Breastfeeding: Pros, Cons, Benefits! All the details!

All the newborn needs is milk. You will have to decide whether to breastfeed or bottle feed your child. Undoubtedly, breast milk is the best milk for your baby. The milk produced by the milk companies, despite being suitable for feeding your child, can never be the same as the mother's milk.

Why should I breastfeed my baby?

Unfortunately, despite the fact that almost all of us know that breast milk is the best milk for our baby, less than half of mothers breastfeed their child until the age of six months. Most of the time, mothers come up with some excuse such as, "I don't have enough milk", "my nipple is not good", "the child is not satisfied with my milk alone", etc. Undoubtedly, whether or not someone breastfeeds their child is something completely personal. On the other hand, it is necessary to know what are the advantages and disadvantages of artificial nutrition and breastfeeding.

Advantages

Breastfeeding

1. Antibodies are passed from the mother to the infant and protect it from infections.
2. Milk enzymes make digestion and absorption of nutrients easier.
3. It is germ free.
4. It is always at the right temperature and it takes no time to prepare it
5. Less chance of allergy compared to beef.
6. Lactalbumin contained in breast milk can prevent the growth of cancer cells.
7. Breastfed children are less likely to become overweight.
8. It's free.
9. It is always the right temperature.

Artificial nutrition 

1. Both parents can feed the child.
2. You can measure exactly how much milk the baby is getting.

As you can clearly see, the advantages of breastfeeding are many and important, while on the contrary those of artificial nutrition are few and insignificant.

Disadvantages

Breastfeeding 

1. Diseases of the mother such as AIDS, hepatitis can be transmitted to the infant.
2. Medicines taken by the mother can be passed on to the infant through breastfeeding.

Artificial nutrition 

1. Germs can be transferred from the bottle, pacifiers or even milk.
2. It can cause more intense colic.
3. Preparation is needed.
4. Milk is expensive.

Beyond the indisputable superiority of breastfeeding over bottle feeding in terms of nutritional value and protection from disease, breastfeeding provides the opportunity to develop the best relationship between child and mother. It offers the baby "warmth", security, contact with the mother's body. Do not forget that for nine months the baby lived inside the mother's body and experienced every second the mother's heartbeat, her movements, her changes of emotions. So the mother's body is the familiar safe "home" for every newborn, which is why contact with it is essential.
For a mother, there is no better moment than breastfeeding. The feeling that the baby is fed by her own body, the peace and security that the baby feels in her arms is the best she can feel. Breastfeeding is a unique and unrepeatable moment for every mother.

How to breastfeed my baby

As soon as you give birth, tell your doctor and nurses that you want to breastfeed your baby so that they do not give him any milk from the bottle.
In the first few days you may not have enough milk. Do not worry. Place your baby on the breast from the first hours of his life and with breastfeeding the milk will slowly come. During the first 3-4 days, the milk has a different appearance and texture and is called colostrum (first milk). It is thick, pale yellow and has more calories. So with less quantity the infant can be satisfied.

Before you start to breastfeed your baby, make sure that he is not wet, that he is wearing the right clothes so that he does not get hot or cold. Put it on your lap in a semi-sitting position so that it feels comfortable. With one hand you hold the baby in your lap and with the other you hold your chest so that it does not fall on the baby's nose and prevent breathing.
Make sure you sit comfortably and comfortably. Choosing the right chair is important. The seat and the back must form a right angle. Do not put too soft pillows on your back, because you will sink and lose your original position.

Are there times when breastfeeding is difficult or impossible?

• If your baby is very premature, then he may not have satisfactory sucking and swallowing movements, so breastfeeding is difficult or impossible.
• Some mothers have inverted nipples, so the baby cannot take the breast. Most of the time, however, this problem can be overcome with instructions from your doctor or the nurse responsible for breastfeeding.
• Mothers taking chemotherapy drugs for cancer are prohibited from breastfeeding. There are also other medicines that the mother should not breastfeed when taking them. That's why if you have to take any medicine while breastfeeding you must first get your doctor's permission.
• Mothers suffering from AIDS or active hepatitis are also prohibited from breastfeeding.
• Mastitis. Breastfeeding can be temporarily stopped and resumed once the breasts have improved.

What is the mother's benefit from breastfeeding?

Apart from the pleasure that breastfeeding offers, because the mother is feeding the baby from her own body, there are other practical reasons that breastfeeding is useful for a mother.
• Breastfeeding inhibits ovulation (the woman's ovaries do not produce eggs). The chance of a woman getting pregnant while breastfeeding is very small.
• In the evening hours it is much easier to breastfeed the baby than to get out of bed to prepare the bottle for the baby.
• The uterus sheds the weight it gained during pregnancy due to a hormone, oxytocin, produced to help the uterus to reach its original size.
• Breastfeeding does not affect breast size.

Do I have enough milk doctor?

The most common question we hear from mothers. If your baby sleeps soundly after nursing and does not wake up quickly then you can be sure that he nursed satisfactorily. But if he cries and moans after breastfeeding then you should consult your pediatrician. The best way to make sure you are eating well is to track your weight gain. If the baby is gaining enough weight then there is no problem at all. But remember the following:
• The longer you breastfeed the baby, the more milk is produced.
• Stress and sadness reduce the amount of milk.
• Eat normally. You have plenty of time to start the …….. diet.
• Birth control pills reduce the amount of milk.