Praktické lekárnictvo 4/2017

Breastfeeding and its importance in the prevention of infectious diseases

Breastfeeding provides several unique mechanisms to protect the baby‘s health.It is protective against many chronic diseases which is important to the overall health of the child and his or her health in life.It also protects the baby against acute infection as well as bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.Breastfeeding helps eliminate stress and lowers cortisol levels, thus increasing the child‘s resistance to infections.Breastfeeding protects the baby as soon as the baby begins to drink milk immediately after birth and plays an important role after the first year of life and onwards, because at this time the child encounters a wide variety of infections, and breastfeeding makes it possible to fight off infectious diseases and / or overcome them without exhibiting symptoms of the disease and if the child does get sick, the symptoms are usually milder than they would otherwise be.

Keywords: breastfeeding, lactation, breastmilk, risks of formula, infectious diseases