children s health issues
Breastfeeding
Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is good for the mother and the baby. Breast milk Provides the baby with the necessary nutrients in the most easily digestible and absorbable form Contains Antibodies and The first milk the mother produces is a thin yellow fluid called colostrum. Colostrum is particularly rich in Calories , The breast milk that is produced after colostrum helps maintain the correct pH of the stool and the proper balance of normal intestinal bacteria, thus protecting the baby against bacterial diarrhea. Because of the protective qualities of breast milk, many types of infections occur less often in babies who are breastfed rather than formula-fed. Breastfeeding also seems to protect against the development of certain chronic problems, such as allergies, Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in Children and Adolescents , Breastfeeding offers many advantages to the mother as well, such as Helping her to bond and feel close to her baby in a way that bottle-feeding cannot Allowing her to recover more quickly after delivery Providing her with some long-term health benefits Long-term health benefits of breastfeeding include decreased risk of Obesity , and sometimes fluoride. Infants who are fed only breast milk are at risk of Vitamin D Deficiency after 2 months of age, particularly if they are premature, have dark skin, or have limited exposure to sunlight (for example, infants who live in northern climates). These infants are given Infants who are under 6 months of age should not be given additional plain water. Plain water is unnecessary and it also may cause the level of sodium in their blood to become too low (a disorder called Hyponatremia (Low Level of Sodium in the Blood) ). 