Breastfeeding is one of the best gifts a mother can give her newborn baby. It boosts the immunity of your baby against disease and makes the child less prone to obesity. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) refers to the practice of feeding only breast milk to a newborn, to the exclusion of any other food (including water) for the first four months of life.

In India, EBF practices are shockingly low. Only 49 percent of urban mothers and 37 percent of rural mothers are exclusively breastfeeding their babies. Although exclusive breastfeeding during the first few months of your child’s life can get tiring for you and may seem inconvenient if you are planning to resume work or need to travel, don’t let this put you off. That is because breastfeeding is beneficial in a variety of ways for you too.
 
Here are some of the advantages for you if you are breastfeeding your child:

It helps with quicker recovery after delivery. The risk of bleeding and complications after delivery decreases if breastfeeding is initiated as soon as the baby is cleaned up after birth. Breastfeeding releases a hormone called oxytocin in your bloodstream. This hormone allows the placenta to detach from the uterus before it is expelled. Oxytocin ensures that the detachment of the placenta does not cause too much bleeding. Thus it protects you from one of the major complications that can result from childbirth – vaginal bleeding. The presence of oxytocin also helps the uterus to shrink more quickly to its pre-pregnancy size. Early initiation of breastfeeding also ensures that you do not develop painful engorgement of the breasts.

Also read: Foods to eat during pregnancy

Tags: Breastfeeding, Mums