At this stage, breast milk helps prevent digestive issues and chest infections while providing the nutrition they need to reach those early growth markers. Research has found that breastfeeding for any duration of time lowers the risk of SIDS by 60 percent while breastfeeding for a longer period only increases the positive effect.
Babies breastfed until two months of age and older had a 62 percent lower risk of SIDS, while babies who were exclusively breastfed during the same time period had a 73 percent lower risk. After two months of breastfeeding, your baby may also have a reduced risk for food allergies.
Three to four months of breastfeeding protects your little one against asthma for the first two years of their life while breastfeeding for longer periods of time offers protection that extends past five years. As for maternal benefits, breastfeeding moms experience lower rates of postpartum depression up to four months after giving birth.
The act of breastfeeding may also help moms recover more quickly from these symptoms. Good news for you, mom! After six months of breastfeeding, your baby also has a 19 percent lower risk for childhood leukemia.
Finally, studies have linked breastfeeding with improved cognitive development that extends into childhood. They often develop motor skills at an earlier age and may be less likely to have emotional and behavioral problems. If the breasts are uncomfortable when a feed is missed, you may need to express a small amount for comfort, to avoid blocked ducts or discomfort from fullness.
Reduce either the time of expressing or volume removed over days for the breasts to adjust. The concentration of antibodies to bacterial and viral diseases in breastmilk is increased as weaning progresses and milk supply reduces. This ensures that your baby is protected as they are being introduced to new foods and exploring new surroundings.
Remember to give your baby plenty of cuddles during the weaning process so that you and your baby still have plenty of close time together. Slowly reducing the number of breastfeeds protects your baby during the weaning period and will also help you avoid problems such as mastitis.
If you need to wean your baby quickly, talk to a healthcare professional or a lactation consultant about caring for your breasts. Health professionals recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, with a gradual introduction of appropriate foods in the second 6 months and ongoing breastfeeding for 2 years or beyond.
Babies show they are ready to start solids when they:. A baby born at full term has a store of iron passed on from the mother during pregnancy. Breastmilk contains small amounts of readily absorbed iron, and recent studies have shown that the risk of iron deficiency is very low in full-term healthy breastfed babies who continue to breastfeed past 6 months as solids are introduced.
If you become pregnant , you may choose to continue to breastfeed or you may like to gradually wean your baby. This is an individual choice. Whether or not you choose to continue breastfeeding, it is important to maintain a healthy diet. Seek advice from your health professional or the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Some parents and babies enjoy breastfeeding so much they are in no hurry to stop.
It is not unusual for children up to 4 years of age to continue to be breastfed. Family members and friends may feel uncomfortable about extended breastfeeding and it can be helpful to have information to give your family and friends about why you have decided to keep breastfeeding. This may include information about the continued health benefits, security and comfort for your child.
You may be ready to cease breastfeeding, but your child may resist all your attempts to do so. There are many strategies for weaning a baby. Continuing to breastfeed after six months has been shown to lower the chances of some childhood and adult illnesses and, if your baby does get ill, helps him recover more quickly.
There are also benefits for your baby in terms of sight 11 , dental problems, 12 and obesity. Nothing soothes an upset infant or toddler like a nursing session with mum. As your baby grows, a feed helps with everything from teething and vaccinations to the inevitable knocks and scrapes or viruses that occur along the way.
For many mums, breastfeeding can feel like a miracle worker. The act of being close to your baby, instantly responding to his needs and engaging in lots of eye contact also sends signals between you. The longer you breastfeed, the stronger the positive outcome is likely to be. Did you know that breast milk is actually alive? Studies show a consistent three-point IQ advantage for children who were breastfed over those who were never breastfed. Breastfeeding beyond six months has even been linked to fewer behavioural problems in school-age children 23 and improved mental health in children and adolescents.
The health claims on the packaging may look impressive, but there is no better milk for your baby than your own. No formula milk contains all the antibodies, live cells, growth factors, hormones or helpful bacteria, nor the array of enzymes, amino acids and micronutrients found in breast milk.
Read Breast milk vs formula: How similar are they? By continuing breastfeeding beyond six months, you lower your lifelong risk of developing heart disease, 27 type 2 diabetes 28 and cancers of the breast, 29 ovaries 30 and uterus. Not to mention that after six months, breastfeeding is very convenient.
Health topics: Breastfeeding [Internet]. When to wean: biological versus cultural perspectives. Clin Obstet Gyecol.
Available from www. Breast volume and milk production during extended lactation in women. He has had time to form a solid bond with you — a healthy starting point for his growing independence. He is now old enough that you and he can work together on the weaning process, at a pace that he can handle. In cultures where there is no pressure to wean, children tend to breastfeed for at least 2 years. It makes sense to build our children's bones from the milk that was designed for them.
Your milk provides nutrients, anti-infective factors and other protective substances as long as your child continues breastfeeding. Mothers who breastfeed long- term have a still lower risk of developing breast cancer. Breastfeeding is a parenting factor which has been associated with child emotional development - in particular the attachment between children and their mothers. Breastfeeding eases both of you through the tears, tantrums and tumbles that come with early childhood.
It helps ensure that any illnesses are milder and easier to deal with.
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