Why Should I Breastfeed?

Here are just some of the many good reasons why you should breastfeed your baby:

• Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition of infants. Breast milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protien that is needed for a baby's growth and development. Most babies find it easier to digest breast milk than they do formula.
• There are health risks to your baby if you do not breastfeed. Breast milk has agents (called antibodies) in it to help protect infants from bacteria and viruses. Babies who are not exclusively bresatfed for 6 months are more likely to develop a wide range of infections and diseases including ear infections, diarrhea, and respiratory illnesses. They are sick more often and have more doctor's visits. Infants who are not breastfed have a 21% higher postnoenatal infant mortality rate in the U.S.
• Breastfed babies score higher on IQ tests in childhood, especially babies who were born prematurely.
• Nursing uses up extra calories, making it easier to lose the pounds of pregnancy. If also helps the uterus to get back to its original size and lessens any bleeding you might have after giving birth.
• Breastfeeding lowers the risk of bresat and ovarian cancers and possibly the risk of hip fractures and ostoeporosis after menopause.
• Breastfeeding can help you bond with your baby. Physical contact is important to newborns and can help them feel more secure, warm and comforted.

If I decide to breastfeed, is there a right way to do so?

There are several tips for making breastfeeding a good experience for both you and your baby. However, you can prevent the most common challenges or problems by following the three most important tips about breastfeeding.

1. Nurse early and often. Try to breastfeed your baby within the first hour after birth. Newborns need to nurse frequently, at least every two hours, and not on a strict schedule. This stimulates your breasts to produce plenty of milk.
2. Breastfeed on demand. Since breast milk is more easily digested than formula breastfed babies eat more often than bottle-fed babies. Babies nurse less often as they get older and start solid foods. Watch your baby, not the clock, for signs of hunger, such as being more alert or active, mouthing (putting hands or fist to mouth and making sucking motion with mouth), or rooting (turning head in search of nipple). Crying is a late sign of hunger.
3. Nurse with the nipple and the areola (brown area surrounding the nipple) in the baby's mouth, not just the nipple.

Source: www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding