Why is it important to breastfeed?
Breastfeeding is important for both mother and baby as it provides a numerous amount of emotional and health benefits to both. Although not all mothers are in a position to breastfeed their babies and sometimes formula feeding is needed, if you have the ability to breastfeed your baby, you should definitely seize that opportunity.
Of course, the thought of night feedings and pumping can be overwhelming, but the realities of breastfeeding are not something to worry about. Multiple studies show that the benefits of breastfeeding range from reducing the chances of sudden infant death syndrome to lowering your own risk of breast cancer.
How long does the average mother breastfeed?
The length of time that mothers choose to breastfeed varies greatly. Whilst some go into the process with the intention of breastfeeding for a whole year, others feel they can only commit to six months, and others take a completely different approach by letting their child dictate when they finish breastfeeding.
Whatever the case, breastfeeding is often unpredictable, so if you find you’re not able to do what you had initially planned, don't let it dishearten you. On average, it’s recommended that a baby is breastfed for the first six months of their lives, this is therefore often a goalpost for mothers.
Six months is the most common amount of time that mothers breastfeed. According to a study by the CDC, in their 2018/19 survey, they found that 58% of babies were breastfed up until six months old, which dropped to 35% at a year old (source).
Although there are no set rules for the amount of time mothers should breastfeed their babies, six months appears to be the average. Of course, when breastfeeding, both your body and your baby will let you know what is and isn't working which will affect the amount of time that you decide to breastfeed.
What’s the best time to stop breastfeeding?
As already mentioned, there is no specific set time for you to wean your child off breast milk and stop nursing. The main contributing factor to when you stop breastfeeding should be dictated from your baby or your own body.
You can generally start slowly introducing solid food into your baby's diet at six months old. When you start to feed your baby solid food you can begin to consider stopping breastfeeding them. As your baby starts enjoying solid food, they will gradually lose interest in breast milk.
If your baby is still showing a keen interest in breast milk whilst also eating solid food then you can happily continue breastfeeding them alongside the food they are eating. Equally, if your body is struggling to produce milk beyond six month or if you’re finding it exhausting, don’t feel pressured to continue the level of breastfeeding you were maintaining before your baby was on solid food.
However, babies should still be given some form of milk up until they are a year old. It’s very important that babies receive all the nutrients they need in their first year of life. Breast milk is the easiest way to provide an excess of these nutrients. Therefore, if you choose to stop breastfeeding after six months, or at any point before your baby’s first birthday, their diet should be supplemented with formula milk.
Main advantages of breastfeeding for babies
Multiple differences can be observed between breastfed infants and formula fed infants as breastfeeding provides a plethora of advantages that cannot be afforded from formula milk. Health organizations across the world have highlighted the benefits of breastfeeding for babies.
Reduces the risk of allergies, asthma or eczema
This study shows that breastfed babies are less likely to develop allergies in early childhood. This specific study analyses the effect of the soluble CD14 which is present in breast milk and the results suggest that it helps to prevent the development of allergies and asthma in children in their early childhood. This highlights how the nutrients in breastmilk are beneficial to your baby.
In addition, if your family is predisposed to developing allergies, starting your baby off with breast milk will help to ensure they are not affected by this in the early stages of their life. Cow milk and some formula milk contain proteins that can cause allergies. Human milk doesn’t contain these risky proteins so it minimises the risk of an allergic reaction.
Boosts their immune system
Breast milk is a perfect amalgamation of everything that your baby could possibly need. It contains proteins, fats, sugars, antibodies and probiotics that all work to help boost your baby's immune system.
Breastfeeding works well as the mother is passing on all the good things she has on to her baby. For example, if the mother has come into contact with the common cold, she has created antibodies to fight this cold off. Through her breast milk, these antibodies are given to her baby meaning he/she is protected before ever having come into contact with the common cold.
From the very outset, mothers are helping to develop their child’s immune system which in turn reduces the likelihood of them getting ill.
Creates an emotional bond
In addition to the health benefits of breastfeeding, it also has strong emotional benefits that cannot be overlooked. The skin to skin contact that mother and baby receive through nursing helps create an emotional connection.
Another reason why breastfeeding helps create an emotional bond is due to the fact that oxytocin is released in the process. Oxytocin is widely known as the love hormone.
Main advantages of breastfeeding for moms
As is evident, breastfeeding has numerous benefits for the baby but it also has numerous benefits for the mom. Mothers are often too preoccupied with their babies and how breastfeeding will affect them to truly take the time to understand how beneficial nursing can be for them as mothers.
Here are some of the greatest advantages of breastfeeding for moms:
Lowers the risk of breast cancer
Research shows that breastfeeding lowers a woman's chances of developing breast cancer. This is a huge benefit that many do not consider or think is even possible. This study by the American Institute for Cancer Research highlights the fact that women who breastfeed are less likely to develop pre or post menopausal breast cancer.
The reason for this is due to the fact that during the breastfeeding period, there are hormonal changes that delay menstruation for periods of time. When menstruation is delayed, women are not producing oestrogen which often is the cause of breast cancer growth. In addition, you shed breast tissue when breastfeeding, meaning you are getting rid of potentially harmful cancerous cells.
Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes
Unfortunately, one of the risks that come with carrying a child and having a baby is gestational diabetes. Although gestational diabetes does not definitely mean you will get diabetes after your pregnancy, the chances of developing type 2 diabetes does increase.
However, research information shows that breastfeeding for more than two months lowers a woman's chance of developing type 2 diabetes by half. All the information regarding breastfeeding, lactation and diabetes can be found in this study.
Helps you lose pregnancy weight
One of the biggest worries of new mothers is the weight that they will gain during pregnancy and not having the ability to lose it once the baby is born. If this is a worry for you, you’ll be pleased to hear that a quick, simple and entirely natural and safe way to lose your pregnancy weight is through breastfeeding.
On average, producing milk burns an extra 500-700 calories a day, which is a substantial amount. In addition, the actual act of breastfeeding releases hormones that causes your uterine muscles to contract. This contraction and shrinking means that your uterus is returning to its pre pregnancy size.
Is it ok to just pump and not breastfeed?
As much as some women want to breastfeed and have had it written into their birth plan from the moment they conceived, this isn’t always possible. There are many things that cause the inability to breastfeed, but this doesn’t mean that the baby has to be deprived of the nutrients and benefits of breast milk.
If you’re unable to breastfeed, you can always pump. This way, your baby is getting all the benefits of your breast milk without you having to physically breastfeed. Pumping is a simple process that uses a breast pump to help you express milk. When your baby is newborn, you should be aiming to pump every two to three hours to ensure they are getting as much milk as they need.
There are numerous benefits to breast pumping, such as:
- Allows you to share feeding responsibilities
- You can store milk and plan a schedule that works for you and your baby
- You can easily track how much your baby is eating
- It allows mothers who are having trouble breastfeeding a way to give their child breast milk
Overview
At the end of the day, having a baby requires a very individual approach. No matter how many books and guides you read, each mother, baby and family is different. You shouldn’t go into the breastfeeding process with too many expectations, but rather be ready to adapt to the circumstances you are dealt.
It’s evident that breastfeeding offers some invaluable benefits as it helps with the development of your child’s health by boosting their immune system and also provides them with a confident start in life as it promotes an emotional connection.
In addition, breastfeeding offers numerous benefits to the mother, which are often overlooked. Mothers also benefit from the skin to skin contact that breastfeeding provides, allowing them to solidify an emotional connection with their child. Moreover, it provides health benefits such as a reduced risk of developing breast cancer or type 2 diabetes.
Nevertheless, if breastfeeding is out of the question for you, using a breast pump and pumping your milk is an equally beneficial option to ensure your child receives all the health benefits of your breast milk. Today, companies offer breast pumps that are small and compact so that you can take them with you wherever you go.
There are also other benefits to using a pump such as the fact that it gives you a break and allows you to share feeding responsibilities. It’s also an easier way to track how much your baby is eating.
All in all, there are benefits to both breastfeeding and pumping. Listen to your body and your baby and you will know what is best for your family.
