Breastfeeding Benefits
The health benefits of breastfeeding are well established in the literature and also in history. Let's face it babies have been breastfed since the beginning of time.
Improved resistance to infectious illness:
Breastfeeding provides the infant with many immunological benefits and protects against infectious diseases. The mother's immune system is more mature than a baby's over time the mother has had the opportunity to build resistance to many disease causing pathogens. This protection is passed to the infant in the form of antibodies in breastmilk. Colostrum is particularly high in antibodies.
Mother's pick up microorganisms from their infants through their close physical contact and produce antibodies to any possible pathogens the baby …show more content…
The protein of breastmilk is "species specific" and therefore the baby cannot be allergic to it. During the first few weeks of life the baby's gut lining is immature and permeable meaning it will allow certain large molecules (like protein) to leak from the gut. If these proteins enter the infant's immature immune system allergies are a possible result.
Breastfeeding protects against this by providing the infant with a substance called secretory IgA. This immunoglobulin in colostrum and breastmilk prevents the absorption of very large foreign molecules when the infant's immune system is immature.
The health benefits of breastfeeding are well known and pediatricians now recommend that breastfeeding be the main source of nutrition for the infant for the first year. The advantages of breastfeeding are so well established scientifically that it is recommended that breastfeeding continue well into the second year of life.
Beverly Hansen OMalley is a health promotion specialist and likes to write about health related topics that help people in their daily lives. She is the the owner of http://www.registered-nurse-canada.com where she explores the uniqueness of the nursing profession in Canada including comparison of the nursing entrance tests for the US and Canada, comparison of registered nurse salaries across the country and what it means to have a nursing
Improved resistance to infectious illness:
Breastfeeding provides the infant with many immunological benefits and protects against infectious diseases. The mother's immune system is more mature than a baby's over time the mother has had the opportunity to build resistance to many disease causing pathogens. This protection is passed to the infant in the form of antibodies in breastmilk. Colostrum is particularly high in antibodies.
Mother's pick up microorganisms from their infants through their close physical contact and produce antibodies to any possible pathogens the baby …show more content…
The protein of breastmilk is "species specific" and therefore the baby cannot be allergic to it. During the first few weeks of life the baby's gut lining is immature and permeable meaning it will allow certain large molecules (like protein) to leak from the gut. If these proteins enter the infant's immature immune system allergies are a possible result.
Breastfeeding protects against this by providing the infant with a substance called secretory IgA. This immunoglobulin in colostrum and breastmilk prevents the absorption of very large foreign molecules when the infant's immune system is immature.
The health benefits of breastfeeding are well known and pediatricians now recommend that breastfeeding be the main source of nutrition for the infant for the first year. The advantages of breastfeeding are so well established scientifically that it is recommended that breastfeeding continue well into the second year of life.
Beverly Hansen OMalley is a health promotion specialist and likes to write about health related topics that help people in their daily lives. She is the the owner of http://www.registered-nurse-canada.com where she explores the uniqueness of the nursing profession in Canada including comparison of the nursing entrance tests for the US and Canada, comparison of registered nurse salaries across the country and what it means to have a nursing