Breast milk doesn't cost a cent, while the cost of formula quickly adds up. And unless you're pumping breast milk and giving it to your baby, there's no need for bottles, nipples, and other supplies that can be costly. Since breastfed babies are less likely to be sick, that may mean they make fewer trips to the doctor's office, so fewer co-pays and less money are paid for prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines.
Different tastes. Nursing mothers usually need to extra calories per day, which should come from a wide variety of well-balanced foods. This introduces breastfed babies to different tastes through their mothers' breast milk, which has different flavors depending on what their mothers have eaten.
By tasting the foods of their "culture," breastfed infants more easily accept solid foods. With no last-minute runs to the store for more formula, breast milk is always fresh and available whether you're home or out and about. And when women breastfeed, there's no need to wash bottles and nipples or warm up bottles in the middle of the night. Smarter babies. Some studies suggest that children who were exclusively breastfed have slightly higher IQs than children who were formula fed.
Many nursing mothers really enjoy the experience of bonding so closely with their babies. And the skin-to-skin contact can enhance the emotional connection between mother and infant. Beneficial for mom, too. The ability to totally nourish a baby can help a new mother feel confident in her ability to care for her baby. Breastfeeding also burns calories and helps shrink the uterus, so nursing moms may be able to return to their pre-pregnancy shape and weight quicker.
Also, studies show that breastfeeding helps lower the risk of breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and also may help decrease the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. Breastfeeding can be easy from the get-go for some mothers, but take a while to get used to for others. Moms and babies need plenty of patience to get used to the routine of breastfeeding. Common concerns of new moms, especially during the first few weeks and months, may include:.
Personal comfort. Initially, many moms feel uncomfortable with breastfeeding. But with proper education, support, and practice, most moms overcome this. Latch-on pain is normal for the first week to 10 days, and should last less than a minute with each feeding. Many times, it's just a matter of using the proper technique, but sometimes pain can mean that something else is going on, like an infection.
Time and frequency of feedings. Breastfeeding requires a big time commitment from mothers, especially in the beginning, when babies feed often. A breastfeeding schedule or the need to pump breast milk during the day can make it harder for some moms to work, run errands, or travel. And breastfed babies do need to eat more often than babies who take formula, because breast milk digests faster than formula. This means mom may find herself in demand every 2 or 3 hours maybe more, maybe less in the first few weeks.
Women who are breastfeeding need to be aware of what they eat and drink, since these can be passed to the baby through the breast milk. Just like during pregnancy, breastfeeding women should not eat fish that are high in mercury and should limit consumption of lower mercury fish. If a mom drinks alcohol, a small amount can pass to the baby through breast milk.
She should wait at least 2 hours after a single alcoholic drink to breastfeed to avoid passing any alcohol to the baby. Caffeine intake should be kept to no more than milligrams about one to three cups of regular coffee or less per day because it can cause problems like restlessness and irritability in some babies. Maternal medical conditions, medicines, and breast surgery. Medical conditions such as HIV or AIDS or those that involve chemotherapy or treatment with certain medicines can make breastfeeding unsafe.
This helps you build a close, loving bond between you and your baby. Breastfeeding may take some time to get used to. It may even be difficult at the start. However, the importance to you and your baby is worth it. Having help from family and friends will help you to start and keep breastfeeding.
You can give your baby something that no one else can. Your breastmilk is all the food and drink that your baby needs. Babies who are breastfed are also sick less often than babies who are not breastfed.
Breastfeeding and your baby , Queensland Government. Breastfeeding—know your rights , Queensland Human Rights Commission.
This difference may be due to the physical intimacy, touch, and eye contact associated with breastfeeding as well as nutrient content. Studies indicate that breastfed babies have higher intelligence scores and are less likely to develop behavioral problems have learning difficulties as they grow older.
However, the most pronounced effects are seen in preterm babies, who have a higher risk for developmental issues. You may have heard this one often.
While some women seem to gain weight during breastfeeding, others seem to effortlessly lose weight. During pregnancy, your uterus grows immensely, expanding from the size of a pear to filling almost the entire space of your abdomen. After delivery, your uterus goes through a process called involution, which helps it return to its previous size. Oxytocin , a hormone that increases throughout pregnancy, helps drive this process. Your body secretes high amounts of oxytocin during labor to help deliver the baby and reduce bleeding.
It can also help you bond with your new little one. Oxytocin also increases during breastfeeding. It encourages uterine contractions and reduces bleeding, helping the uterus return to its previous size. Studies have also shown that mothers who breastfeed generally have less blood loss after delivery and faster involution of the uterus.
Postpartum depression PPD is a type of depression that can develop shortly after childbirth. Women who breastfeed seem less likely to develop postpartum depression, compared to mothers who wean early or do not breastfeed, according to a study. However, those who experience postpartum depression early after delivery are also more likely to have trouble breastfeeding and do so for a shorter duration. Breastfeeding seems to provide you with long-term protection against cancer and several diseases.
The total time a woman spends breastfeeding is linked with a reduced risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Continued breastfeeding also pauses ovulation and menstruation. You may consider this change as an extra benefit. To top the list, breastfeeding is mostly free, barring expenses for any lactation consulting and breast pumps.
The benefits of breastfeeding are so numerous that most health agencies recommend it for everyone for as long as possible, barring medical problems that prevent it. Breast milk contains antibodies and other elements that protect your baby from illness and chronic disease.
No matter what choice you make, your healthcare team can guide you to the right methods and choices. Choosing to breastfeed or bottle-feed with formula is one of the first important decisions.
You may have questions about feeding your baby. How much should they eat?
0コメント