What are the benefits of breastfeeding?

If you're still on the fence about breastfeeding, this is a very understandable question. So, why breastfeed? What are the benefits of breastfeeding, both for your baby and for you, his mother?

Breast milk is the best food for your baby's needs.
It helps todevelop your baby's tastes, thanks to the diversity of your diet.
Tailor-made milk, in quality and quantity. Breast milk is an evolving food: its formulation varies as your baby grows, both during the day and at the same feed, to adapt perfectly to your baby's needs.
Breastfeeding contributes to the healthy development of the baby's immune system, as well as its cerebral system with essential fatty acids, and its digestive system. During the first years of life, babies have immature immune defense systems, making them vulnerable to infection. Breast milk helps reduce this state of physiological immune immaturity.

Throughout your pregnancy, you've been affected by many emotions, right up to the hormonal upheaval of birth. Thanks to your emotions, you've developed an extraordinary bond that will continue, whether you breastfeed or not, between you and this little being you're about to get to know. As you feed, your baby finds familiar and reassuring elements in these privileged moments of skin-to-skin contact: the sensation of his whole body snuggled up against you, the touch and warmth of your skin against his cheek, your smell, your voice, the beating of your heart. The relaxing hormone oxytocin, present in milk, and the familiar scent of milk are also reasons to reassure your baby and contribute to his well-being.

Little by little, he'll associate the pleasure and serenity of these moments with his mother leaning over him: the maternal face will thus be intimately linked, for your baby, with a happy feeling. Breastfeeding allows you to create a very strong emotional bond with your baby: every caress, every look and every feed create a unique complicity between you. You both feel a great sense of well-being: you, through the soothing effect you have on your little one, and he, through this renewed closeness to his mother.

The benefits of breastfeeding have an immediate and unrivalled effect on babies' health. Many of you worry that you won't have enough milk to the point of having to give up breastfeeding, yet running out of milk is extremely rare. On the other hand, you may experience temporary drops in lactation. Too much or too little milk, engorgement or cracked breasts: there are solutions to relieve these little ailments. Find our Breastfeeding Food Supplements in our online pharmacy.

Breast milk: tailor-made nourishment for your baby

Breast milk is recognized as the ideal food for babies, as it naturally adapts to their needs:

Tailor-made quality and quantity: Its composition changes over the weeks and months, as your baby grows. It even varies throughout the day and during a feed, to meet the specific requirements of each moment.
Taste diversity: The subtle flavors of your food pass into your milk, gently awakening your baby's taste buds and preparing him to accept a varied diet as he diversifies.

Breast milk contributes to the proper functioning of several essential systems in babies:

Immune system: Rich in antibodies, immune factors and enzymes, it helps protect your baby against infections and reduce the immaturity of his natural defenses.
Cerebral system: The essential fatty acids contained in breast milk (notably DHA) support optimal brain development.
Digestive system: Easily digestible, it reduces the risk of colic, constipation and food allergies.

A special emotional bond

Breastfeeding is much more than a simple means of feeding your child. It's a moment of exchange and closeness that strengthens the mother-child bond. During feeds, your baby experiences reassuring sensations:

Skin-to-skin: Direct contact with your skin soothes and reassures your baby.
Mother's scent and voice: These familiar elements promote your baby's well-being and sense of security.
Heartbeat: Hearing your heartbeat, which he has already experienced in utero, prolongs this intimate connection.

The love hormone oxytocin is released with every feed. It promotes relaxation for both mother and baby, reinforcing feelings of well-being and serenity. For your child, this hormone, present in breast milk, also plays a soothing role.

Infant health benefits

The immune-boosting properties of breast milk considerably reduce the risk of many illnesses:

Respiratory infections (bronchitis, bronchiolitis).
Ear infections.
Gastroenteritis.
Allergic reactions.
Sudden infant death syndrome.

The nutrients and biofactors present in breast milk promote harmonious growth and maturation of organs, including the central nervous system.

Thanks to its appropriate composition, breast milk is perfectly assimilated by the infant, limiting inconveniences such as colic and gastric reflux.

What breastfeeding products can I find on the Soin-et-Nature website?

Soin-et-Nature offers a complete range of products to help mothers breastfeed and ensure baby's well-being. Here are the main categories available:

To protect and soothe the nipples, specific care products promote healing and prevent irritation linked to breastfeeding.
To stimulate and support lactation, specially adapted food supplements provide essential nutrients for optimal milk production.
To facilitate the expression of breast milk, a selection of ergonomic and efficient breast pumps meet the needs of nursing mothers.

These dedicated breastfeeding products, available on Soin-et-Nature, guarantee comfort and serenity for mothers, while taking care of baby.