For babies, there is no food better than mother’s milk because, besides being full of the nutrition that infants need, every time the baby suckles from the mother’s breast, it also creates a bond of warm love that is passed on to the baby.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommend that mothers breastfeed their babies for at least 6 months. According to standards, infants should continue to breastfeed for another 1-2 years or even longer because the benefits of breast milk are so numerous that it can be said to be the “first vaccine for the baby.”
Breast Milk Contains Colostrum
The benefits of breast milk are essential for babies. In the first 2-3 days after birth, the mother secretes “colostrum,” a clear yellow milk called yellow milk or foremilk. This type of milk has the highest immunity from the mother, which helps the baby develop disease resistance.
Breast Milk Prevents Allergies
For infants, digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines are not fully developed, and the immune system that traps foreign substances in the body is also not well developed. Foreign proteins can easily slip in and trigger allergies. The benefits of breast milk include helping to create proteins that prevent allergies and immune substances that coat the intestinal lining to prevent allergies.
Breast Milk is a Natural Vaccine
Infants cannot produce immunity well on their own and have very little resistance to infections. However, they can receive immunity directly from breast milk, which is an important and necessary benefit of breast milk for babies.
Breast Milk Contains Substances that Help Prevent Bacteria
Breast milk contains Bifidus Growth Factor, which stimulates the growth of lactobacillus bacteria (which is not found in cow’s milk). This bacteria helps produce organic acids in the intestines, making it inhospitable for harmful bacteria. Additionally, lactose in breast milk is converted into lactic acid, which helps maintain an acidic environment in the intestines, preventing bacteria from surviving.
Breast Milk Helps Babies Have Good Bowel Movements
Breast milk is natural, clean, and easy to digest. It also contains substances that strengthen the intestines and stimulate the growth of good microorganisms that do not cause disease in the intestines. It helps inhibit the growth of pathogens that cause diarrhea and reduces the risk of intestinal infections. Babies who are breastfed not only avoid constipation but also have a lower risk of diarrhea.
Good for the Baby’s Emotion and Mind
Each time a mother breastfeeds, she must hold the baby close to her chest. Happiness, trust, and warmth are instilled in the baby’s mind from the very beginning of life, helping the child grow with emotional and mental stability.
Good for the Baby’s Brain
From the very first drop, breast milk contains MFGM and DHA, substances that directly help brain development. Research shows that children who drink milk supplemented with MFGM have cognitive development that is 4 points better than children who drink regular formula milk supplemented only with DHA.
Good for the Baby’s Development
Children who are regularly breastfed receive comprehensive developmental stimulation through feeding, including recognizing the mother’s scent through close hugging, using the mouth and oral organs, seeing the mother’s face while suckling, developing arm and leg muscles when playing with the mother, and the development of the digestive system, among others.
Dr. Siripim Penchat
Specialist in Pediatric Respiratory Diseases
Child and Adolescent Health Center, Phyathai 1 Hospital
