Breastfeeding: The Best Food for the Baby

By Dr. Melania Montes / Published on July 25, 2024

Breast milk is considered by experts to be the best food for the baby, as it is the only naturally capable of satisfying all their nutritional needs, necessary for proper physical growth and development; it is also a safe food that protects against possible infections (1). Although more and more people recognize the importance and benefits of breastfeeding (BF), a large part of the global infant population is not breastfed or not sufficiently breastfed (2).

BF provides short- and long-term benefits for both the baby and the mother and strengthens the mother-baby bond. Additionally, it indirectly benefits society and the environment by being a safe and natural food. BF also results in direct savings on the use of formula and bottles, and indirect savings in health costs (1, 3, 4). It has been estimated that due to the benefits of BF, infant mortality (children under 5 years old) and maternal mortality worldwide could be drastically reduced (2,4,5).

• Benefits of BF for the baby:

  o Babies exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months of life grow faster than the rest (5).

  o Unlike artificial milk, breast milk contains anti-infection (antibodies) and bioactive factors that protect the baby against acute and chronic childhood diseases (1,5). In less favored communities, it reduces respiratory infections and diarrhea; while in richer communities, it protects against otitis media, type 2 diabetes mellitus, overweight, and obesity (2). The longer the duration of BF, the lower the risk of obesity during childhood and adolescence (5).

  o It has a positive impact on neurodevelopment, which could improve IQ and influence an individual’s ability to contribute to society (2,4).

• Benefits of BF for the mother:

  o Lower risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. The risk is inversely proportional to the duration of BF (2).

  o Reduced risk of postpartum hemorrhage if breastfeeding immediately after birth (5).

Recommended Duration of BF

International health authorities and national scientific societies recommend BF as the nutritional norm unless there is a medical reason why it is contraindicated; that is when it poses a risk to the baby’s health (6). The WHO and UNICEF recommend starting BF within the first hour of life, exclusive on-demand breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life, and continuing on-demand BF until 2 years or as long as mother and child desire. They recommend the introduction of complementary (adequate and safe) foods from 6 months of age (1,3,5). Despite this, only 38% of the global infant population is exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months of life (7).

There are popular beliefs and myths without any scientific basis that undermine the practice of BF (Table 1) (8).

Table 1. The Most Widespread Myths About Breastfeeding (BF)

MYTH	REALITY
BF is easy	BF is not instinctive for mothers, they need support, learning, and practice
It’s normal for breastfeeding to hurt	Pain indicates that position and latch need to be corrected
The mother should wash her nipples before breastfeeding	Nipples have beneficial bacteria for the baby
The newborn should be separated from the mother so she can rest	Skin-to-skin contact is important for the baby
The mother should only eat fresh foods while breastfeeding	Eating habits do not need to change, just follow a balanced diet
Exercise changes the taste of milk	There is no evidence to suggest this
The mother will not be able to breastfeed if she does not do so from the start	The sooner the baby is exposed to the breast, the better
Artificial milk should never be used if one wants to breastfeed	Sometimes formula milk can be used
Many mothers do not produce enough milk	Almost all mothers produce a sufficient amount of milk
The mother should not breastfeed if she is sick	There are very few illnesses that prevent breastfeeding
The mother cannot take any medication while breastfeeding	She should consult her doctor first
Breastfed babies are dependent	There is no evidence, but it does improve the mother-child bond
It is difficult to wean a baby if breastfeeding continues for more than a year	There is no evidence to suggest this
The mother will have to wean the baby when she returns to work	With sufficient support, there are ways to continue BF

Source: self-made from (8)

In conclusion, breast milk is considered by experts to be the best food for the baby due to its multiple benefits. Therefore, it is recommended to continue BF until two years or more, being exclusive during the first 6 months of age, except in cases where it is contraindicated.

References

1. Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición. La alimentación durante la lactancia [Internet]. Madrid: Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición; 2023 [consulted 5 October 2023]. Available in: https://www.aesan.gob.es/AECOSAN/docs/documentos/publicaciones/seguridad_alimentaria/lactancia_web.pdf
2. Prentice AM. Breastfeeding in the Modern World. Ann Nutr Metab. 2022; 78 Suppl 2:29-38.
3. Vargas-Zarate M, Becerra-Bulla F, Balsero-Oyuela SY, Meneses-Burbano YS. Lactancia materna: mitos y verdades. Artículo de revisión. Revista de la Facultad de Medicina. 2020; 68(4):608-616.
4. Brahm P, Valdés V. Beneficios de la lactancia materna y riesgos de no amamantar. Revista chilena de pediatría. 2017; 88(1):07-14.
5. World Health Organization. La alimentación del lactante y del niño pequeño: capítulo modelo para libros de texto dirigidos a estudiantes de medicina y otras ciencias de la salud [Internet]. Organización Mundial de la Salud; 2010 [consulted 5 October 2023]. Available in: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/44310
6. Davanzo R. Controversies in Breastfeeding. Front Pediatr. 2018; 6:278. 
7. Beggs B, Koshy L, Neiterman E. Women’s Perceptions and Experiences of Breastfeeding: a scoping review of the literature. BMC Public Health. 2021; 21(1):2169.
8. Semana de la Lactancia Materna: mitos y realidades [Internet]. España: UNICEF; 2023 [updated 2023; consulted 5 October 2023]. Noticias. Available in: https://www.unicef.es/noticia/semana-de-la-lactancia-materna-mitos-y-realidades#:~:text=La%20lactancia%20materna%20no%20solo,el%20v%C3%ADnculo%20con%20su%20madre.