Excusive Breastfeeding: The importance to the growing child>>>>>

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 The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding is beyond merely providing nutrients for the growing baby. Experts while agreeing on the importance of breastfeeding, have also encouraged mothers to feed their babies exclusively with their breast for six months.
>>>>According to World Health Organization, it is  also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers. As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant mortality due to common childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea or pneumonia, and helps for a quicker recovery during illness.
The AAP recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months of life. According to Ngozi Nnam, a professor of community and public health nutrition recently stated at a public function organized to educated mothers on the importance of breastfeeding that breastfeeding has a profound impact on a child's survival, health, nutrition, and development. She explained that when a child is properly breastfed, he or she gets all the nutrients, vitamin and minerals for proper growth. She also acknowledged that breast milk carries antibodies from the mother which help in combating infectious diseases. Breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development of the child. Breastfeeding contributes to the health and well-being of mothers; it helps to space children, reduces the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer, increases family and national resources, is a secure way of feeding and is safe for the environment. Other benefits include lowering the risk of cancer. Some experts have pointed out that breastfeeding can lower breast cancer risk, especially if a woman breastfeeds for longer than 1 year.  Breastfeeding her baby can reduce a mother’s risk of ovarian cancer by nearly two-thirds, according to scientists.It is believed that breastfeeding helps prevent ovarian cancer because it can delay ovulation.  Researchers believe that the more ovulations occur, the greater the risk of cell mutation, which can trigger the disease. According to Gilda Witte, chief executive of Ovarian Cancer Action, it is proven that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.
It does this because it reduces ovulation for the nursing mother.The risk is further reduced by each child that a woman bears. Also some studies have shown an increase of up to 7.5 IQ points in elementary age children who were breastfed, as well as an increase in verbal, performance and comprehensive IQ in adults.