Breastfeeding to enhance immunity

Breastfeeding to enhance immunity
Many researchers have proven that breast milk is not just the first food for a baby. It contains basic vitamins and trace elements that help to form a healthy and strong immunity. With the mother’s milk, the baby is given temporary protection against certain diseases, so it can be safely called natural vaccination.


Why is breastfeeding so important?

• Babies are known to receive a specific set of antibodies from the mother’s placenta, but their immune systems are still too fragile. The child is exposed to previously unseen microorganisms. The body can not yet fight them, so there is always a risk of various diseases.
• It is important to breastfeed the baby as long as possible. No, because of this, the baby will not lag behind in development, on the contrary, he will stock up on protective substances until his immunity is formed. Up to six months, the human body actively produces antibodies, but immunity is fully formed only by five to six years. The main source of antibodies is mother’s milk.
• Breast milk contains beneficial bacteria that prevent the reproduction of pathogens. In addition, milk contains macrophages, lymphocytes, they help produce antibodies.
• Some experts believe that breastfeeding after six months is useless. That's not true. If you breastfeed as long as possible, the baby will wean itself from the breast. It will be a gentle and painless transition, stress-free and hysterical.
• There is a myth that you can not breastfeed during illness. It is believed that it is dangerous for the child, and the mother can infect him. However, there is a downside to the coin. When a mother is sick, antibodies are produced in her body to fight the virus. They are transmitted through breastfeeding and to the baby. Thus, it can be considered a kind of vaccination.
• When a baby is sick, it is important to breastfeed a little more often than usual. As the body is depleted and dehydrated, it needs moisture and nutrients to help fight the disease.

We note that long-term breastfeeding will not throw your baby back in development. Feeding does not affect his mental abilities. Yes, you may face judgment and misunderstanding from other mothers or older women. Remember one thing: the longer the baby is breastfed, the stronger his immunity.
Based on https://kinderklinik.ua/