5 Advantages Mothers Get From Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a natural way to provide your baby with the nutrients they need for proper growth and development. It also has many benefits for mothers, including bonding with your baby, saving money, and reducing stress 

So, without further ado, let’s go further and get on with the first advantage!

Breastfeeding can help you bond with your baby 

Breastfeeding is a special time for mother and baby to share. It helps you feel close to your baby and can be a relaxing experience 

When a baby is born, they are instinctively drawn to their mother’s breast. This is because breastfeeding provides them with the nutrients they need to grow and develop. 

The close physical contact that is necessary breastfeeding helps to foster an emotional connection between mother and child. The act of breastfeeding itself releases a hormone called oxytocin which promotes feelings of love and affection. As a result, breastfeeding is an important part of the bonding process between mother and child.

Breastfeeding can save you money 

Formula can be expensive, and if you breastfeed, you won’t have to buy it. In addition to providing essential nutrients and antibodies, breastfeeding can also save mothers a significant amount of money. 

Yes, formula is not only expensive, but it also requires water, bottles, and other supplies. To that point, formula-fed babies also do not enjoy the individualised nutrition daily as provided in breast milk. The composition and the nutrition levels are able to change as the baby grows older or falls ill. 

On the other hand, formula fed milk is not able to replicate the antibodies provided by the mother through breast milk. Researchers reasoned that this is the main reason as to why babies who are breastfed have lower risk of falling ill compared to formula fed babies. Thus, if a mother is able to breastfeed, it is best to continue breastfeeding, as babies who are less likely to fall ill, means lesser visits to the doctor which sometimes cost more money. 

Breastfeeding is a free and convenient way to ensure that your baby gets the best possible start in life. As a result, breastfeeding is not only good for your baby – it’s also good for your bank account!

Breastfeeding can help you lose weight postpartum & recover faster

Breastfeeding uses up extra calories, as much as 500 calories. This means with proper planning and healthy eating habits, you can return to your pre-pregnancy weight safely and more quickly as compared to mothers who do not breastfeed. 

Besides that, the act of breastfeeding helps the body to recover faster. You may be wondering how that would be? As you breastfeed, not only does it increase the level of prolactin as breast milk supply increases, oxytocin also increases. Oxytocin helps the mammary gland in the breast to contract and expel milk as the baby suckles.This same hormone also helps the uterus to contract to return to the normal size. Additionally, oxytocin also helps blood vessels to constrict which means postpartum bleeding would stop sooner too!

There are so many wins breastfeeding brings for mothers. Thus, family and friends should be supportive of mothers who want to and can breastfeed. 

Breastfeeding can postpartum depression

The relationship between maternal depression and breastfeeding is complex. Although breastfeeding is strongly associated with lower risk of postpartum depression when mothers intend to breastfeed, Researchers found that mothers who did not intend to breastfeed after pregnancy and still breastfeed, experienced an increase in dissatisfaction and stress.

Therefore support for mothers should be individualised. Different mothers have different abilities and personal goals and preferences. 

In the case where breastfeeding helps to reduce stress successfully, breastfeeding releases hormones that help relax both mother and baby. In one study, mothers who breastfeed their infants had significantly reduced physiological and subjective stress. 

Breastfeeding supports your baby’s immune system optimally

Breast Milk contains antibodies that help protect babies from illness. Babies who are breastfed tend to have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and stomach problems than those who are not breastfed.

Breastfeeding has been shown to provide a number of health benefits for both babies and mothers. In terms of infant health, breastfeeding has been linked to a reduced risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by 50% at all ages throughout infancy. It also helps to lower incidence of diarrhoea as well as risk of allergic disease especially in infants with a family history of allergy.

For mothers, breastfeeding can help to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes. It can also lead to quicker weight loss after childbirth and help to delay the return of fertility. Consequently, there are a wide range of health benefits associated with breastfeeding.

Closing Words 

There are many advantages of breastfeeding for mothers. It can help you bond with your baby, save money, reduce stress, and improve your baby’s health. If you are able to breastfeed, it is a great option for both you and your baby.

Should you feel that you are not able to supply enough breastmilk for your little one and are looking for some form of support as you breastfeed in terms of your diet, fret not. We have you covered there as well. Yes, ReLacto isn’t just a coincidentally apt name for our business. No, not at all. We actually specialise in providing breastfeeding food package services that help support mothers in their breastfeeding journeys.

Simply swing on by our homepage to browse through our varied lactation diet menu that’s carefully guided by our professional in-house dietitian and lovingly prepared by our award-winning chef.Oh, and don’t worry, we provide a breastfeeding meal delivery service as well so that you can enjoy hot hearty meals from the comfort of your very own home!