Breastfeeding is not only good for the health of the child, it also keeps the risk of breast cancer at bay. In a pooled analysis of data from 47 studies, mothers who breastfed for a lifetime total (combined duration of breastfeeding for all children) of one year were slightly less likely to get breast cancer than those who never breastfed.
Mothers who breastfed for a lifetime total of two years got about twice the benefit of those who breastfed for a total of one year.
There are several ways in which breastfeeding keeps the breasts healthy:
- Breast feeding keeps the breast cells working 24*7 which limits their chances of misbehaving and growing cancerous.
- Women who breastfeed don’t experience menstrual cycles for up to 9 years. This works as a natural contraceptive and also lowers the estrogen levels.
- Breastfeeding releases a battery of hormones in female body, one of them being oxytocin. This helps in keeping postpartum depression at bay.
But in recent times more women are stepping out to have a full time career and keep pace with fast moving life. This in turn leaves them with little or no time for themselves and their newborns. As a result, women are spending less time breastfeeding their infants. Decreased breastfeeding time means increased risk of diseases for mother as well as the child.
So what are the reasons that stop our modern moms from breastfeeding their newborns?
Short term maternity leaves:
An average Indian Workplace allows maternity leave of no more than 3 months. In such scenarios a new mother has no choice but to leave her child in daycare and compensate with formula feed. Formula feed is inadequate in nutrients for the newborns since it lacks the antibodies and immunoglobulins that only a mother’s milk can provide.
Lack of awareness about breast milk banks:
Most women in India are unaware about expressed breast milk. The fact that breast milk can be pumped and stored to be used later is largely unknown in India.
Pumped breast milk is safe to be stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days and can be reheated for feeding. This provides a comprehensive solution since it ensures that the newborn is fed exclusively on breastmilk and the mother also gets the benefit of breastfeeding.
Short term maternity leaves:
An average Indian Workplace allows maternity leave of no more than 3 months. In such scenarios a new mother has no choice but to leave her child in daycare and compensate with formula feed. Formula feed is inadequate in nutrients for the newborns since it lacks the antibodies and immunoglobulins that only a mother’s milk can provide.
Lack of awareness about breast milk banks:
Most women in India are unaware about expressed breast milk. The fact that breast milk can be pumped and stored to be used later is largely unknown in India.
Pumped breast milk is safe to be stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days and can be reheated for feeding. This provides a comprehensive solution since it ensures that the newborn is fed exclusively on breastmilk and the mother also gets the benefit of breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding distorts the shape of the body:
There is a widespread opinion that breast feeding distorts the shape of a woman's body. While it is true to a certain extent, the benefits of breastfeeding negates the effect it has on body shape. Moreover, one can achieve the desired body shape later with the help of proper dieting and workouts.
Less number of kids per family:
With couples having only 1 or 2 kids, the lifetime total breastfeeding time has also reduced significantly. A woman on an average won’t spend more that 1 year in her lifetime breastfeeding her kids.
With inputs from: Dr Rohan Khandelwal
This article was first published on Curofy- India's largest community of doctors.
There is a widespread opinion that breast feeding distorts the shape of a woman's body. While it is true to a certain extent, the benefits of breastfeeding negates the effect it has on body shape. Moreover, one can achieve the desired body shape later with the help of proper dieting and workouts.
Less number of kids per family:
With couples having only 1 or 2 kids, the lifetime total breastfeeding time has also reduced significantly. A woman on an average won’t spend more that 1 year in her lifetime breastfeeding her kids.
With inputs from: Dr Rohan Khandelwal
This article was first published on Curofy- India's largest community of doctors.
