Every year, more than 120 countries celebrate the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) from August 1 to 7. This year WBW began on Saturday last, and will end on Friday. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and several hospitals are conducting programmes to promote awareness on the benefits of breastfeeding.
Doctors and experts all agree the breast milk, in comparison with other milk, provides has a nearly perfect mix of vitamins, protein and fat needed by a baby to grow.
It also contains antibodies that help newborn babies to fight off viruses and bacteria.
Breast-fed infants have a lower risk of having asthma, allergies, diabetes and certain types of cancer. More studies have found a link between breastfeeding and higher IQ scores.
What most mothers can relate to immediately is that their babies will not become obese if they are breastfed.
Dr Pernenkil Srinivasa Rao, MD (Physiology), of Dr Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Institute of Medical Science says that new studies had shown that breast milk can prevent necrotising enterocolitis, a dangerous condition in infants.
The presence of Imunoglobulin A in breast milk prevents several potentially life threatening infections.
With an increase in the incidence of obesity as a disorder the impact of breast milk on preventing children from becoming obese is gaining significance. Breast milk has comparatively higher concentration of the Obesity Hormone, Leptin.
Leptin is referred to as the “lookout hormone — the gatekeeper of fat metabolism” monitoring how much energy an organism, in this case the baby, utilises. The hormone reportedly surveys and maintains the energy balance of the body and even regulates hunger.
Exclusively breast-fed infants self-regulate their nutrient intake.
Breastfeeding on demand facilitates this regulated intake of food. There are studies to show that when mothers stimulated an increase of milk supply, babies do not consume the extra milk. Breast-fed infants rarely consume 100 per cent of the available breast milk. The average consumption is around 67 per cent according to studies. The infants terminated the breastfeed even though milk was readily available.
Studies show the breastfeeding results in long-term appetite control not otherwise seen in formula-fed infants. There was a significant body of evidence to demonstrate that breast-fed infants had a lower risk of becoming obese in childhood and adulthood, Dr Srinivasa Rao said.
