Why should I breastfeed?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding exclusively during the first 6 months of a baby’s life, with additional nursing recommended for at least the baby’s first year of life.

Breastfeeding has numerous health benefits for the baby:

• Optimizes nutrition
• Limits exposure to foreign proteins
• Provides necessary hormones, growth factors, and immune
         complexes
• Provides important fatty acids to facilitate good brain development
• Reduces infant infections and mortality
• Promotes maternal-baby bonding

Breastfeeding also benefits the nursing mother :

• Assists with return to normal weight
• Reduces risk for breast cancer
• Reduces risk for ovarian cancer
• Reduces risk for rheumatoid arthritis
• Cost-effective method of supplying baby’s nutrition
• Improves maternal-baby bonding
• Decreases migraine frequency and severity during the first
         post-partum month.

Breast milk is truly best for your baby and you.  While breastfeeding can admittedly seem demanding because of the significant time commitment required, the benefits are well documented and the experience is priceless.  Breast milk provides immunity against bacteria and viruses, which means less sick time for your little one.  It is easiest for your baby to digest, and uncommon for your baby to allergic to.  Breast milk is less expensive than formula which may mean more money for cute baby clothes or a college fund.  Breastfeeding requires no preparation time, just pull up your shirt and feed.  There are many fashionable nursing cover-ups available now, which allow mom’s to comfortably and inconspicuously feed their baby in public. 

Studies show that breast babies have fewer ear, respiratory tract, and diarrheal infections.  They are also at a lower risk for many childhood diseases such as asthma, diabetes and obesity.  And, breast feeding is not only good for baby.  It has many documented benefits for mom including a decreased future risk of cancer and diabetes as well as a faster return to pre-pregnancy weight.  Breastfeeding burns 300-500 calories a day, which is equivalent to a 3-mile run!  After all you’ve gone through you deserve this nice payback.

Breastfeeding has many advantages. Breast milk is the best food for your baby, and provides all the food and fluid your baby needs to grow. It is always available. As soon as your baby is born, a hormone is released by your body that tells your breasts to produce milk. The more your baby feeds, the more milk your breasts make. Other advantages include:

• Breast milk is convenient.
• It is always at the right temperature and does not require measuring or special preparation.
• Breast milk is natural and free. (You don't need to buy formula, extra bottles, or other feeding supplies for your baby.)
• Breastfeeding is safe for the environment. (Breast milk does not require packaging and doesn't waste paper, glass, tin, plastic, or rubber.)
• Breastfeeding helps your baby's brain develop. (Studies show that children who are breastfed have higher intelligence scores - by an average of seven points - than those who are fed breast milk substitutes.)