Breast Feeding Benefits Your Baby and You!

There are as many breast feeding benefits as there are babies...here are just a few:

Breast milk is custom-made for baby humans. It contains complete nutrition with the perfect ratios of fat, sugar, protein, and water. Formula just can't match it.

Breast milk is very easily digested by baby making colic and other digestive distress less likely to occur.

Breast milk contains antibodies to help protect baby. The antibodies produced by mom's immune system are passed to her baby via breast milk.

These antibodies are in very high concentration the first couple days during the colostrum stage. There's no other way to offer the baby this level of protection when they're newborns. (Well...maybe a plastic bubble but that's just not practical :)

Breastfed babies are much less likely to be overweight in infancy, possibly reducing the risk of obesity later in life.

Studies have shown that breastfed preemies have shorter hospital stays and fewer re-hospitalizations.

Breastfed babies have better mental development and score higher on IQ tests.

Breastfeeding encourages and assists with bonding between mother and baby. Hormones released during breastfeeding help give mom a calm, tranquil feeling and fosters a deep sense of connection with their baby.

I'm no physician, but it would follow that breast feeding may help prevent or shorten symptoms of postpartum depression.

Breast feeding helps mom shed those extra pounds because of the additional calories being used. (And you still get to eat extra food too...how cool is that?!)

Breast feeding causes mild, painless contractions that assist in restoring the uterus to its pre-baby shape. This can help reduce bleeding and prevent postpartum hemorrhage.

Breast feeding delays the return of ovulation, helping to protect you from becoming pregnant before your body's healed. This also helps protect your iron levels (often low following a birth) by delaying menstruation.

Breast feeding helps the planet by preventing the plastic waste and trash associated with formula feeding.

Visit La Leche League for more breast feeding benefits for mom

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