If You Can’t Breastfeed
By Lori Jacobs
Herbalist
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This Mother’s Day got me thinking about the joy and fulfillment I felt when my babies were born. Though it was a long time ago a mother never forgets those short but precious years that changes who she is. When you have this beautiful little being who is totally dependent on you, you realize that there is nothing you wouldn’t do to keep your baby safe, healthy and happy. And few things can capture that intimacy and motherly instinct as nursing your baby.
There is little doubt that breastfeeding is the best way to start your baby’s nutritional and emotional health. While the physical closeness is a comfort to both mother and child, numerous worldwide studies have shown exclusively breastfed babies (meaning no solid food, formula, or water for the first six months) have fewer stomach and digestive problems, respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and meningitis than formula-fed babies and when they do occur they are less severe. Breastfed babies are also 20% less likely to die between the ages of 28 days and one year than those who are fed formula. The hormones and antibodies in breast milk help build the immune system and protect babies from illness.
Breastfeeding can also protect your baby later in life as well, by reducing their risk of diabetes, allergies, inflammatory bowel disease and high blood pressure. Studies have also shown that breastfed babies tend to have a higher IQs than their formula-fed counterparts. Little argument can be made against millions of years of evolution that has perfected this convenient way of providing your baby with the freshest milk that changes as it supplies the exact nutrition your baby requires at all stages.
But what if you can’t breastfeed? Perhaps your baby is premature and is unable to nurse. Maybe you have gone back to work and the breast pump just is allowing enough milk to come in. Also there are times when you shouldn’t breastfeed for example, if you have certain diseases like tuberculosis or HIV. What then? There are many reasons to mistrust commercially prepared formulas.
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