Benefits Of Extended breast feeding

When a mother nurses her baby with breast milk for extended periods of time, i.e. more than a year it is known as extended breastfeeding. Although this is a common practice in many countries of the world, but is recent phenomenon in the western world. Extended breastfeeding has numerous benefits for both the mother and the child. These benefits include:

1.Appropriate nutrition for the baby.
Human breast milk is considered to be the most nutritious for a new born. With the growth of the baby his nutritional requirements also change and the composition of the breast milk changes as per the child’s bodily needs. Extended breastfeeding thus provides appropriate nutrition to the child at each stage of development.

2.Protects the child from allergies.
Research shows that extended breastfeeding for long time provides additional benefits to the child. Breast milk develops and protects the lining of stomach in babies. This in turn helps protect the baby from various kinds of allergens. Extended breastfeeding prolongs the protection for long time periods, thus reducing the child’s exposure to allergens.

3.Protects the intestines.
Formula milk sometimes leads to irritation and inflammation in the intestinal lining. The high iron content found in formula foods disrupts the balance, and permits the flow of allergens pass the protective barrier. Breast milk helps to prevent soreness and inflammation of intestinal lining, making the child healthy.

4.Psychological benefits.
Extended breastfeeding calms a child when he is sad and upset. It also relieves the child when he or she is sick.

5.Makes the child independent.
Extended breastfeeding makes the child independent and confident before he or she is weaned.

6.Strengthens the bond between the mother and child.
Extended breastfeeding strengthens the bond between the mother and the child.

7.Prevents mothers from many diseases.
Women who feed their babies for extended periods are naturally prevented from many diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and endometrial cancer. Diabetic women feeding their babies for extended time require less insulin for maintaining their sugar levels.

8.Natural contraceptive.
In many cases breastfeeding also suppresses the process of ovulation. This acts as a natural contraceptive, preventing unwanted pregnancies without using any artificial contraceptive.

9.Helps in weight loss.
Breastfeeding mothers easily lose weight in the post-partum period.

10.Better mental health.
Extended breastfeeding also keeps the mother in better mental health as compared to other women. It helps the women cope with post partum depression.

Although there are a few social reasons for which many mothers hesitate to breast feed their children. But, breastfeeding has so many benefits both for the child and the mother, that it should be continued for long periods of time.