Bollywood Showtime August 2014 | Page 60

Health Benefits of Breast feeding 1 August Breastfeeding Awareness Month A ugust is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. The breastfeeding campaign, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, hopes to empower women to commit to breastfeeding by highlighting new research showing that babies who are exclusively breastfed for six months are less likely to develop ear infections, diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, and may be less likely to develop childhood obesity. Breastfeeding: it’s one of the most natural and intimate of all human interactions. But, just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s easy—especially in those first few overwhelming weeks with your newborn. Breastfeeding takes knowledge and practice. You’ve got a million questions about how to get it right. And, luckily, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s your one-stop resource for everything you need to know about breastfeeding—from buying that first nursing bra to deciding when to wean. You’ll find advice and information on how to get the proper latch, what to eat while breastfeeding, how to keep breastfeeding when you go back to work, and how to breastfeed and still have a life. You’ll find stories of women who’ve overcome nursing challenges and you’ll learn how to form your own breastfeeding support system. Wondering whether breastfeeding is a reliable form of birth control, or whether you can breastfeed after a breast-augmentation or breast-reduction surgery? You’ll find answers to these questions—and more—in the articles below. You’ve likely heard that breastfeeding can confer some pretty impressive benefits to your baby—reduced ear infections and asthma, maybe even a bump in IQ among them. Turns out there are even more perks for your little one, not to mention for you, society and even Mother Earth. 60 Bollywood Showtime 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fewer infections “The incidence of pneumonia, colds and viruses is reduced among breastfed babies,” says infant- nutrition expert Ruth A. Lawrence, M.D., a professor of pediatrics and OB-GYN at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, N.Y., and the author of Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession (Elsevier-Mosby). Gastrointestinal infections like diarrhea— which can be devastating, especially in developing countries—are also less common. 2. Reduced risk of chronic illnesses Breastfeed your baby and you reduc H\