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The Wonderful Benefits of Breastfeeding for both Mom & Baby
Brought to you by Motherwear's quarterly magazine Parenting from the Heart.
By now you likely know all the wonderful things breastfeeding does for your baby, but did you know that nature's most perfect feeding system is as beneficial for you as it is for your little one? Here are some of the many ways nursing your baby can improve your life, emotionally and physically.
Calming effect
The release of breast milk has a soothing effect on your body, stimulating the production of ß-endorphins, chemicals that bring on feelings of peace and relaxation and suppress anxiety and irritability. Nursing also requires you to sit or lie quietly with your infant many times throughout the day, encouraging you to rest and refuel.
Bonding
Those same natural chemicals - and the time spent holding your child -promote feelings of affection, well-being, and intimacy that help you bond with your baby. That connection is important not just in the early weeks, when you are getting to know each other, but also later on when you may be returning to work and spending more time away from your family.
Shaping up
Breastfeeding releases a hormone that stimulates your uterus to contract, helping control blood loss and return to its pre-pregnancy shape. Nursing also helps return you to your pre-pregnancy shape - and keep you there - by burning 200 to 500 calories a day, the equivalent of swimming 30 laps or biking for an hour. This natural weight-loss program is unusually effective, providing not just relatively rapid but also lasting results.
Stronger bones
Women who breastfeed are 75 percent less likely to develop osteoporosis than women who feed their babies formula. While most mothers lose a small amount of bone mass during nursing, within months of weaning, their bodies have replaced it with new, denser, stronger bone.
Reduced cancer risk
Women who have nursed their babies are less likely to develop breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer than women who have never breastfed. Some of this protection has been shown to grow over time, increasing with the number of months or years a woman breastfeeds.
Convenience
Nursing simplifies your life by eliminating the need to plan and prepare food for your infant. Whether you are at home, out and about, or just trying to get a good night's sleep, breast milk is ready at a moment's notice, in the perfect quantity, at just the right temperature, and in the ideal formulation for your child.
A healthier family
Because your breast milk contains powerful antibodies, your baby will have an easier time fighting off illnesses, which means you will spend less time caring for a sick child. This reduces stress for the whole family, whether you are at home with your child or returning to work.
More money for you
Nursing saves you plenty over the cost of bottles and formula - as much as $1,400 a year, according to our calculations. That's money you can spend on other things, like taking care of yourself so that you can better take care of everyone else.
Charlotte Meryman is editor of Parenting from the Heart.
This month's Motherwear survey, which you'll find here, asks you to pledge to do your choice of 3 things to support breastfeeding in 2007. Completing the survey enters you in a drawing for a $100 gift certificate. I'm providing links below to help you knock out several right now. Periodically I'll post a poll to keep track of our progress.
Here they are. Remember, the survey will ask you to pledge to do at least three of these ten things. More is great, too.
1) Say something supportive to a woman you see nursing in public.
2) Thank someone who is/was an important source of support to you during breastfeeding.
3) Check that your pediatrician is using the new WHO growth charts for breastfed babies.
4) Help a woman who is having breastfeeding difficulty.
5) Make a donation of any size to an organization that promotes breastfeeding.
6) Print out the new International Symbol for Breastfeeding - available here - and post it somewhere public.
7) Talk to at least one pregnant woman, or a woman who has not had children yet, about the benefits of breastfeeding.
8) Learn what the laws in your state say about breastfeeding in public, pumping at work, and breastfeeding and jury duty.
9) If you have breastfed, take about 1% of the money you saved by not buying formula (about $15 per child), and buy or do something for yourself to celebrate your success.
10) Sign an e-petition or send an email to your representatives on an issue related to breastfeeding or maternal/child health.
Remember, always consult with your pediatrician regarding introducing solid foods to your baby and specifically discuss any foods that may pose allergy risks for your baby.
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