Breast feeding

Why is breastfeeding best for my baby?

* Breastfeeding is uniquely suited to meet both the physical and emotional needs of your baby. At your breast, your baby will find the perfect nourishment for his growing body, as well as the love and security he needs for his healthy development.
* Breast milk provides an important source of immune factors. The breastfed baby receives antibodies through his mother's milk. Breast milk also contains living cells that act against bacteria in the infant's stomach.
* Breastfed babies have fewer respiratory illnesses. They even have fewer colds. Breastfed babies are less likely to get serious illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia.
* Breastfed babies have fewer allergies. When compared with formula feeding, total breastfeeding for six months results in a lower incidence of allergies. Breastfed babies are less likely to be troubled by eczema and nappy rash.
* Breast milk protects against illness. Breastfed babies have less gastro-enteritis, less vomiting, fewer ear infections, and fewer hospital admissions than bottle-fed infants.

Why is breastfeeding best for me?

* Breastfeeding encourages bonding. Breastfeeding provides a rich emotional experience for both mother and baby, reinforcing their need to be together. Frequent breastfeeding means lots of skin to skin contact and lots of time spent getting to know one another.
* Breast milk helps to keep baby happy and content. Because breast milk is easily digested, breastfed babies are less likely to be troubled by wind and stomach upsets. The frequent contact with their mothers through breastfeeding helps them to feel secure.
* Breast milk needs no preparation. It is always available at the right temperature. Breastfeeding is ideal for travelling and for night feeds.
* Breastfeeding helps you get back in shape. Breastfeeding makes it easier to shed the extra pounds put on during pregnancy, because the demands of milk production use up extra energy.

Facts about breastfeeding:

* Mothers milk cannot be duplicated because, in reality, no two mothers produce identical milk. Even the milk of an individual mother varies from day to day and during different times of the day - just as other fluids and systems in our bodies fluctuate.
(Harzer,G: Changing patterns of human milk lipids in the course of lactation and during the day. AM J Clin Nutr 1983; 37:612-21.)
* Human milk contributes to higher intelligence and improved motor development later in life. At age 7½ to 8 years, even when adjusted for confounding factors such as parental education, socio-economic status, gender and the need for mechanical ventilation, children who had received human milk as premature babies scored an average 8.3 points higher on IQ tests than children who had been fed formula. (Lucas 1992) In another study, of full term babies, long term intelligence and improved motor development directly correlated with duration of breastfeeding. (Lucas, A et al. Breastmilk and subsequent intelligence quotient in children born preterm. Lancet 1992; 339:261-64. Rogan, W. and Gladen, B. Breastfeeding and cognitive development. Early Human Dev 1993; 31:181-93.)
* Breastfeeding mothers talk to, touch and interact more with their babies. Studies show that they also respond more quickly to their babies cries and are more affectionate towards their babies. (Virden,S.F. The relationship between infant feeding method and maternal role adjustment. J Nurs Midwif 1988;33(1):31-35.)
* Research has shown that breastfed children are less susceptible to dental cavities than their bottle-fed counterparts and are less likely to need orthodontic treatments. (Labbok, M.H., Hendershot, G.E.: Does breastfeeding protect against malocclusion? An analysis of the 1981 Child Health Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey. Am J Prev Med 1987;3 (4):227-232
* There is evidence that both in the developing and developed world, breastfeeding protects against gastro-enteritis. A recent study (Howie P.W. 1990) concluded that breastfeeding during the first 13 weeks of life confers protection against gastrointestinal illness for up to one year of age. (Howie, P.W. et al. B M J 1990;300:11-16)