Benefits of Breast Feeding

The most important factor that influences a mother’s decision to breast feed her baby, as discussed in the previous article, is perhaps the nutritional benefits of breast milk. However, there are a number of other advantages of breast feeding that should be taken into consideration.

Immunological Benefits

Every time the human body is attacked by a disease, it develops immunity against it i.e. some special cells become sensitized to a particular type of virus or bacterium. The next time that disease attacks, there are cells that can fight it off. If the immunity is strong enough, the body may not catch that disease again.

When a mother breast feeds, much of the immunity she has developed herself is passed on to the baby through the antibodies present in her milk. For many years, doctors thought that breast-fed babies contracted fewer infections, compared to bottle-fed ones, because breast milk, coming directly from the mother, was free of any bacteria whereas bottle milk had higher chances of contamination. However, it was observed that even when infants were given formula milk in sterilized bottles they contracted more gut, ear, respiratory or urinary infections.

According to Jack Newman, a mother’s milk is not only safer for a child; it also contains Antibodies (immunoglobulins) that help to develop a child’s immune system. An infant is not born completely helpless against foreign diseases; during pregnancy the mother passes her antibodies to the child through the placenta, however, after birth, breast milk helps strengthen the immune system by delivering antibodies and a battery of other infection-fighting agents. (Click for source) Specific components of breast milk kill harmful bacteria and virus cells, while promoting the growth of helpful ones. A mother’s milk also delivers hormones for speedy maturation of the child’s digestive track.

As recorded in Consumer Reports, breast-fed babies are reported to develop fewer lifelong allergies that are mostly caused by dairy products. They are also at a lower risk of suffering from allergic skin conditions such as eczema. Babies receiving breast milk have fewer colds and stomach upsets (saving them from life-threatening forms of diarrhea.) The antibodies in the milk help the body to fight against mumps, measles, chicken pox, tetanus, pneumonia, meningitis etc. Breast-fed babies also have a lesser chance of becoming overweight adults. They run a lower risk of developing diabetes, appendicitis, arthritis or multiple sclerosis later in life.

Breast feeding a baby does not guarantee that your child will never get sick, but it does lower the chances by equipping the baby’s immune system to fight with the disease.

Benefits to the Mother

Breast feeding helps a mother to lose the extra high-energy fat that she has gained during pregnancy. According to Dr. Spock, it also helps the mother’s uterus to return back to its normal size. When the baby nurses, the muscle wall of the uterus contracts vigorously to hasten its return to its normal position and size.

Research has also shown that breast feeding can reduce the chances of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer, or osteoporosis after menopause for the mother. The younger you are when you breast feed and the longer you do it, the lower the chances become. Women who breast feed their child often do not menstruate during those months, which acts as an aid to birth control.

Practical Benefits

Breast feeding is also practically convenient. It saves a lot of time because there are no bottles to wash and sterilize, no measuring of formula and water to prepare the milk and no worries of refrigeration and proper storage. Breast milk is not only safer because it does not require protection from bacteria, measuring, mixing and storing, it is also more convenient as it is available anywhere the mother is.

There are also economic advantages to be considered. As breast feeding does not require any bottles and formula, an infant’s parents save money. Also, as discussed before, it reduces the chances of the child contracting diseases; it also saves the parents’ money on hospital bills and medical treatments.

Closeness between Mother and Child

Breast feeding an infant is the best way to develop closeness between a mother and a child. For a mother this bond stems from the knowledge that she is truly the source of nourishment for her growing infant. This feeling is concertized when she sees her baby’s response, his fondness for feeding and his satisfaction expressed by smiling, giggling or general having a content demeanor.

Dr. Spock, in Baby and Child Care, evidences mothers who have breast-fed and express their views about the satisfaction that comes with breast feeding and knowing that they can provide their baby with something no one else can. It is a misconception that a mother feels close to the baby because he was born to her. The development of this closeness, the time when she really feels joyous for being a mother, is when she is feeding her baby. She becomes a real mother when she’s taking care of her child. It is for this reason that breast feeding, after the first few weeks of nursing, becomes pleasurable for the mother; a time for relaxation and bonding between her and her baby.

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First Pregnancy : Symptoms of First Pregnancy and Pregnancy Weight Gain Tips

Every women on this world likes to be mother. Most of the women becomes very happy as soon as they come to know, they are pregnant. As the lady going to create the new life in her own womb.

Even though the happiness is very high during first pregnancy, some fear also arises in the mother. Labour process or the child birth process may create some fear in women. The responsibility of women as a mother also may cause stress to the mother.

Helpful facts about pregnancy

• Women should be happy as you are becoming mother.
• Don’t get fear about childbirth or Labour after First pregnancy.
• Millions of mothers have given birth to their child and your mother also.
• Even though some pain is present in first labour, when you see the baby you will forget all worries of first pregnancy and child birth process.
• Know about symptoms of pregnancy and don’t think even a small health deviation as disease.
• Read good books during first pregnancy to get healthy baby.
• Don’t be bored with your First pregnancy and be active.
• Eat fruits and vegetables, enough to maintain good health of both First pregnant mother and growing fetus.
• Avoid smoking and stop alcohol during pregnancy.

The symptoms of first pregnancy

• Missed period,
• Morning sickness or nausea,
• Abdominal bloating,
• Dark areolas,
• Tender and swollen mammary gland,
• Headache,
• Fatigue, and tiredness,
• frequent urination etc. 

Pregnancy weight gain tips for normal and obese mothers

A number of physiological and metabolic changes that occur during pregnancy are responsible for pregnancy weight gain. Gaining adequate weight during pregnancy by eating a healthy balanced diet is very essential for well development of growing fetus. The diet during pregnancy should provide all nutrients that mother needs. Pregnancy weight gain is related to height weight and body mass index of pregnant mother.

The pregnancy weight gain happens as the baby grows, mother consumes good nutrients to serve the baby. Generally pregnant mother have to consume extra 100 to 300 more calories in order to serve the growing fetus.

Health care provider will tell how much weight the pregnant mother should gain during pregnancy. Pregnancy weight gain in normal mothers is nearly 9 to 10 kg. Mothers who are weak before pregnancy should increase the pregnancy weight gain than normal pregnant women. The mother who is obese before pregnancy should increase pregnancy weight gain by 3 to 4 kg. The medical advice is needed to maintain correct pregnancy weight gain.

Pregnancy weight gain is distributed as follow

Baby                                      – 8 pounds

Placenta                                 – 2 to 3 pounds

Amniotic fluid                         – 2 to 3 pounds

Breast tissue                           – 2 to 3 pounds

Blood supply                          – 4 pounds

Uterus growth                        – 2 to 5 pounds

Increased fat in body              – 5 to 9 pounds

Total                                      – 25 to 35 pounds.

Tips for weight maintenance

• Eat frequent but small diet with good nutrients.
• Eat easy snacks on hand, nuts, raisins, cheese, crackers, dried fruit, and ice cream etc.
• Use pulses and grams in food as it provides adequate protein to the body.
• Milk and milk products can be used adequately as they provide most of the vital nutrients to the body and help in maintaining weight gain.
• Eat fiber rich diet to  avoid constipation
• Green leaf vegetables are very essential food for pregnant mother to have an ideal weight gain and to provide enriched nutrients to pregnant mother.

Increased pregnancy weight gain!

If you have increased weight during pregnancy in the first trimester or early pregnancy stage, don’t try to reduce the weight by avoiding food. Back ache and drowsiness are the common problem with increased pregnancy weight gain.  Use food with less fat and calories and use much green leaf vegetables to avoid further weight gain during pregnancy. Consult your doctor and ask him what all you can eat and in what quantities.

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