What are the advantages of breast feeding?

There is no doubt that breast milk is the best milk for babies. Not only does it provide maximum emotional satisfaction to both the mother and the child creating a bond between the two, it also has the following advantages:

•It is a wholesome food with protein, sugar, fat and vitamins that the baby needs.

•It helps protect the baby against certain diseases and infections like diarrhoea and allergies.

•It is easier for babies to digest than buffalo or formula milk. Even premature babies digest it with ease.

•It is cost-effective, does not need to be prepared and is in ample supply. Bottles need not be cleaned and there are no worries about the correct temperature.

•Breast feeding makes the mother burn more calories and helps her get back to her pre-pregnancy weight more quickly.

•Breast feeding delays the return of the menstrual period, and so pregnancy is unlikely although this is not a foolproof method of contraception.

•It reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer in women. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that breast feeding should be done for as long as possible, 1 year or even longer.