We all know that breast milk has a lot of amazing nutritional benefits and contains antibodies that helps your baby fight off viruses and bacteria.
Breast milk contains everything a baby needs for the first six months of life in all the right proportions and even creates a special bond between mother and child.
No wonder medical practitioners constantly advocate exclusive breastfeeding for infants at least for the first three months when a child is born.
READ ALSO: HOME MAKEOVER! Omotola Jalade renovates widow’s home with fabulous fittings in four days [Photos]
Designed by nature for human babies, breast milk has many health and practical benefits for mothers and babies.
However, it’s not a cure-all for any ailment but researchers have discovered outstanding benefits of the breast milk.
Interestingly over the years and with changing trends doctors have not differed from the concept of breastfeeding for newborn infants.
Check out these seven fantastic benefits of breast milk you probably didn’t know.
1.ECZEMA
Breastmilk was found to be an equally effective treatment for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis, a.k.a. eczema, compared with hydrocortisone in a 2015 study published in the International Journal of Dermatology. The researchers estimated that half of all infants are affected by atopic eczema, which causes itchy, red, swollen and cracked skin.
2. EYE DISCHARGE
It’s quite common for newborns to get blocked tear ducts and they usually resolve on their own, but they can also lead to infections and unsightly eye discharge on your beautiful baby’s face.
Some doctors will recommend gently massaging the tear ducts to help open the nasal passages that are clogged and cause excess tears to well up in the corners of the eye.
Most important, it’s recommended to regularly wash the area using a clean, soft washcloth or cotton pad, and clear, warm water. But a little-known midwifery secret is to directly treat the affected eye with breastmilk a few times a day, as needed.
3. SUNBURN
Aloe vera gel is probably the most popular home remedy for mild sunburns, but other natural skin soothers, such as honey, oatmeal and milk (cow’s or human), might also do the magic.
4. BLOCKED NOSE
A nasal aspirator or rubber bulb syringe is a must for helping to clear mucus and relieve congestion in newborns.
Either device calls for a couple drops of sterile, moisturizing saline solution in baby’s nose before sucking the snot out, but some breastfeeding moms and lactation consultants use breastmilk instead.
Babies always recognize the taste of breastmilk, so they aren’t as disturbed when they swallow some of it in the process.
Leeder recommends that moms hand-express some breastmilk into a cup and then use a syringe to collect and dispense it. “Sometimes these babies get this quizzical look on their face, like, OK, that’s a weird way to get the breastmilk, but sure.”
5. DIAPER RASH
We’ve seen breastmilk hailed as a panacea for any number of mild skin irritations, and some of the remedies are actually proven.
A 2013 study in the journal Pediatric Dermatology found that breastmilk was just as effective as hydrocortisone on babies with diaper dermatitis, a.k.a. diaper rash.
If you’re trying this out on your baby’s bottom, pat the breastmilk into the skin, then make sure it dries before putting on cream and diaper.
6. OTHER SKIN IRRITATIONS
There are mixed reviews about applying breastmilk directly on the face—some parents find this clogs pores in babies with acne, while others have had positive experiences.
For cradle cap, if you’ve already tried the likes of olive oil and coconut oil on your baby’s scalp, you might want to also try breastmilk as well.
7 SORE NIPPLES
Chapped, raw and sore nipples are a common problem in the early days of breastfeeding.
There are various creams and prescription ointments on the market, but many midwives, lactations consultants and moms swear by breastmilk instead.
“Express a bit of milk onto the nipple at the end of a feed and then let it air-dry there because there are good antibiotic properties in the breastmilk.”
Source: Todaysparent
