Why Breast Feed?
May 5, 2008
ARE YOU TRYING TO DECIDE IF BREAST FEEDING IS RIGHT FOR YOU? Read More Here…
If you so choose to, and are medically capable of doing so breast feeding your child is the best choice for a number of reasons. Most of the following points are taken from a full FDA report. Please click HERE here to see the entire report.
‘The first reason is that human breast-milk contains the perfect nutritional balance for a human baby. Your milk contains all of the fatty acids, lactose, water and amino acids that help your baby’s digestion, brain development and growth. Not only that, but breast fed babies tend to be less picky eaters as they grow since they are exposed to more of a variety of flavors than formula fed babies. Finally breast-milk contains at least 100 nutrients that are not found in formula.’
Breast-milk transfers the mothers antibodies to the child to help reduce diseases such as:
* Ear Infections
* Diarrhea
* Rashes
* Allergies
and other medical problems.
Breastfed babies also have lower hospitalization rates than formula fed babies. Again, this is because the mothers’ breast-milk is made up primarily of macrophages (cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses) to protect your baby and help their immunity against disease. To some degree, the most common diseases that you are protecting your child against are:
* Pneumonia
* Botulism
* Bronchitis
* Staphylococcal Infections
* Influenza
* Ear Infections
* German Measles
That being said, even if you are ill with a cold, flu etc. or if there are environmental factors that your baby needs protection from, when you feed your baby, you are actually giving them the antibodies to fight these diseases. It is a great gift!
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you breastfeed your child for at least 6-12 months. In many countries other than the U.S. breastfeeding continues well beyond that age, however the primary benefits are in the first 12 months of life.
Some other benefits to breastfeeding are:
* You save money on expensive formulas.
* Potentially you may save money (and resources) on healthcare.
There is also a physical and psychological benefit for the mother and the baby as well.
For the both mother and child, there is a bond that occurs with the breastfeeding process. Not only that but the warmth and comfort of skin to skin contact helps the baby to transition from womb to world easier and gives them a sense of security.
Another benefit is that breastfeeding helps you to lose pregnancy weight because you need an extra 400-800 calories per day when you are nursing. Breastfeeding also helps to contract the uterus back to its pre-pregnancy size.
A new baby means a hectic schedule for the first few weeks (or months), however breastfeeding can make this time a bit easier. I loved using my co-sleeper. Because baby wakes up for frequent night feeding, there was a huge benefit to rolling over, nursing, then putting baby back to sleep without ever having to leave the bed. However if you are bottle feeding this means getting up making and warming a bottle then feeding which can be very time consuming to do every few hours. Not to mention tiring for Mom (and Dad)! So if you are hesitant about breastfeeding think about giving it a try for the first few days, weeks or months. You may find that it is much easier than then you think and I have to say it is an awesome experience that we as Mothers are able to share with our children.
Like anything there are some challenges to consider as well, but we will aim to address these challenges as well.
* Nipple pain and cracking (see below).
* Clogged milk duct/ mastitis (see below).
* Lifestyle: Obviously nursing can impact everything from the clothing you wear to your diet, to feeding your baby. Here are a few suggestions:
- Wear easy to access clothing such as sweat suits, loose knit (jersey) tops, and button down shirts.
- The foods you are restricted to are much less than during pregnancy. In fact, you can have the sushi, the soft cheeses, even the deli meats if you so desire, although I would look for “organic” or nitrite free brands.
Of course you should avoid fish high in mercury, smoking, recreational drug use and alcohol. Note that alcohol is metabolized basically at a rate of 1 drink per hour and a half. If you are very concerned you can look into Milkscreen Breast Milk Alcohol Detection Strips. If you are taking ANY medication, please consult your medical professional before starting or continuing your medication while breastfeeding.
- Working outside of the home. This is challenging, however now with breast pumps being so efficient and the workplace being so much more accepting of breastfeeding mothers it is much easier that it once was. Starting at 3 weeks, lactation consultants recommend giving at least 1 “reminder” bottle either every day or every other day. So by the time you get back to work your child should be used to taking a bottle for one or more of their meals. Try using an empty office or conference room (no windows is a plus J ) to pump on your break or lunch break. Please avoid pumping in bathrooms as there are germs that you probably don’t want to end up in Baby’s next lunchtime meal. The Medela pumps come with a little freezer pack that you can store your milk in until you get home.
- Feeding in public. This is definitely a challenge for most women, but again you do have options. You can use a blanket or a nursing shawl over the baby while nursing. Do a little research, most malls now have nursing lounges in either the restrooms or various department stores. If all else fails
I have definitely been known to nurse in the car. However for my safety and of course my baby’s safety I only do this if I’m with another person (i.e. my husband, friend or mother) with the doors locked, and in a public place like an open and busy parking lot. Never alone or in a garage where you are more vulnerable to crime. Of course you can always just pop the baby on, I mean the kids got to eat, right?
I hope that you found some helpful pointers regarding breast feeding. Please check out our article on Breast Feeding Tips for more in depth information.
Comments
Got something to say?