Advantages of Breast Feeding

With numerous guidelines being written on the importance and benefits of breastfeeding, more and more mothers are becoming aware of how beneficial it is to nurse their babies.

Along with saving you money on formula, breast feeding can also help you to keep your medical bills down. Babies that are formula fed get sick more often and more seriously than babies that are breast fed.

Breast milk is produced on demand and the best way to increase milk production is to allow the baby to suckle directly from the breast. It is the baby's suckling action that encourages further milk production.

Breastfeeding protects against this by providing the infant with a substance called secretory IGA. This immunoglobulin in colostrum and breastmilk prevents the absorption of very large foreign molecules when the infant's immune system is immature.

Breastfeeding also helps your baby's brain to develop because it's rich in fatty acids that protect the cells of the brain. It also helps your baby to develop strong muscles because breast milk provides the perfect mix of proteins for building muscle tissue.

Having a little baby in your arms is one of the most wonderful feelings you can have. Going one step further with breastfeeding puts butterflies in your tummy. These are moments that will last forever and will shape the new you – a Mom.

Believe it or not, this is a benefit. Mother and baby belong together and breastfeeding makes sure that this happens more often than if the mother is formula feeding. If the family is serious about making breastfeeding successful, they can come up with creative ways to keep Mommy and baby together.

Some studies even indicate that breastfeeding may reduce the incidence of breast, uterine and ovarian cancers (Radetsky, 1999) and in the long term may reduce a woman's risk of osteoporosis by increasing bone strength.

Breastfeeding helps the child having a better immune system and helps them in responding better to vaccinations.

What about the psychological benefits? Touch is so very important to any human, especially a newborn. With breastfeeding, there is skin on skin contact, whereas a bottle fed baby may not be touched by anything other than a hard plastic or glass bottle.

A long term plan is well needed is governments really want to help new mothers continue breastfeeding for longer periods and diminish the important drop rate after a few months.

Additionally, the fact that babies usually bring their food with them is wonderful. Not only does the food come pre-prepared, but also, it is always at the right temperature and it can be provided in a matter of seconds. By going this route, families will be able to save some money.

What about the psychological benefits? Touch is so very important to any human, especially a newborn. With breastfeeding, there is skin on skin contact, whereas a bottle fed baby may not be touched by anything other than a hard plastic or glass bottle.