Breast milk is food best suited to meeting all your baby's needs. The reason for this is simple: the newborn's digestive system and metabolism are designed for human milk.
Benefits for the mother
• Stimulates contraction of the uterus without bleeding and, therefore, anaemia (as significant blood loss leads to iron loss).
• Milk immediately available when the baby needs it, at the right temperature, without the need for preparation or sterilisation. It is most comprehensive and cheapest method.
• Helps prevent cancer: Numerous studies have shown that the risk of breast and ovarian cancer is lower in women who have breastfed.
• Psychological benefits: Breastfeeding can be physically pleasurable for the mother, helping to establish an emotional bond with her child. She will also feel more confident in the care given to her baby.
Benefits for the baby
• Reduces the risk of allergies and intolerance, as well as the risk of infection, by boosting the baby's immune system throughout the first four to six months of life.
• Reduces the risk of obesity, by reducing kidney overload, due to the low salt content of breast milk. There is also a lower risk of constipation.
• In the short term, it promotes vitamin K synthesis, protects against hypoglycaemia and is less likely to cause weight loss.