We now know that breastfeeding not only strengthens the parent-child relationship between mother and baby, but also benefits the baby’s health by promoting his brain development and providing him with precisely the different types of nutrients he needs at each critical developmental period. Breastmilk is a mixture of many substances and rich nutrients that provide almost all the proteins, sugars and fats needed for the healthy growth of the baby, and contains substances that help the baby’s immune system, including antibodies, immune factors, enzymes and white blood cells, which not only protect the baby from many viruses and bacteria during the breastfeeding period, but also during the weaning period. These substances not only protect your baby from many viruses and bacteria during the breastfeeding period, but also create a safe barrier for your baby long after weaning, which formula milk does not. If you get a cold while breastfeeding, you may pass the cold virus to your baby, but at the same time, the antibodies your body produces to fight the cold pathogen will be passed on to your baby through your breast milk, and these antibodies will help your baby to quickly and effectively overcome the cold pathogen and prevent your baby from getting a cold. Such a disease defense mechanism can significantly reduce the risk of ear disease, vomiting, diarrhea, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and spinal meningitis in breastfed babies. Breast milk promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the infant’s intestine and also inhibits the growth, reproduction, and colonization of some other pathogenic bacteria in the intestine. Studies have proven that infants who are artificially fed are more likely to have diarrhea, and there is now some evidence that breast milk prevents allergies in infants. Babies who are breastfed for more than 6 months have a lower risk of acute leukemia and lymphoma than those who are artificially fed, probably because of the antibodies and other immune substances contained in breast milk. Breastfed babies have a 36% lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome than those who have not been breastfed (in some studies the value is even 50%) Breastfed babies are less likely to become obese in adolescence and adulthood, and they have a lower risk of type 1 or type 2 diabetes. As infants, breastfed children will score higher on IQ tests than those who are artificially fed. Breastfeeding also increases an infant’s visual and auditory sensitivity, especially in premature babies. Psychologically, the moment a baby is held in your arms and gazes into your eyes, the baby knows that his mother will care for him, protect him, and be by his side as he adjusts to this new world. The child thus feels secure, the infant develops a strong emotional bond with his mother, and he learns things more quickly. For the mother will also get a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in the process of breastfeeding, in addition to the benefits to the mother’s health, breastfeeding mothers recover faster after giving birth, the posterior lobe oxytocin will be secreted during breastfeeding, promoting uterine contraction, so that the uterus returns to its prenatal size, reducing postpartum bleeding. It is also less likely to develop breast and ovarian cancer, and reduces a woman’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disease, in addition to delaying the return of menstruation, making it a natural method of birth control. Breastfeeding benefits the whole family and is economical. The benefits of breastfeeding are so great that they outweigh any other form of feeding. In fact, health organizations around the world have reached a consensus on the benefits of breastfeeding and promote giving babies breast milk – an all-natural, nutritious, and emotionally communicative food. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages women to exclusively breastfeed (give the child nothing but breast milk) until the child is 6 months old and to continue breastfeeding until the child is 2 years old or older in order for the child to receive the full benefits of breast milk, optimal nutrition, and improved resistance. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and the American Dietetic Association also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to 6 months of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 months of age, but preferably exclusively until 6 months. The mother should keep breastfeeding for at least 1 year, after which breastfeeding can continue as long as both the mother and the child want it to, although some complementary foods should be added after the child reaches 6 months of age.