help you quickly return to your previous shape. In particular, while the baby is sucking the breast, the uterus of the nursing mother begins to contract intensively. Thus, it is better cleared of bloody discharge, decreases in size faster and returns to its prenatal state. At the same time, not only does the stomach “go away” after childbirth, but also the internal organs take their proper places, returning to their previous mode of operation.

Thanks to more effective uterine contractions during breastfeeding, postpartum bleeding lasts less, and this prevents the development of anemia in a woman due to large blood losses.

In addition to this, it is breastfeeding mothers who return to their previous prenatal forms easier, more relaxed and more effectively. At first, mom will have to forget about losing weight for a while, because the body needs resources to produce milk. But what she eats will be intensively spent on lactation (breastfeeding alone takes about 500 kcal per day), and gradually, without much effort, the mother will return to her previous shape if she adheres to proper nutrition (without special diets and training). This is facilitated by accelerated metabolism during lactation.

As for women who are not breastfeeding after childbirth, they will have to make a lot of effort to lose weight, and it is possible that they will harm their health.

Disease Prevention

The health benefits of breastfeeding are not limited to this. Numerous studies indicate that breastfeeding is an effective prevention of female cancers, in particular breast and ovarian cancer. Moreover, the longer a woman breastfeeds, the more pronounced this effect is. If she was diagnosed with a tumor in the breast (fibroadenoma), then lactation with a very high probability can contribute to its disappearance. This is especially true for women at risk (suffering from mastopathy): they need to breastfeed for at least a year. Doctors also came to the conclusion that during lactation, diabetic women’s dependence on insulin decreases.

Doctors say that the immunity of a nursing mother remains protected by nature, and therefore the mother is less susceptible to viral infections. If she breaks the chain natural changes, that is, refuses to breastfeed, then a gross invasion and a sharp violation occurs hormonal levels, which affects her health negatively.

In addition, thanks to a whole complex of natural mechanisms in the nurse’s body, calcium and other nutrients are absorbed better during this period! For this, the main thing is to eat right and lead healthy image life, which breastfeeding contributes to in the best possible way: only in exceptional cases do nursing mothers allow themselves to drink and smoke. As a rule, women approach this period with full responsibility, understanding that the health and strength of the child is now being formed for the rest of his life, and the quality of this very life largely depends on the mother.

Resistance to stress and depression

Nature also took care of the mental comfort and mental balance of the nursing mother. Scientists have come to the conclusion that thanks to the same hormones nervous system women seem to be abstracted from the factors provoking her instability. Mom doesn’t seem to react to “unimportant” episodes now. Her entire consciousness and subconscious is aimed at the well-being of the baby and obtaining satisfaction from the feeding process, from physical and spiritual intimacy with the baby.

It has been noted that women in labor who refuse breastfeeding are more susceptible to stress and more often end up in depression, from which it is not only difficult to get out of it, but often impossible without the help of specialists. This is explained by a sharp decrease in the level of hormones in a woman’s body when she refuses to breastfeed, for which the mother’s body has already prepared. These hormones cause feelings of euphoria and happiness in a new mother, very similar to the sensations in a state of love.

Natural way of contraception

It’s not at all the most important argument in favor of feeding a baby with breast milk, but if you think carefully... For complete recovery and strengthening after childbirth female body it takes about 3 years, doctors say. Only after this period has passed will a newly pregnant woman be able to provide the growing fetus with everything it needs without harming it and herself. Therefore, the issue of contraception after childbirth is very relevant.

Today it is absolutely known that it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. And yet, properly organized natural feeding enhances and prolongs the contraceptive effect. You just need to know that you can rely on this method of protection only if you follow all the rules and recommendations (feeding on demand, co-sleeping, at least three feedings at night, feeding the baby only (!) with breast milk, refusing pacifiers, not introducing complementary foods earlier 4-6 months, etc.). The onset of pregnancy during breastfeeding is prevented by the hormone prolactin, which is now produced in large quantities. It suppresses the production of female sex hormones (progesterone and estrogen), necessary for ovulation, conception and implantation of the fertilized egg.

Saving money and time

This benefit of breastfeeding is initially underestimated by many. But returning to such a convenient way of nursing a child after switching to formula milk is extremely difficult. Therefore, do not rush to deny a newborn a breast, but just think carefully...

Infant formulas today are quite expensive. The better the mixture, the more expensive it is, and the jar doesn’t last long. It is not at all a fact that you will find an infant formula that suits your child the first time. You will probably have to try many brands before you find a food that will not harm your baby’s gastrointestinal tract and his body as a whole.

Each package of “inappropriate” formula will remain unused (unless you deliberately torture your child with such food). Since children's appetite is not always the same, often the remains of the uneaten amount will have to be thrown out (because the baby must receive freshly prepared formula every time).

In general, regarding the financial side of the issue, all the advantages of breast milk are obvious: it is completely free.

But, in addition, mother’s milk is always fresh, warm (exactly the temperature required, which is extremely difficult to achieve when preparing formula, and a temperature discrepancy of even a few degrees negatively affects the absorption and digestion of food by the baby’s stomach).

Such food is always available, nearby. There is no need to suddenly quickly run to the store or home; this is extremely beneficial and convenient when mother and baby go on long walks or long trips.

Mother's milk is always sterile and ready for use: there is no need to bother with washing and sterilizing pacifiers, nipples, bottles, with preparation and doubts about how many grams the baby should eat. All you have to do is offer your baby the breast - and you can rest. The child will eat exactly as much as he needs at a given period. It's completely free and hassle-free! It also saves your physical strength.

A convenient way to calm your child

What can we say about the fact that nothing calms a child better and faster than the mother’s breast. If you don’t want to be tormented by a child’s crying, trying in every possible and impossible way to calm an upset baby, then lactation should definitely be adjusted.

Of course, such a “sedative” does not always work. But if the breast does not help, then the pacifier and motion sickness will be even more powerless.

Strong connection with your child

Every mother would like to build a strong, warm relationship with her child and raise a responsive, kind, attentive, loving child. The foundations for this are laid precisely during lactation. Together with mother's milk, the mother gives the baby not only a feeling of security, safety and comfort, but also conveys to him her mood, attitude, and vision of this world. That is why you need to breastfeed with great desire, pleasure, love and confidence that this is the best decision and that you will certainly succeed.

It's actually quite simple and easy. But if you encounter any difficulties during breastfeeding, invite a specialist to your home who will not only teach you comfortable, effective feeding positions and how to properly attach your baby to the breast, but will also answer all your questions. Believe me, it is worth the money spent on such services.

Healthy and smart child

And most importantly! If you want to raise a healthy, smart and confident child, then breastfeeding will contribute to this better than anything else. It has been proven that children who are breastfed for a long time grow up many times healthier and stronger, as well as more intelligent and capable of learning than bottle-fed children.

Together with mother's milk, the child receives strong immune protection. Rickets, anemia, hypovitaminosis, allergic, gastrointestinal, endocrine, viral and many other diseases develop much less frequently in infants! Moreover, scientists have come to the conclusion that in adulthood such children suffer less often from diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, and cancer.

Is it better to constantly sit on sick leave and be exhausted from childhood illnesses than to enjoy the time spent together, which flies very quickly and never returns!

If you are still in doubt about whether to breastfeed your newborn baby, then ask nursing mothers what they experience in moments of such intimacy with their little one. Believe me, this cannot be expressed in words, but even what you hear in response should convince you: you definitely need to feed, even if you see certain difficulties in this for yourself.

Treat the process of breastfeeding with warmth and love, perceive it simply and naturally - and then everything will be exactly as it should be: easy, pleasant and useful in every sense!

Especially for - Margarita SOLOVIOVA

By taking the time to establish breastfeeding, a woman will be able to provide her child with all the necessary nutrients, and by maintaining natural feeding until two years of age, she will be able to help the child’s immunity develop and strengthen.

Breastfeeding a child does not always bring pleasure and relief to the mother. Not all women experience joyful feelings when breastfeeding - cracked nipples, pain, mastitis, lactostasis or lack of milk can drive anyone to despair.

Often, young, inexperienced mothers, having experienced the first difficulties of breastfeeding, are faced with a choice: continue to feed the baby with their milk no matter what, or transfer the baby to artificial nutrition. In order not to regret your decision, you need to figure out how important breastfeeding is for the child and his mother.

Benefits of breastfeeding for a baby

Children in the first year of life who are breastfed grow and develop faster than their formula-fed peers because they receive all the substances necessary for the body from mother's milk.

This is perhaps the most important argument in favor of breastfeeding. However, in addition to this, breastfeeding provides the child with:

quick and easy digestion of milk - the main food product
formation of immunity and protection against infectious diseases
maximum protection against skin diseases and allergic rashes
rapid recovery from illnesses
calmness and a sense of security at the mother's breast
satisfying the sucking reflex without using a pacifier
good health in older age, after stopping breastfeeding

Benefits of breastfeeding for mother

It is a mistaken belief that breastfeeding a child spoils a woman’s figure and takes away her strength. In fact, breastfeeding is beneficial for both the baby and the mother. Women who are breastfeeding:

recover faster after childbirth
reduce the risk of developing breast, uterine and ovarian cancer
are protected from the onset of a new pregnancy using a natural method
save about $1000 a year on baby food
keep fit by following a diet in the first months of breastfeeding
don’t know what sleepless nights are - babies quickly fall asleep at the breast
no hassle with preparing the mixture or sterilizing bottles
connected with the baby on a subtle emotional and sensory level

Disadvantages of Breastfeeding

No matter how many benefits breastfeeding has, the other side of the coin also makes itself felt. Mistakes made in organizing the feeding of a child can turn it into an unpleasant and sometimes even painful process for the mother and dangerous for the baby.

A nursing mother who does not take special vitamins can easily lose most of her hair in the first few months after giving birth - it will begin to fall out and split.

One of the disadvantages of breastfeeding is the loss and deterioration of the mother's hair.

Teeth and nails also come under attack – they become unnaturally brittle and brittle. You can stop these processes by starting to take a vitamin and mineral complex for nursing mothers.

If a nursing mother does not exercise, her breasts will most likely change shape out of shape. better side. Loss of elasticity, reduction or unnatural increase in size, stretch marks, nipple wounds from the child’s sharp teeth, loss of sensitivity - all these troubles can also beset the tender female breast while breastfeeding.

Unexpected moments for a nursing mother can also include:

“leaky” weak nipples – the breast may not hold the entire volume of milk and begin to spontaneously release it into large quantities at the wrong moment
24-hour attachment to the feeding schedule - if the child is not accustomed to a bottle, the mother will have to be constantly nearby so as not to leave the child hungry for a long time
baby's refusal to sleep without mother's breast
the need to follow a strict diet to avoid the baby from developing colic, bowel problems and allergic reactions
drowsiness that occurs under the influence of endorphins produced by the body during feeding

Constant sleepiness - lack of breastfeeding

IMPORTANT: A woman can avoid all of the listed troubles of breastfeeding by preparing for what is to come mentally and physically.

Breastfeeding may become unsafe for the baby if:

mother does not follow a diet, eats spicy, fried, smoked and fatty foods
Mom drinks alcohol and coffee, smokes
The baby has lactose intolerance
a mother may fall soundly asleep while feeding and accidentally crush the baby, cutting off his air supply

Natural feeding of children in the first year of life: rules and periods

Establishing natural breastfeeding is not so easy. In the first few days after birth, the mother may not have milk at all. This is absolutely normal, but many women, out of ignorance, do not put the baby to the breast, thereby making a serious mistake already at this initial stage.

IMPORTANT: The baby should be put to the breast for the first time in the delivery room, immediately after birth. It is very important for the baby to receive colostrum, which always comes before milk.

In the future, the baby is given breastfeeding as often as possible. As practice shows, women who do not adhere to a feeding schedule and breastfeed their baby on demand manage to preserve milk and establish breastfeeding more often than mothers who feed their babies “by the hour.”

A young mother should not give in to the persuasion of older relatives to “give the baby formula so that he can eat enough” and pay attention to their meaningful sighs about the length of time the baby stays near the breast.

IMPORTANT: During the first 2–4 months, many children instinctively ask to be held in their arms, under the chest. In this case, the child can suck in order to get enough, only 10 - 20 minutes, and the rest of the time he can just sleep, without letting the nipple out of his mouth. You should not deprive your baby of this pleasure. Very little time will pass and he will set the most acceptable schedule of food and rest for himself.

It is noteworthy that for those mothers who feed their baby on demand, the problem of pumping naturally disappears. The breasts are not overfilled with “extra” milk.

Feeding on demand is a must for breastfeeding

In the former Soviet Union, new mothers were taught to stick to a feeding schedule of three-hour intervals. This is absolutely false. After all, while the baby is very small, he may need breast milk every 1 - 1.5 hours. Thus, by sticking to schedules and following routines, the mother is simply depriving the child of necessary nutrition.

IMPORTANT: There is no need to be afraid that the child will overeat or not eat enough. Nature will wisely put everything in its place, and the mother’s job is to simply give breast to the baby according to his every desire.

Once complementary foods appear in the baby's diet, his need for breast milk will decrease slightly. Gradually, the mother will be able to replace breastfeeding by offering the baby previously introduced foods.

In the first months after birth, the baby can “hang” on the chest for 20 hours a day

How long should you breastfeed your baby?

It is impossible to determine the optimal age of a child for weaning from breastfeeding. Some children themselves abruptly refuse to breastfeed as soon as they try complementary feeding, others leave their mother’s breast gradually, latching only at night or in stressful situations, and still others are not ready to say goodbye to their favorite treat even at the age of three.

It is a mistakenly outdated opinion that breastfeeding a child over 1 year of age is inappropriate. Previously it was believed that “late” milk no longer contained useful substances necessary for the growth and development of the baby.

IMPORTANT: Research recent years have proven that over time, the percentage of fat content and the content of vital vitamins and microelements in breast milk increases. Continuing to receive breast milk after a year, children almost completely satisfy the body's need for protein, calcium, vitamins A, B12, C.

How long to breastfeed a child is up to the mother to decide

You shouldn't look around in search of the right solution. Every mother is able to intuitively feel whether her child is ready for weaning. To do this, you just need to listen to yourself and your child.