Breastfeeding is the oldest and most natural way to feed a child in the first months of life. The nutrient and vital substance content of breast milk meets the needs of the newborn or changes with the changing demands of the growing infant. Due to numerous health-promoting substances, breast milk provides an optimal basis for unimpaired physical as well as mental development – in accordance with the child’s genetic potential.
After birth, the mother should have skin-to-skin contact with her newborn (belly to belly). When the child has recovered somewhat from the exhausting birth, it begins on its own to instinctively move slowly from the mother’s belly toward her breasts. It wants to drink.
Every baby has its own pace. Even for first-time mothers, this situation is new and breastfeeding doesn’t always work right away. Often, mother and baby need a while to get used to each other.
Practical advantages of breastfeeding:
- Breast milk is available at any time.
- Breast milk has “by design” the optimal temperature.
- Breast milk adapts to the nutritional needs of the infant.
- Elaborate cleaning and sterilization of bottles and teats is not necessary.
- Breastfeeding is cost-effective.
Breast milk is easily digestible for the infant and corresponds optimally to the digestive capacities of the infant. Due to the containing defenses or antibodies of the mother, infants fed with breast milk suffer less frequently from respiratory diseases as well as disorders of the digestive tract than those who are bottle-fed. Breastfeeding makes the jaw muscles of newborns stronger, as breast drinking requires 60 times more energy than bottle feeding.
In addition to the practical and health benefits (see under “Benefits of Breastfeeding“), breastfeeding is important for the mother-child relationship. During breastfeeding, the hormone oxytocin is released, which, among other things, makes the mother feel balanced and comfortable. Oxytocin is colloquially known as the “cuddle hormone. Especially in the first months of life, the child still needs very close physical contact. This makes it feel safe and secure and develops trust.
There are only a few reasons for taking a longer break from breastfeeding or for stopping breastfeeding. If it is necessary to take certain medications (see “Medications and Breastfeeding” below) or if the mother has an infectious disease (see “Communicable Diseases during Breastfeeding” below), it must be decided on a case-by-case basis whether breastfeeding is recommended.
Please also refer to the topic “Practical advice on breastfeeding”.
