Breastfeeding
Why is it that all health professionals recommend breastfeeding?
New Zealand has a relatively high rate of breastfeeding at 6 weeks (66%) however this declines to 25% at 6 months of age. It is recommended that babies are exclusively breastfed until around 6 months when they are developmentally ready and in need of extra food. In addition to solid food, they should continue to be breastfed until at least 1 year of age or older.
Why is breastfeeding so good?
Looking at the scientific literature, there are both advantages for the mother who breastfeeds and for the breastfed infant.
- Here are some of the advantages of breastfeeding :
- Breast milk meets the baby’s nutritional needs completely for the first 6 months of life.
- Breastfeeding reduces baby’s risk of infection because the mother’s antibodies are passed on to the baby.
- Breastfeeding reduces the baby’s risk of developing food allergies.
- Breastfeeding is convenient (it is always the correct temperature and readily available, assuming the mother is available).
- Breast milk is safe from contamination, although care must be taken to store breast milk correctly if breast milk is expressed for use later.
- Breast milk is free.
- It is harder to over or under feed a breastfed baby.
- Breastfeeding reduces the risk of SIDS.
- Women who breastfeed have a reduced risk of some types of cancer.
- Breastfeeding can help with child-spacing, due to the contraceptive effect of demand breastfeeding.
- Breastfeeding helps infant jaw development.
- Researchers have shown that breastfed infants tend to be more accepting of new foods as toddlers because they have been exposed to a variety of flavours through the breast milk.
Eating Well
By eating well a mother can help ensure a good milk supply. A breastfeeding mother needs more energy from food than during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding women need plenty of breads and cereals and fruit and vegetables as well as extra milk and milk products and lean meat seafood, chicken, dried peas, beans and lentils.
It is also important to drink lots of fluids, water is best.
For more information, please see the Ministry of Health’s ‘Eating for healthy breastfeeding women’ available from your local public health service or downloaded or ordered via rthis website
