Breastfeeding is one of the most important times in a child’s life. This is because it shapes and influences the development of a child physically, mentally, socially, and otherwise. Breastfeeding also determines how healthy a child will grow to become as well as his/her mental makeup. It is healthy for both the mother and the child. Breastfeeding helps in stimulating the brain development of the child and also acts a first vaccine which improves the health well being of the child. As a result of its health benefits to both mother and child, it lowers the cost of healthcare services and leads to healthier families and a smarter workforce.
The findings from most undergraduate projects, medical researches and from recommendations of physicians, it is believed that breastfeeding is good for both mother and child. Every child development encompasses a wide range of processes that take place right from conception to the age of say 5. 1 it takes place in conjunction with growth and refers to the maturation of the function of acquiring skills, behavior and values, and adaptation with the environment which affect their psychosocial, cognitive, and psychological makeup.

BREAST FEEDING

Breastfeeding is perhaps the oldest practice in human history. It is the healthiest, simplest, and least expensive means of meeting the nutritional needs of newborns and infants. Breast milk contains all essential nutrients carbohydrates, essential fats, proteins, minerals, and immunological factors required for the optimal growth and development of infants; hence, it is the ideal meal for them.
Breastfeeding confers short-term and long-term benefits on both child and mother, including helping to protect children against a variety of acute and chronic disorders. Below are some methods of breastfeeding.

i) Exclusive breastfeeding

Feeding on breast milk or expressed breast milk only, excluding water, breast milk substitutes, and other liquids and solid foods. Oral rehydrating solution, vitamin drops, minerals, and medicines may be given.

ii) Predominant breastfeeding

This is the type of breastfeeding on breast milk or expressed breast milk with other liquids (including water), semi-solid and solid meals. Oral rehydrating solution, vitamin drops, minerals, and medicines may be given.

iii) Complementary breastfeeding

This is feeding on breast milk, expressed milk or milk from a wet nurse, as well as on solid or semi-solid foods. There is no restriction, anything – food, liquid, non-human milk may be given.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Child development refers to the sequence of physical, language, thought, and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood. During this process a child progresses from dependency on their parents/guardians to increasing independence. Child development is strongly influenced by genetic factors (genes passed on from their parents) and events during prenatal life. It is also influenced by environmental facts and the child’s learning capacity.
However there are some areas in Child Development. These areas includes: Physical development, Cognitive development, Social and personality development
Physical development: it involves the body’s physical makeup, including the brain, nervous system, muscles, and senses and the need for food, drink, and sleep.
Cognitive development: it is an area of development involving the ways that growth and change in intellectual capabilities influence a person’s behavior.
Social development: this is the way in which individuals’ interactions with others and their social relationships grow, change, and remain stable over the course of life.

BREAST FEEDING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Adequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is essential to ensure the growth, health, and development of children to their full potential. Poor nutrition increases the risk of illness, and is responsible, directly or indirectly, for one third of the estimated 9.5 million deaths that occurred in 2006 in children less than 5 years of age (1,2). Inappropriate nutrition can also lead to childhood obesity which is an increasing public health problem in many countries.
Early nutritional deficits are also linked to long-term impairment in growth and health. Malnutrition during the first 2 years of life causes stunting, leading to the adult being several centimeters shorter than his or her potential height. There is evidence that adults who were malnourished in early childhood have impaired intellectual performance. They may also have reduced capacity for physical work. If women were malnourished as children, their reproductive capacity is affected, their infants may have lower birth weight, and they have more complicated deliveries. When many children in a population are malnourished, it has implications for national development. The overall functional consequences of malnutrition are thus immense.
The first two years of life provide a critical window of opportunity for ensuring children’s appropriate growth and development through optimal feeding

BREAST FEEDING ON PARENTING

Breastfeeding may influence parenting by facilitating mother-child bonding, interaction and, indirectly, cognitive growth. Positive maternal contact may induce a biological response in offspring that have a positive effect on the development of neuro-endocrine aspects of the stress response. The amount of mutual touch, tactile stimulation, and the mother’s gaze to the infant were significantly elevated during breastfeeding when compared to bottle-feeding. Mothers who breastfeed have been found to report lower levels of perceived stress and negative mood, higher levels of maternal attachment, and perceive their infants as more reinforcing than mothers who formula-feed. There is evidence that breastfeeding mothers hold their babies for longer and feel more confident as parents. After breastfeeding, mothers report reductions in negative mood compared to mood levels prior to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding also has some stress-reducing properties for mothers and assist parenting confidence.

CONCLUSION

Breast feeding is the best start to an infants’ life. It ensures proper nutrition for the baby and contributes to both cognitive and non-cognitive development of the child. Breast feeding infants show higher scores on IQ and on motor skills. Breast feeding also has positive influence towards the psychosocial development of the infant and improves parenting confidence. Benefits of breast feeding in terms of infant nutrition, immunity, and maternal wellbeing are usually highlighted during counseling for breast feeding. However, little attention has been focused on coordinating programs of breast feeding and early child development. It is recommended that the impact of breast feeding on parenting, its effect on to cognitive development, behavior, and social adaptation during infancy and beyond should also be emphasized during the promotion of breast feeding and early child care.

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