Contents:
- Medical Video: Breastfeeding
- Benefits of breast milk for babies
- 1. Meet all the baby's nutritional needs
- 2. Speed up baby's growth and development
- 3. Increase the baby's immune system
- Benefits of breastfeeding for mothers
- 1. Faster recovery from fatigue and postpartum pain
- 2. Natural contraception
- 3. Practical and economical
Medical Video: Breastfeeding
Giving breast milk to babies is vital for growth and health of babies. Once the importance of the benefits of ASI made the government also make regulations on exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months as stipulated in Government Regulation No. 33 of 2012. In the PP, obtaining ASI is the right of a baby.
Nowadays there is a lot of formula milk that has a lot of nutrient content that is almost similar to breast milk, but why does the government continue to support breastfeeding for at least 6 months? Why do you have to give milk to your baby and why not just give formula milk?
Benefits of breast milk for babies
1. Meet all the baby's nutritional needs
Breast milk is the first natural food for babies. Breastmilk is sufficient for all the energy and nutritional needs that babies need during the first months of life until they are 6 months old, so that formula feeding or supplementary food before the age of 6 months is not needed. In addition, ASI is sufficient for half the needs of infants aged 6-12 months and one third of infants aged 1-2 years.
2. Speed up baby's growth and development
Breast milk can actually help sensory and cognitive development in infants. In a study in Korea that examined 697 babies in 2006, it was found that cognitive development in breastfed infants was better than those not breastfed.
In addition, babies who are breastfed for up to 9 months have better cognitive development than those who are only given for 3 months or 6 months. In several other studies it was also found that high IQ scores were associated with breastfeeding.
3. Increase the baby's immune system
In breast milk there is an immune system contained in proteins such as lactoferin and IgA which functions to protect babies from germ infections such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. Giving exclusive 6-month breastfeeding without formula milk can reduce infant mortality caused by diseases such as diarrhea or pneumonia and help speed up the healing process.
Benefits of breastfeeding for mothers
1. Faster recovery from fatigue and postpartum pain
Breastfeeding mothers will recover faster after childbirth than those who do not breastfeed, because when breastfeeding in the body the hormone oxytocin is produced which in addition to helping milk ejection, will also help restore the size of the uterus to normal. Besides that oxytocin helps uterine contractions, thereby reducing postpartum bleeding.
2. Natural contraception
Breastfeeding turns out to delay the period of mother's duration so that it can help the mother to place her pregnancy naturally. This is referred to as lactational amenorrhea. During breastfeeding, the production of the hormone estrogen will shrink, while ovulation occurs when estrogen levels in the body increase so that breastfeeding can prevent ovulation.
If the mother gives exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and does not provide additional food, then lactational amenorrhea will be very effective in preventing pregnancy (98%) during the menstrual cycle the mother has not returned.
3. Practical and economical
When your baby cries because he is hungry in the middle, it is certainly easier to directly give milk than you have to get out of bed and make formula milk, even though you are already very tired during the day. ASI also has benefits on the economic side. By giving exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and continuing breastfeeding for up to 2 years, it can help reduce the cost of buying formula milk which is now very expensive.
So many benefits of ASI for babies and for pregnant women. So why not? Don't be easily consumed by the wrong myths about breastfeeding. Consult your doctor to get reliable info about breastfeeding.
