Benefits of Mother’s Milk for Premature Babies

Article By Michelle O’Connor, Breast Feeding Supply

Breastfeeding has a special benefit for premature infants. Premature babies are those who are delivered before 37 weeks of gestation. The mother’s milk, under such circumstances, helps in supplying important nutrients to the premature infant. These nutrients help the premature infant to not only survive but also develop a strong immunity against possible infections. Such infants develop the immunity to protect themselves from a bowel inflammation disease (Necrotizing Enterocolitis).

Babies with medical problems since their birth, such as congenital heart disease, Down’s syndrome, and many similar disorders develop immunity for such diseases by breastfeeding. Oral suckling of breast milk by the baby contributes to their optimal oral development and there is less risk of malocclusion. There is a higher risk of baby bottle tooth decay in other babies who are bottle-fed.

Health Benefits for Nursing Moms

Breast milk is not only beneficial for babies but is beneficial to mother as well. It is understood that mothers who breast feed their babies have many direct health benefits. There is a high risk of hemorrhage in women within 24-48 hours of childbirth. However, for women who breast feed their infants during this period, this risk is reduced or removed to a higher extent. The uterus of such breastfeeding mothers contracts due the repeated burst of oxytocin, released in response to the baby suckling the milk. This is a great protection mechanism against hemorrhage.

Women performing continued exclusive nursing without giving any supplemental food to their children have a tendency of delayed periods. This is called Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM). LAM serves as a natural contraceptive for such women and helps in maintaining proper age gap between two children. Not only this, there is decreased iron loss in such women. It results in the decreased risk of anemia that is likely to happen in women.

There is rapid weight loss in women while breastfeeding their children. Almost 200-500 calories are used for milk production every day. To burn off these many calories, a rigorous exercise regimen is required on a regular basis. However, feeding mothers can stick to the same diet routine and still lose weight without any extra efforts.

Other diseases in women that breastfeeding can keep at bay: diabetes, breast cancer, uterine cancer, and osteoporosis, are some of the diseases that you can avoid by breastfeeding your baby.

Breastfeeding is undoubtedly more than a lifestyle choice. After becoming aware of all its benefits, it is clear that no woman would deliberately want to substitute her child’s food with an inferior artificial substance that does not have any disease-protection mechanism.

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