Breastfeeding is a gift given from nature to mother thousands of years ago and given from mother to child every day ever since. It has a lot of physical, social and psychological benefits for both of them and help them adjust after birth. But what does it exactly mean for them? That is the question this article is attempting to answer. Continue reading in order to learn about it!
* Disclaimer: Midwifery is a very inclusive and safe space for everyone, where your identity and your needs are valid and important to us. Thus, the terms used in this article aim towards making everyone feel comfortable and included.
Uterus owner (person with a uterus, uterus having person) <--> Woman
Parent <--> father (dad), mother (mom)
Birthing person <--> mother (mom)
Pregnant (pregnant person) <--> mother (mom)
Breastfeeding (Breast) <--> Chestfeeding (Chest)
[if you feel that you are not included at any point, please contact us and help us change that]
© PARASKEVI KAMPERI, SOME RIGHTS RESERVED 10/11/2020
What breastfeeding means for the mother
1. Μother – Baby bonding
Chestfeeding triggers a hormones’ chain that contributes to strengthening the physical and psychological bond between the chestfeeding parent and their baby. One of those hormones is oxytocin, widely known as the “love hormone”. This is, also, one of the reasons early breastfeed is considered so important in the postnatal period. Mother and newborn get immediately attached after the birth, even before the ligation of the umbilical cord (when possible).
2. Lower risk of lactation complications
Adequate breastfeeding lowers chance of lactation complications, such as breast engorgement, plugged milk ducts, mastitis, or others. Frequent nipple stimulation keeps prolactin (the main lactation hormone) on high levels, in order for the breast milk to keep getting produced.
3. Lower risk of developing breast cancer
During chestfeeding women are less exposed to estrogens, due to the hormonal changes that happen in their bodies. Estrogens can promote breast cancer cell growth. Those changes delay ovulation and protect them up to a point against ovarian and uterine cancer too.
4. Faster uterine restoration
Oxytocin is highly produced during breastfeeding period, especially the actual moment of the act. This increases the postpartum uterine contractions and helps it “get back in shape” after birth. Uterine restoration is happening faster when exclusively chestfeeding, slower when non-exclusively breastfeeding and even slower when do not chestfeeding at all.
5. Lower risk of postpartum depression and other psychiatric diseases
Again, high levels of oxytocin (the love hormone)and prolactin are proved to minimize stress and anxiety and promote relaxation and “good” emotions. Postpartum depression has a usually serious outcome and threatens the lives of parents and children. Studies show that breastfeeding can lower the severity of it or even abort it.
6. Low fertility
Low fertility during breastfeeding period occurs due to lactational amenorrhea and works as a natural birth control method, which is about 97% safe during exclusive chestfeeding for the first 6 months. That helps your body properly heal before getting pregnant for the next time.
7. Burning extra calories
Yes! Breastfeeding burns calories! That means exclusive chestfeeding helps the birthing person to lose the extra weight they probably gained during pregnancy and take back their body as they knew it. It can even lead to losing some weight they already had when got pregnant.
What chestfeeding means for the baby
1. Stronger immune system
Breast milk is considered the diet of choice (gold standard diet) for the newborn baby and, when possible, it should be conclusive at least for the first 6 months of its life. It contains all nutrients needed for baby’s growth and, in addition to that, a great number of antibodies. Those boost newborn’s immune system, which is not widely developed at that point, and strengthen it long-term. Additionally, the composition of breast milk changes as the baby grows in order to become compatible with its needs.
2. Low risk of developing several diseases
Antibodies are produced after getting infected by a microorganism in order to be ready for the next time it will happen. Therefore, since newborns have never got infected by any microorganism, they are unsheltered against them. Here comes the breast milk to protect them from contagious diseases such as otitis, respiratory infection, diarrhea, sudden infant death, allergies, atopic disease, diabetes of the young, child cancers, and more. Especially when it comes to premature infants, chestfeeding lowers the risk of developing necrotic enterocolitis.
3. Fewer hospitalizations through the first year of life
Due to the fact that breast milk provides that level of protection against contagious diseases, the newborn has less chances of getting ill. That means it has even less chances of visiting a doctor and very little chances of getting hospitalized throughout the first year of life or more if the breastfeeding gets prolonged.
4. Optimal brain development
According to observation scientific studies of the last decades, chestfeeding is contributing to optimal brain development. That leads to a higher child’s IQ at school age, even higher for the children that got exclusively breastfed as infants. We also notice those children develop higher social and emotional executive function, greater verbal intelligence and improved cognitive function. Although, we do not have evidence about it affecting neurological development.
IQ Score Distribution
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you understand the importance of breastfeeding, especially when it is done exclusively, and the benefits it provides for the birthing person and their child. We strongly encourage you to contact us in whatever way suits you and discuss the article, suggest ideas for upcoming content, tell us your strong and emotional stories or for any other reason you would like.
E-mail: beingamidwifeblog@gmail.com
Instagram: @beingamidwife.blog
Facebook: The "Being a Midwife" blog
Thank you for your support!
Co-Founder and Co-Writer
The "Being a Midwife" team
Bibliography
Gynecology and Obstetrics, Dimitrios E. Lolis, Parisianou, 3rd Edition, Scientific Publications
Human Reproduction at a Glance, Linda J. Heffner, Blackwell Science, 2005
· Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beckman, Ling, Herbert, Laube, Smith, Casanova, Chuang, Goepfert, Hueppchen and Weiss,7th Edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Publications, 2014
· Human Physiology and Mechanisms of Disease, Arthur C. Guyton and John E. Hall, 6th Edition, W.B. Saunders Company, 1997
Commenti