Benefits of breast milk are –
Correct Answer: All of these
Description: Breast feeding
Breast feeding is feeding an infant or young child with breast milk directly from breast and not from a baby bottle or other container.
Under any circumstances, breast milk is the ideal food for the infant —> Human breast milk is the best source of nourishment for human infants.
No other food is required by the baby until the age of 6 months after birth.
So, exclusive breast feeding should be given to infant for first 6 months of life.
Benefits of breast feeding
Among the benefits of breast feeding are the following -
Superior nutrition
Carbohydrates
Lactose is in a high concentration in breast milk which helps in the absorption of calcium and enhances the growth of lactobacilli in the intestine.
Proteins
The protein content of breast milk is low which causes lower solute load on the kidney.
Most of the protein is whey proteins (lactalbumin and lactoglobulin), which can be digested easily (In contrast cow milk contains more casein).
Breast milk contains the ideal ratio of the amino acids cysteine, taurine and methionine to support the development of the central and peripheral nervous system.
Fats
Breast milk is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, necessary for the myelination of the nervous system and brain growth.
Active lipase in the breast milk promotes digestion of fats and provides FFA.
The pattern of fats facilitates the absorption of calcium.
Minerals
Breast milk protects against neonatal hypocalcemia and tetany due to ideal calcium phosphorus ratio (2:1) and better calcium absorption.
Iron of breast milk is very well absorbed → breast feeding prevents against iron deficiency anemia.
Breast milk also prevents deficiencies of vitamin A, C, D, E and zinc.
Breast milk has a water content of 88% and hence a breastfed baby does not require additional water in the first 6 months of life even in summer months.
Breast milk has a low mineral and sodium content → low osmolality presents a low solute load to the kidney.
Lower risk of infection
The breast milk is clean and uncontaminated with several anti-infective factors → protect the baby from infection and diarrhoea
Protection from allergy (atopy)
Low protein contents of breast milk along with a higher concentration of secretory IgA decreases the absorption of protein macromolecules → less chances of allergy and asthma.
Emotional bonding
Breast feeding promotes close physical and emotional bonds between the mother and the baby.
Others
Breast feeding lowers the risk of ovarian and breast cancer in mother.
Breastfed babies have a higher IQ and have less chances of developing hypertension, obesity, coronary artery disease and diabetes in their adulthood.
The other diseases which are less common in breastfed babies include inflammatory bowel disease, Hodgkin's lymphoma, necrotizing enterocolitis and sudden infant death syndrome.
Category:
Pediatrics
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