5 benefits of breastfeeding to moms
MANILA, Philippines — By this time, moms already know what advantages their babies stand to gain if they decide to breast-feed their newborns.
With breast milk being touted as a near-perfect mix of vitamins, proteins and fat and teeming with antibodies that can protect babies naturally from viruses and bacteria, moms are aware that should they breast-feed their bundles of joy exclusively for six months, they are effectively reducing the little ones’ risk of developing asthma, allergies, ear infections, respiratory ailments, and upset stomach. Breast-fed kids also grow up to be more intelligent, and their defenses against diseases are stronger and more potent.
So, moms often choose to breast-feed for the benefit of their children, sacrificing themselves in favor of the benefits that their babies will receive. But is it all just about the babies?
“The beauty of breast-feeding is that it’s just as advantageous to moms,” said Dr. Carla Victoria Espina-Castro of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology of Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed), one of the top hospitals in the Philippines.
Five of the major benefits of breast-feeding to moms are:
1. Breast-feeding helps moms lose weight and keep it off. “Breast-feeding burns about 500 calories a day. That’s roughly the equivalent of a large snack. That’s about a pound a week or four pounds per month,” explains Dr. Castro.
2. It releases happy hormones. Happy hormones are called oxytocin and, according to Dr. Castro, these happy hormones are accompanied by prolactin when breast-feeding. She said: “Breast-feeding triggers the release of prolactin (which gives you a peaceful, nurturing sensation) and oxytocin (which makes you feel a strong sense of love and bonding between you and your baby). Oxytocin also helps your uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and reduces uterine bleeding after birth.”
3. Breast-feeding boosts moms’ immune system. “It makes you less prone to developing a host of conditions in your later years—Type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis,” Dr. Castro added.
4. Breast-feeding is financially liberating. With it, moms are able to feed their babies free of cost. Infant formula costs a lot and takes time to prepare, while breast milk is free and is readily available.
5. It offers a unique mom-child bonding experience. While some mothers have expressed frustration over how difficult it is to get their babies to latch on to their nipple and how painful nursing can sometimes be, practicing moms enjoy the undeniable connection that mom-and-child feel during breast-feeding. “Many have called it a privilege and an accomplishment. But as natural as it is, breast-feeding is also an act that a mother learns day by day,” said Dr. Castro.
Thus, breastfeeding is beneficial to both babies and moms, and that is the happy truth.
