Breastfeeding Benefits

There are so many things to be said about breastfeeding, yet most everything I would like to say references the benefits of breastfeeding. So, even though you can find this information in a host of different places, I'll put it in my own words.

There are only a few physical medical reasons that a mother should not at least attempt to breastfeed an infant, including the baby having galactosemia, or the mother taking certain drugs such as chemotherapy. You can find a more complete list here: US Center for Disease Control on Breastfeeding. Mental/emotional or other issues that may prevent breastfeeding are certainly possible as well. If there is no significant reason to prevent a mother from breastfeeding, here's a little look at why it's the best option available for feeding an infant.

Breastfeeding is so good for babies!

• The first milk that comes from a mother after a baby is born isn't really milk but colostrum. Colostrum is full not only of nutrients but of antibodies. These antibodies help protect the baby from it's first encounters with the microorganisms of the world. Many mothers (and others) worry about the tiny amount of colostrum that the baby gets but infants' tummies are tiny and the colostrum they get is just right.
• Breast milk then changes over time. The colostrum turns into milk after a few days, but the changes don't stop there; the milk changes in the amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein that are available to the baby as he or she grows.
• Breast milk is also easier for infants to digest. Human milk has human proteins whereas formula is created from cow milk or soy milk, each which can be difficult for babies to learn to digest.
• Breast milk helps prevent disease. Infants who are breastfed are less likely than formula-fed infants to experience ear infections, diarrhea, asthma, obesity, diabetes, childhood leukemia and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and more.

But if that's not good enough for you, breastfeeding benefits mothers too!

• Breast milk is easier to do (at least over time) than bottle feeding. There are no bottles to prepare or sterilize and the breast milk is always at the right temperature, any time of the day or night.
• Breastfeeding can save money. It's unbelievable how expensive formula can be - especially if your infant has dairy allergies.
• Breastfeeding can help mothers lose the weight put on during pregnancy.
• Breastfeeding provides long-lasting health benefits to a mother including reduced risks of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and postpartum depression.

Breastfeeding is definitely not all butterflies and roses. Particularly at first, breastfeeding can prove particularly challenging. It is not possible for every mother and infant, but when it is possible, with a little persistence and a lot of love, breastfeeding can bring a lifetime of benefits.

[1] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Why Breastfeeding is Important, accessed January 25, 2011 from http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/why-breastfeeding-is-important/