The benefits of breastfeeding
For World Breastfeeding week 2021 I wanted to share again some content I wrote last year for the incredible french brand Tajine Banane. Thinking about breastfeeding makes me want another baby! I cannot believe my baby is now 3.5 years old.
In North London, where I live, breastfeeding is encouraged and I was lucky enough to have a lactation specialist come to my house for free. It’s not always easy at first. Someone told me it would come naturally but it really didn’t for me. It felt awkward and I needed help! The practical advice and support I received was second to none.
I breastfed exclusively for 6 months and non-exclusively until my son was 9 month old. My breastfeeding journey has been a roller coaster. I had two painful mastitis (breast) infections, including one that landed me in hospital for a few days. When things get tough it is good to remind us of the amazing benefits of breastfeeding.
So what are the benefits?
It adapts to your baby’s needs.
It sounds simple but it is truly magical. The composition of your milk varies depending on the time of day and over the course of lactation. It changes as your baby grows.
For example, during hot weather breast milk becomes more watery as your baby needs more hydration. During cold months, it will give your baby a higher fat content. At night, your milk will contain more melatonin (the sleep hormone) so your baby can have a better sleep. So if you are using breast pumps, make sure you note what time of day it is. When you feed them in the evening, only use your milk that you express after dark as this can influence infants’ sleep patterns (1).
It meets all of the nutritional, growth and development needs of your baby.
Human milk is made perfectly so infants digest it well. It contains all the nutrients that they need during the first 6 months of life including fat, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water (2).
The exception is vitamin D and therefore unless your baby has enough exposure to sunlight to generate enough vitamin D, a supplement is needed. Check with your doctor for the right dose of supplementation.
It is not recommended to introduce solid foods before 6 months old (2,3).
It protects your baby against illnesses
Human milk offers numerous immune-related components (4). It contains antibodies that help to protect infants from common illnesses such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. The predominant antibody is secretory IgA. They are produced by your body to prevent bacteria from entering the cells. Infant formula does not contain the antibodies found in human milk.
It increases gut microbial richness and diversity
If you haven’t heard about the gut microbiota yet, it simply represents all the microorganisms, including fungi and bacteria, that live in the digestive tract (from your mouth to the anus).
A healthy gut is required for good health and it is our first line of defense against the outside world. The bacteria in our gut supports a lot of different functions such as synthesising neurotransmitters and vitamins. It also helps us digest and extract nutrients from the food that we eat. There are so many functions that I would need an entire book to talk about it! But the point is that your little one needs a diverse microbiome and research shows that breast-fed babies have nearly twice the abundance of intestinal bacterial cells (5). It is even more important for C-section delivered infants as they already have lower gut microbial richness compared to vaginally delivered infants (5).
It helps create an emotional bond between you and your baby
During breastfeeding, your body produces the hormones prolactin and oxytocin, which are associated with lower levels of maternal stress and stronger bonding (6). Breastfeeding can also help to support the mother’s mental health and reduce the risk of postpartum depression (6).
Amazingly more prolactin is produced at night, which makes us feel relaxed and sleepy so even if you are doing night feeds, your hormones are there to help you rest and feel better! (2).
It lowers the risk of disease for the mother
Research shows that breastfeeding protects against breast and ovarian cancers as well as type 2 diabetes and heart disease (2,3,7).
It’s free and convenient!
Milk formula is expensive! Once you take into account the bottles, replacement lids, sterilising tools and travels tubes, the costs really start to add up. Thankfully your breast milk is free to use whenever you like. The convenience is also fairly obvious! Being able to breastfeed on the move, wherever you are, without any preparation is liberating – it’s one more thing you don’t have to think about as a mother!
Perhaps one inconvenience is that breast milk reflects the mother’s diet so one could say this is a challenge, as the mother should ideally eat healthily and stop drinking alcohol.
But is that really such a bad thing? Maybe nutrition and lifestyle changes can be made during this time and stick with you forever :-)
In the end, I look back and remember the amazing bonding moment with my son. It doesn’t last long so enjoy it as much as you can!
You now know all the benefits of breastfeeding but I wanted to end this article by saying that every woman does what she can. Let’s support and help each other to be able to breastfeed as much as possible.
Globally, according to the WHO, 44% of infants 0-6 months old are exclusively breastfed (2). England and France have one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world (2,7). I believe it is the government’s responsibility to look at the bigger picture and support mothers but together, we can start moving in the right direction.
References:
Cohen Engler A, Hadash A, Shehadeh N, Pillar G. Breastfeeding may improve nocturnal sleep and reduce infantile colic: Potential role of breast milk melatonin. European Journal of Pediatrics. 2011;171(4):729-732.
Infant and Young Child Feeding: Model Chapter for Textbooks for Medical Students and Allied Health Professionals. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009. SESSION 3, Complementary feeding.
WHO (2020) 10 facts on breastfeeding [Internet]. World Health Organization. [Available from: https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/breastfeeding/en/
M'Rabet L, Vos A, Boehm G, Garssen J. Breast-Feeding and Its Role in Early Development of the Immune System in Infants: Consequences for Health Later in Life. The Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(9):1782S-1790S.
Moore R, Townsend S. Temporal development of the infant gut microbiome. Open Biology. 2019;9(9):190128.
Liu J, Leung P, Yang A. Breastfeeding and Active Bonding Protects against Children’s Internalizing Behavior Problems. Nutrients [Internet]. 2013;6(1):76-89. Available from: http://10.3390/nu6010076
Unicef - Breastfeeding in the UK - Baby Friendly Initiative [Internet]. Baby Friendly Initiative. 2020 Available from: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/what-is-baby-friendly/breastfeeding-in-the-uk/