How Does Breastfeeding Benefit an Infant?

Additional Protection From Illness

Breast milk provides the perfect nourishment for infants and offers some additional protection from illness. Infants who are breastfed have fewer hospital admissions and fewer illnesses including diarrhea, ear infections, and allergic reactions, than babies who are bottle-fed. Not only can breastfeeding save families money at the grocery when they do not buy formula, but it also saves money in healthcare costs. A mother's antibodies are transferred to the infant during breastfeeding, which offers protection from current illnesses going around their environment. Cells that can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi called macrophages are found in breast milk. In third world countries, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infant death rates are lower among babies who are breast-fed.

Specific Nutrient Needs Are Met

Each mammal species makes a slightly different formula of milk designed to meet the nutritional needs of their young. Therefore, no other mammal's milk, can meet the specific nutrient needs of the human infant during the first 12 months of life. FDA research indicates that human milk may contain over 100 ingredients that are not duplicated in infant formula. Optimal quantities of fatty acids, amino acids, lactose, and water are in human milk providing infants with the best combination for their digestion, growth, and brain development. The digestive tracts of breast-fed infants contain beneficial bacteria, Lactobacillus bifidus, which can prevent harmful organisms from growing there.

Ready On Demand

Breast milk is always the perfect temperature when coming straight from the breast and it is sterile. Therefore, you do not need to worry about dirty bottles, contaminated water, heating formula, mixing it correctly, or sterilizing nipples to avoid diarrhea or stomach upset. While breast fed babies may react to something mommy ate, they do not have allergies to their mother's milk, as with some infant formulas. Breastfeeding is more work for baby than bottle-feeding resulting in better jaw development. Nursing mothers must hold their babies close to breastfeed, which encourages bonding and comforts baby.

Precautions

Some drugs, whether prescribed by a medical doctor or not, can be passed through breast milk to the nursing infant. Drugs such as nicotine from smoking cigarettes, cocaine and heroin can cause a breastfed baby to vomit, have diarrhea, experience restlessness and suffer withdrawal symptoms. Some prescribed medications such as lithium and chemotherapy drugs pass through breast milk and may harm baby as well. If you take any drugs, discuss them with your doctor and your baby's doctor to determine if the benefits of breastfeeding your infant outweigh the possible side effects of the medication.