Getting ready for your baby’s arrival is an exciting and hectic time. One of the important choices you have to make is how to feed your kid. However, what counts most is having the knowledge, alternatives, and support you need to determine what works for you and your family. There are advantages to providing your kid with at least some breast milk. 

Though initially focusing on exclusive breastfeeding is recommended, it’s not an all-or-none choice. 

The longer you breastfeed, the more advantages you and your kid will get, and the longer those benefits will persist.

• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in babies.
• The taste of breast milk changes based on the mother’s diet, introducing the baby to various flavors early on.
• Nursing can delay the return of ovulation and menstruation, providing a natural child-spacing effect.
• Breastfeeding mothers save approximately 1,200 to 1,500 dollars per year compared to formula feeding.
• Breast milk has anti-inflammatory properties that aid in healing and soothing the baby’s gut.
• Breast milk’s composition adapts dynamically to meet the changing needs of the growing baby.

There are several benefits of breastfeeding for newborns and their caregivers. Because of this, the American Academy of Pediatrics encourages nursing throughout the first six months of a baby’s life and continuing it for as long as the parent and child want and after solid meals are introduced. 

But the dynamics of every family are unique. Unfortunately, not all mothers can breastfeed, and even fewer can do so as long as they want. Some may breastfeed for a shorter period, and some can breastfeed besides using baby formula. 

Similarly, some mothers breastfeed for two years or more.

There are three defined stages of breastfeeding. One is colostrum, the other is transitional milk, and the third is pure milk. The first milk produced just after two or three days of baby birth is known as colostrum. It is a thick, white liquid and is precisely what a newborn baby needs. 

Colostrum has a low concentration of fat and a high concentration of carbohydrates, proteins, and antibodies that appear to be a primary defence for the baby against certain disorders. This is easily digestible, has a laxative effect, and helps to clear excessive bilirubin, thus preventing jaundice. 

So, if your baby has taken birth with jaundice, breastfeeding is the best thing you can do to overcome it. This colostrum has many antibodies and leukocytes, which strengthen the immune system, prevent viral and bacterial infections, and help the baby prepare to live a healthy life outside the womb. 

This is the second stage of breastfeeding, where mature milk slowly replaces colostrum. Production of transitional milk starts from 2 to 5 days after delivery and continues for two weeks. 

Breasts appear warmer and fuller in this stage, and the milk color turns bluish white. 

This milk type appears after colostrum, and it is rich in fat, lactose, and water-soluble vitamins, which not only fulfill the child’s water needs but also maintain his nutrient requirements. This milk type has higher calories than is present in colostrum. 

This is the final stage of breastfeeding, where pure milk is produced. This milk is thinner in composition but contains all the essential nutrients that a baby demands to thrive. This sort of baby feeding is the most effective among all three types. 

Mature milk is produced 10 to 15 days after delivery. Like the other two types, mature milk has all the nutrients the baby needs. This is enriched with vitamins and minerals, like calcium and cadmium, ensuring your kid’s good health, development, and well-being. 

This pure milk is also packed with specific antibodies, which are a major defence against certain infections and make a baby’s immune system robust. 

When germs enter the baby’s body, the mother’s body starts producing specific antibodies that fight against them. These antibodies pass through the breast milk and help the baby fight against infections. 

So, the researchers have declared that if your baby is breastfeeding; it does not mean that he can’t get any disease, but the fact is that they recover faster than those kids who typically consume formula milk. 

With so much data at our access, it seems like breastfeeding should be an obvious choice. The attitude of family members is a major determining factor in whether a woman breastfeeds. Unfortunately, many men are unaware of the advantages of lactation and instead try to persuade their wives to switch to formula.

Not only this, many mothers and grandmothers oppose the decision of lactation, stating that breastfeeding is so difficult these times, and it wasn’t like this in their time. Discreet breastfeeding in public is also confronted with hostility from the public and many ugly glances from males. 

So, despite the incredible health advantages of nursing a kid, a new mother is pushed toward formula by all these considerations.

However, it is your choice whether to breastfeed. Put forth at least as much effort into learning how to nurse as you did while choosing the baby’s cradle and more if you can. First, educate yourself on the options before making any decision. 

Then, decide whether to breastfeed, keeping your kid’s health under consideration. 

When a new mother is busy and exhausted, she may neglect or postpone self-care. It is not immoral to prioritize her mental and physical well-being daily. It might be the most beneficial action you do for your loved ones. 

Taking care of yourself by eating well, getting enough sleep, making time for a shower, and socializing with friends may positively affect your health and mood. And when you’re well, you’ll be better equipped to care for your newborn and your loved ones. 

So, stay healthy to optimize the excellent health of your kid.