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Benefits of Breastfeeding

You've loved, nourished, and anxiously awaited your baby for nine months. You've taken care of yourself, eaten nutritiously, and avoided anything that might harm the precious little person in your womb.

When your baby finally arrives, you can continue to give the healthiest start in life — by choosing to breast feed. In fact, breast feeding is among the most important things that you can do to insure your baby's health and promote development.

Ever since mammals first appeared on Earth, breast feeding has been the key to our survival.

No other substance is as time-tested as mother's milk. An amazingly well-designed system, breast feeding confers many advantages, physical and emotional, for both mother and infant, just as nature intended.

Many of these benefits are immediate, others are life-long. For babies, breast milk is the ultimate health food. Breast milk contains the proper proportion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats for optimal infant growth. Unlike artificial infant formulas, breast milk is composed of living cells packed with antibodies that protect the baby from a wide variety of pathogens. Compared to formula-fed infants, breastfed babies have fewer illnesses, and the illnesses they do get are less severe.

For example, breastfed babies have a lower incidence of gastrointestinal illness, urinary tract infections, respiratory disease, and otitis media (ear infections). Breastfed babies also have a lower incidence of allergies, lower rates of obesity, and a lower incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Rates of juvenile diabetes, Chrohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis are also lower among babies who are breastfed. Breastfed babies show better psychological development, experience fewer learning and behavior problems, and even score higher on IQ tests. In addition, breastfed babies are less likely to develop heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer later in life.

Because suckling at the breast uses more facial muscles than sucking on a bottle, breast feeding leads to better teeth and jaw development and enhances visual development. Scientific research has already demonstrated an overwhelming number of advantages of breast milk and there are likely many more potential benefits that haven't yet been identified.

In addition to the benefits to your baby, breastfeeding offers many advantages to you as well. Lactation is a natural part of a woman's reproductive cycle, just like menstruation and pregnancy. In the days after your baby's birth, breastfeeding causes the uterus to contract, helping it return to pre-pregnancy size.

Breast feeding utilizes about 500 calories per day and can help you lose those extra pounds gradually and without dieting. Breast feeding exclusively — without supplementing with formula and/or solid foods — often postpones menstruation and the return of fertility for the first six months postpartum. Mothers who choose to breastfed are healthier too.

Studies have shown that women who breastfeed tend to have a reduced risk of breast cancer, uterine and ovarian cancer, and a lessened incidence of osteoporosis later in life. When you nurse your baby, your body produces special hormones, sometimes called "mothering" hormones, that help you to feel calm and relaxed — a special advantage for a new mom coping with the demands of caring for a small infant.

Breastfeeding costs less, is always ready and available, requires no time to prepare or special packaging to produce and creates no waste or pollution.
There are also emotional benefits to nursing your baby. A uniquely intimate act, breastfeeding promotes bonding between mother and child. Those who have never nursed a child may not be able to fully appreciate how special that relationship is.

The feeling of empowerment a woman receives from being able to nourish her baby gives her confidence in her mothering ability. More than just a feeding choice, breastfeeding offers a special time to get to know your baby in the early weeks and months. Nursing is a kind of communication between mother and child, offering lots of skin to skin contact which can deepen the loving connection between you and your baby.

If you plan to return to work, be assured that breastfeeding can continue and may actually simplify your life. Your baby will continue to receive the advantages of breastfeeding and you both can benefit from the time you spend together as a nursing couple. Consider this: infants in childcare are exposed to many more illnesses. Your breastfed baby will have the extra protection that human milk provides.

Even though you may be separated from your baby for a large part of the day, there is still one thing that only you can give: your milk. Nursing is a wonderful way to reconnect with your baby after a long day at work.

Clearly, breastfeeding offers a wide variety of advantages, for the baby, the mother, the family, and even for the environment. Yet, statistics show that many women choose not to breastfeed or quit in the early weeks. Why? Although nursing is one of the most natural things in the world, it doesn’t come naturally to every mother and every baby. Breastfeeding is a learned art. There are many resources that you can use to learn about the basics of breastfeeding before your baby is born. Attend a breastfeeding support group prior to your due date. Talk to other mothers who’ve successfully nursed a baby.

Check your local library or bookstore for books about breastfeeding. If you have further questions, ask your childbirth educator, obstetrician, or pediatrician for a referral to a lactation consultant or check your phone book for the numbers of local breastfeeding support groups. Nearly every woman can breastfeed; it’s possible to breastfeed if you’ve had a cesarean, a preterm delivery, twins or even triplets, or if your baby has special needs. Many women are able to begin breastfeeding quite easily, while others may encounter some difficulties in the beginning. Be persistent about getting help if you need it, and, most importantly, enjoy this special time with your baby.

Editorial provided by Kathleen McQuiston, Leader La Leche League of Shenango Valley in Pennsylvania.