Benefits for Baby and Mom
Human milk is designed as the perfect food for infants. It contains elements that researchers are only beginning to discover. Over time, breast-milk changes from the colostrum produced in the first few days — which provides babies with antibodies to protect them from the germs they are encountering — to a blend of colostrum and milk, and eventually to pure milk. Milk then adjusts in subtle ways as the baby matures, even changing during the course of a feeding. A nursing baby first receives milk with a lower fat content; as she continues to feed, the fat content of the milk that follows increases.
If breastfeeding doesn't work for you, you can phase in bottles at any time. However, if a week goes by without breastfeeding, it is very hard (though not impossible) to resume. Recent research indicates that women must breastfeed exclusively during the first three weeks in order for their milk supply to develop fully; otherwise, their supply will always be a step behind their baby's needs.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that:
Mothers breastfeed for at least the first twelve months of life and as long after as is mutually desired.
Babies breastfeed exclusively for the first four to six months of life.
Newborns nurse whenever they show signs of hunger.
No supplements — including water or formula — should be given to breastfeeding newborns unless there is a medical indication.
Breastmilk is powerful stuff. It can kill bacteria, viruses, intestinal parasites, and even stop the growth of cancer cells. Breastfed babies develop fewer allergies and have a lower risk of developing diabetes. Statistically speaking, breastfed babies are smarter and have enhanced cognitive development.
For the mom, breastfeeding releases oxytocin from your pituitary gland. This produces uterine contractions, which help your uterus return to its non-pregnant size (thereby reducing the risk of postpartum hemorrhage). Nursing also burns calories, which will help you lose those pregnancy pounds. Prolactin, the hormone that produces milk, induces calm, so nursing may help you cope through the crazy first months of parenting. Finally, breastfeeding reduces your risk of developing breast, ovarian, cervical, and endo-metrial cancers.
Breastfed infants are less likely to be overweight first graders. According to a British study, children who were breastfed for more than a year were four times less likely to be overweight at school age than children who were breastfed two months or less.
You can probably still breastfeed even if you require certain prescription medications for your own health. Most medications enter breast milk in small amounts that won't affect a nursing baby. But it is vitally important that you discuss with your doctor all drugs you currently take (including overthe-counter medications and herbal supplements) before you begin breastfeeding, as well as check on the safety of any new drug prescribed for you.
There are other good reasons to breastfeed your baby:
Breastfeeding is relatively easy. Most of you will discover this after the initial awkwardness, while others may find the first few weeks of figuring out how to breastfeed correctly are a struggle. But, hey, it took you at least that long to learn to ride a bicycle, and aren't you glad you did? In the long run, breastfeeding will make your life much easier, just like that bicycle. When your breastfed baby is hungry, you pick her up, unsnap your nursing bra, and dinner is served. Once you get the hang of it, you'll probably manage to have a free hand — until it's time to unsnap the other side of your bra. You can read, dial a telephone, or even shop online while your baby nurses in a sling.
Breastfeeding keeps you free during feeding times. When your bottle-fed baby is hungry, you have to check the refrigerator or the diaper bag and hope you find a prepared bottle, then warm it up while trying to distract your hungry and increasingly agitated baby. And bottle-feeding is a two-handed operation; you can't do much else while you're holding both the baby and the bottle.
Breastmilk is easier to digest than formula, so breastfed babies rarely get diarrhea or constipation and their dirty diapers don't stink. There is an odor, but not a particularly bad one. In fact, the stuff looks and kind of smells like Dijon mustard.
Breastfeeding is significantly cheaper than formula. In addition to the health and nutrition benefits of breastfeeding, there are also the perks of simplicity and cost savings. Breastfeeding babies are portable; you can take them anywhere for any amount of time without worrying about how long you can keep a bag of bottles cold or where you can find clean water to mix with powdered formula.
Breastfeeding is environmentally responsible — you don't have packaging, cans, or containers to throw out. You also don't have to worry about packing and lugging bottles, nipples, and paraphernalia with you, or trying to find what you need if you're away from home.
If you're small-breasted, you may only need one hand free. Women with small breasts can easily breastfeed with one hand (or no hands, after a little practice), since they don't have to support the breast, just the baby.
The first two weeks of breastfeeding are the hardest, and they don't give you a true picture of what breastfeeding is like. Stick with it through these challenging times before you consider giving up.
