A mother’s challenges don’t end with birth. In fact, they often become even more difficult after birth. Breastfeeding is very important for your baby, especially during the first six months of life, but it can also be a challenging experience. However, it’s important to know that it has many benefits for the child as well as the mother.
On the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week 2024, which is celebrated from 1st to 7th August every year, the OnlyMyHealth team engaged with leading experts to understand how breastfeeding promotes a faster and smoother postpartum recovery and offers multiple benefits to mothers. Let’s dig deeper into these insights.
Read more: World Breastfeeding Week 2024: Understanding the benefits of breastfeeding over formula
Uterine contractions
“Breastfeeding stimulates the release of oxytocin, a hormone that stimulates uterine contractions and helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size faster,” says Dr Apurva Gupta, Consultant Obstetrician-Gynaecologist, Daffodils by Artemis, Delhi.
“This can help reduce postpartum bleeding,” she told the OnlyMyHealth team.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), mothers can begin breastfeeding within an hour of birth and continue to breastfeed for the first six months of life.
Burn calories
ACOG also suggests that breastfeeding may help you lose weight during pregnancy. Dr. Gupta explains that producing breast milk requires energy, which burns extra calories. This can aid in weight loss and help you get back to your pre-pregnancy weight, she says.
Hormonal balance
Several studies have shown that women who breastfeed are less likely to experience symptoms of depression than those who don’t. These positive effects may be due to a variety of factors, including an increase in oxytocin (the hormone that makes you feel happy) during breastfeeding, lower stress hormones, and a stronger bond between mother and baby, says Dr. Gupta.
“Breastfeeding helps regulate hormones and reduces the risk of postnatal depression by increasing the release of prolactin and oxytocin, which have calming, mood-boosting effects,” she says.
However, further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind this relationship and determine whether breastfeeding could be a preventive strategy for postpartum depression.
Encourage mobility
Interacting with the OnlyMyHealth team, Dr Mahua Bhattacharya, Consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fortis Hospital, Anandapur, said breastfeeding keeps the mother active, which is important to prevent venous thrombosis, a dangerous complication characterised by the formation of blood clots in the veins, common during the postpartum period.
Read more: Breastfeeding after 35: Expert tips to keep your baby healthy
Pay more attention to your diet
Dr Bhattacharya emphasises that breastfeeding encourages mothers to pay attention to their diet to ensure their baby gets adequate nutrition. This emphasis on healthy eating not only benefits the baby, but also replenishes the mother’s own nutritional reserves and helps her body recover faster after giving birth, the doctor said.
Drive engagement
Breastfeeding is a wonderful opportunity for mother and baby to form a strong emotional bond.
Dr Gupta says skin-to-skin contact and eye contact, also known as kangaroo care, creates a sense of security and trust between mother and baby, which can also improve the mother’s mental health.
in conclusion
Breastfeeding is not only a source of nutrition for the infant, but also a means of speeding up the mother’s recovery after childbirth. Breastfeeding promotes uterine contractions, reduces the risk of complications, improves the mother’s mental health and promotes better nutrition. It is important to remember that while caring for the baby is important, it is also important to pay attention to the mother’s needs.
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