Breastfeeding provides many health benefits for your baby. Breast milk is not only perfect for your baby's digestive system; it also offers immunities and nutrients to protect your baby and may even help prevent asthma. Feeding in the same place helps prevent nipple confusion, which can occur when a baby accidentally gets the breast and bottle mixed up. Unfortunately, a few moms find that they don't produce as much milk before they're ready to wean their children. That's normal but still a concern if you need to continue feeding in public. Your baby is born with a full belly. Breast milk provides all the nourishment your baby needs to grow and develop. As your baby gets older and eats other foods, breast milk can be replaced as a food source.

Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to care for your baby. You might be wondering why you should breastfeed. First, it's good for your baby's health because it helps protect them from certain diseases and illnesses, including a weak immune system. Breastfed babies are less likely to get sick with severe conditions like diarrhoea or pneumonia when they're younger than 6 months old. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding until at least 6 months of age because it reduces the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Benefits of breastfeeding for babies:

You likely know by now that breastfeeding can benefit both you and your baby. But how does it do this? Breast milk is loaded with nutrition and antibodies that protect your baby from disease. It also lowers the risk of developing asthma, allergies and ear infections. Breastfeeding has also been linked to higher IQ scores in later childhood.

a) Ideal nutrition for babies: Breast milk is the ideal first milk. It helps the newborn's immature digestive tract develop, high in protein and low in sugar and very rich in beneficial components.

b) Consists of antibodies: Breast milk appears at birth, is quickly produced and is the best food for your baby. The antibodies in this remarkable food help create a healthy immune system programmed to fight off sickness and disease.

c) Promotes healthy weight: Breast milk promotes healthy weight gain and helps prevent childhood obesity. This may be due to the development of different gut bacteria. Breastfed babies have higher amounts of beneficial gut bacteria, affecting fat storage. Babies fed breast milk also have more leptin in their systems than formula-fed babies. Leptin is a crucial hormone for regulating appetite and fat storage. Breastfed babies also self-regulate their milk intake, which is better at eating until they've satisfied their hunger, which helps them develop healthy eating patterns.

d) Makes children smarter: Breastfeeding may make your child smarter. Studies show that breastfed babies have higher intelligence scores and are less likely to develop behavioural problems while learning difficulties as they grow older. In addition, the benefits of breastfeeding last a lifetime. Nurturing intimacy between mother and child is essential for babies' health and emotional well-being. The effects of breastfeeding on brain development are long-lasting; breastfed infants score higher in future intelligence tests by the age of five or six.

What causes less breast milk production?

Insufficient glandular tissue: Not all women have enough "milk-making" ducts to meet their baby's needs. Some women pregnant with their second or third baby may lack sufficient ducts and tissue to produce enough milk. And while this is still possible, an increasing number of women can breastfeed their babies with the help of a supplement – often in the form of a bottle, syringe or pump. Enlisting a lactation consultant can be helpful if you have questions on how to best support your baby's health. That's why every mother needs to prioritise breastfeeding later in life when she is ready for another child.

Hormonal problem: Hormonal or endocrine problems are often associated with low milk production because milk relies on the hormones sent to the breasts. What can you do? In some cases, treating your health problem will help you boost milk production, although you may need supplements to increase breastmilk. You can opt for andMe's plant-based lactation booster. This breast milk increasing powder consists of the goodness of Shatavari that increases breast milk production to double.

Previous breast surgery: Does your breast look smaller? Do you have dimples or puckering in the skin? If stitches are present, they may affect how well you can breastfeed. Surgery is not an accurate or reliable estimate of how much breastfeeding you will be able to do. Even if your breasts look fine on the outside, there may be scarring inside that could interfere with milk letdown, which could mean that you cannot produce enough breast milk for your baby some days. Your surgeon may prescribe medication or booster to increase milk supply breastfeeding.

Using a pacifier between feedings: If you're used to feeding your baby daily or weekly, it can be challenging to break that pattern. In the past, many women fed their babies on a strictly timed three- or four-hour schedule. But babies are best fed when they get hungry with minimum fuss. If you are using a pacifier between feedings or scheduling feedings when your breasts will be less complete, your breasts will be more likely to produce less milk.

Taking certain medications or herbs: Some medications or herbs such as pseudoephedrine (the active ingredient in Sudafed and similar cold medications), methergine, bromocriptine, or large amounts of sage, parsley, or peppermint can be taken affect your milk supply. If, while on one of these medications, your supply drops to levels less than your baby typically takes at a feeding, I suggest removing a feeding from the schedule for the day that is missing and substituting an extra pumping.

Not feeding at night:

Not feeding at night causes many babies to wake frequently for feedings. However, many moms with a good enough milk supply also help breastmilk from a bottle, sometimes even when their baby isn't hungry. We hear from many new moms struggling with frequent nighttime feedings and low milk supply, but there's an easy fix: you can reverse this pattern by adding one or two night-only "water feedings" back into the schedule. The drop in prolactin during this step kicks off the whole process of restoring higher levels of prolactin and breastfeeding satisfaction for many struggling moms.