Why Breastfeed
What is Breastfeeding ?
Breastfeeding , also called nursing , is the act of feeding an infant or child with milk made from a mother ’ s breasts during a process called lactation . The instinctive act of attaching to the breast ( latching ) enables the baby to stimulate the breasts to release milk . The milk then flows into the baby ’ s mouth , where it is swallowed and digested .
Providing a baby with human milk through breastfeeding is the natural and optimal way for a mother to feed her baby . Research has documented that breastfeeding not only provides the perfect nutrition for a growing and developing baby , but has many other benefits as well .
Breastfeeding Is Good For You
• Breastfeeding decreases the risk of excessive bleeding immediately after birth .
• Breastfeeding mothers often have better emotional health after birth and feel more bonded with their baby .
• Breastfeeding mothers report less depression , anxiety and stress after birth .
• Breastfeeding mothers have lower longterm risk of breast cancer , uterine cancer , osteoporosis and diabetes .
• Breastfeeding can help with weight loss after birth , since breastfeeding uses the fat stores created during pregnancy .
Breastfeeding Is Good For Babies
Breastfeeding provides babies with protection against many health issues and diseases , both short term and long term , including :
• SIDS ( sudden infant death syndrome )
• Diarrhea
• Ear infections
• Respiratory infections
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Bowel disease
• Cancer
• Developmental and behavioral problems
Breastfeeding Is Good for Families
Breastfeeding saves money — it is free ! Breastfeeding can also reduce health care-related costs by preventing illness and / or reducing illness severity .
Many women report getting more sleep with breastfeeding and room sharing with baby . When a new mother is more rested and less stressed , the transition to life with a new baby is easier on everyone in the family .
2 Breastfeeding Your Baby