Not only does breastfeeding ward off infection, it
offers a host of other advantages to your developing child.
Babies who nurse have to work harder than bottle-fed babies to draw liquid into their mouths. This strengthens their jaw muscles, helps shape their pallet, and promotes better tooth alignment.
Improved Eyesight and Hand/Eye Coordination
Breastfeeding requires infants to use their hands and eyes to negotiate the distance between their mouth and mother's nipple. This helps them develop aim and good hand/eye coordination, particularly if they are switched from one breast to another within a single feed. Breast milk also contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid that promotes healthy eye development.
Fewer Cavities
Breastfeeding infants draw milk towards the back of their throat, away from their teeth. Formula from a bottle tends to pool in a baby's mouth, exposing gums and teeth to more sugar. Special enzymes in breast milk (those are absent in formula) also reduce the build-up of decay by quickening the breakdown of milk sugars.
Less Gas and Fussiness
Breast milk is lower in protein than formula, making it easier for baby to digest. Likewise, the lipids and fatty acids are easier on a baby's stomach. This translates into less gas, constipation, and stomach upset that can be painful for a baby and cause sleep disruption (for you too!).
May Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Reports from the National Institute of Health indicate that breastfeeding may reduce a baby's risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. There is still no definitive answer to why, but one theory suggests that the breast milk may protect infants from certain infections that can trigger SIDS.
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