Breast milk is all your baby needs for the first 6 months of life.
Breastfeeding is for all babies, twins, triplets, premature babies, or babies with special needs. A mother’s body makes milk that is best suited for her baby. It is the natural way to feed your baby.
Health Benefits to Babies
· Children receive the most complete and optimal mix of nutrients & antibodies
· The varying composition of breastmilk keeps pace with the infant's individual growth and changing nutritional needs
· Have fewer incidences of vomiting and diarrhea
· Protection against gastroenteritis, necrotizing entercolitis
· Reduced risk of chronic constipation, colic, and other stomach upsets
· Reduced risk of childhood diabetes
· Protection against ear infections, respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney infections, septicemia (blood poisoning),
· Protection against allergies, asthma, eczema, and severity of allergic disease
· Reduced risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) Statistics reveal that for every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 are breastfed.
· Protection against meningitis, botulism, childhood lymphoma, crohn's disease and ulcerative entercolits
· Decreased risk of tooth decay (cavities)
· Nursing promotes facial structure development, enhanced speech, straighter teeth and enhances vision.
· Breastfed infants develop higher IQ's, and have improved brain and nervous system development; IQ advantage of 10-12 points studied at ages 8, 12, and 18. (Breastfeeding is considered the 4th trimester in brain growth and development...there are specific proteins in human milk that promote brain development))
· Reduced risk of heart disease later in life
· Increased bone density
· Breastfeeding plays an important role in the emotional and spiritual development of babies
· Breastfed babies enjoy a special warm bonding and emotional relationship with their mothers
· Antibody response to vaccines are higher
· Are hospitalized 10 times less than formula fed infants in the first year of life
· The colostrum (first milk) coats the GI tract, preventing harmful bacteria and allergy -triggering protein molecules from crossing into baby's bloo
· Decreased risk for vitamin E and Iron deficiency anemia
· Decreased risk for acute appendicitis, rheumatoid arthritis, inguinal hernia, pyloric stenosis
· There are factors in human milk that destroy E coli, salmonella, shigella, streptococcus, pneumococcus....and many others
· Less risk of childhood obesity
Health Benefits to Moms
- Reduced risk of breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers
- Reduced risk of anemia
- Protection against osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life
- Reduced risk of mortality for women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with total time of lactation
- Helps the mother's body return to its pre-pregnancy state faster - promotes weight loss...1/2 of calories needed to manufacture milk is pulled from fat stores... can burn from 500 - 1,500 calories per day.
- Helps delay return of fertility and to space subsequent pregnancies
- Develops a special emotional relationship and bonding with her child
- Breastmilk is free- reducing or eliminating the cost of formula (in the thousands of dollars/per year)
- Breastfed babies are sick less thus reducing healthcare costs to family in Doctor office visits, prescriptions, over the counter medicine purchases, and hospitalizations
- Moms miss less time off from work due to child related illnesses
- Helps the uterus contract after birth to control postpartum bleeding
Benefits to the Environment and Society
- Breastfeeding reduces the cost of healthcare by promoting healthier children and mothers
- Reduced insurance premiums for both parents and employers
- Breastfeeding reduces global pollution by decreasing the use of resources and energy required to produce, process, package, distribute, promote and dispose of materials created by the manufacture and use of artificial baby milk
- Reduced tax burden on communities and government to ensure children are properly fed
- Reduced absenteeism in the workplace due to children's illnesses
