Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is very good for the baby's growth and development. However, there may be mothers who don't know that breastfeeding their baby for more than 6 months has a myriad of advantages. Want to know what the advantages are? Come on, see the review here.
Breast milk has many benefits for babies, ranging from increasing the body's immunity, providing all the nutrients it needs, to supporting the growth and development of the brain. In addition, breast milk is the most easily digested and safe source of nutrients for the baby's digestive tract.
A series of advantages of breastfeeding more than 6 months
From birth to 6 months of age, babies actually only need breast milk, without any additional food or drink. However, when he was 6 months old, breastfeeding alone was not sufficient for his needs. As a result, he needs to be given complementary foods to breast milk or complementary foods.
Even though you have eaten solid food, it doesn't mean that Busui has to stop breastfeeding your little one, right? Indeed, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended until the baby is 6 months old. However, continuing to breastfeed until the baby is 2 years old actually has tremendous benefits.
Here are some of the advantages of breastfeeding until the age of 2 years:
1. Avoid consuming unhealthy food
A study found that babies who breastfed directly until the age of 2 years tend to have healthy eating habits. Children eat more vegetables and eat less sweets and fast food.
This of course will be very beneficial for the growth and development of children, because the nutritional intake that he gets becomes more quality and healthy for his body. In addition, he will also avoid various types of diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
2. Reduce the risk of obesity
Busui needs to know that obesity does not only occur in adults, but can also occur in infants and children. Children who were obese in childhood are more likely to be obese into adulthood. This will increase the risk for various diseases, such as asthma, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
nowBreastfeeding a baby until he is 2 years old is said to make him more aware of the signals of fullness and hunger, so he knows when to eat and when to stop. This ability will carry over into adulthood and make him avoid the habit of overeating that can trigger obesity.
3. The development of the child's reproductive system is more optimal
A study showed that breastfeeding until the age of 2 years can optimize the development of the baby's reproductive system, especially in baby boys. Extending breastfeeding after exclusive breastfeeding for male babies is known to reduce the risk of children having poor quality sperm when they grow up.
4. Improve children's intelligence
A study revealed that extending breastfeeding until the age of 2 years can improve children's cognitive abilities. In addition, this is also known to strengthen a child's closeness with his mother until he is a teenager.
5. Reduce the risk of experiencing mental disorders in adolescence
As stated earlier, breastfeeding for more than 6 months can strengthen the relationship between mother and child until the child is a teenager. And this can protect children from mental health disorders and even drug abuse.
Besides being beneficial for babies, breastfeeding for 2 years is also good for mothers. you know. This activity is able to burn Busui calories, so that body weight during pregnancy can shrink slowly.
In addition, levels of hormones that play a role in increasing hunger tend to decrease when breastfeeding. This makes Busui's appetite more controlled and reduces Busui's desire to eat a variety of foods that spoil the tongue but are not healthy for the body.
Whether breastfeeding for 6 months or up to 2 years, both are equally beneficial for Busui and Little One, how come. In fact, breastfeeding for more than 2 years can still have an impact on both the child and the mother.
The important thing that Busui must remember is that breastfeeding is very useful for the baby's growth and development. Therefore, try to give breast milk to your little one, yes. If Busui has problems during breastfeeding, you should consult this with a lactation consultant to get the right direction.
