Importance of breastfeeding and its benefits
Local nurse and lactation specialist shares the benefits of breastfeeding for newborns and moms.
The theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week was ‘Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work.’
To maintain and make more advances in breastfeeding rates globally, the campaign this year concentrated on highlighting the need for more breastfeeding support across all workplaces.
Every year, from August 1 to 7, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and numerous ministries of health and civil society partners participate in the initiative to promote breastfeeding and improve the health of babies all over the world.
To understand more about the significance of breastfeeding, the Randburg Sun engaged with Sister Linda Britz, a qualified general and psychiatric nurse, midwife, and lactation specialist at the Premier Health Centre in Blairgowrie.
For newborns to develop and thrive, Britz said they needed to be fed breastmilk.
She pointed out that breastfeeding offered the perfect milk and energy since it contained all the nutrients needed in the right amounts and was specifically created to offer the best nutritional benefits for development.
Britz added breastmilk contained antibodies and protected babies against allergies, illnesses, and infections.
She said breastfeeding moms were less likely to develop breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis later in life.
“It is simple and convenient, saves time, effort, and money, but most importantly, it helps you form a truly unique and close relationship with your baby.”
The WHO and UNICEF suggest that newborns begin breastfeeding within an hour of delivery and be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, and then continue for another two years and beyond with the introduction of supplementary solid foods.
Infographic: Advantages of breastfed babies
- Your baby will receive optimal health and nutrition
- It also protects from infectious diseases
- It contains all the nutrients your baby needs
- It is easily digested
- It promotes proper development of the jaw and facial structures
- It allows your baby to gain weight normally, preventing future obesity
- It contains all the important components for the rapid development of the brain.
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