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Post partum

The advantages of breastfeeding

Your clinician, pediatrician, the World Health Organization and UNICEF all agree on one thing -- breastfeeding is the best nutritional start you can give your newborn. Breastfeeding and breast milk have advantages for both mom and baby that can’t be found with formula feeding. Human milk, for example, contains at least 100 ingredients not found in formula. Breast milk provides all the protein, sugar, fat and vitamins your baby needs to be healthy, and it helps protect your baby against certain diseases and infections. It is also easier to digest compared to infant formula. Breastfed infants have lower rates of hospital admissions, ear infections, diarrhea, rashes, allergies and other medical problems than formula fed babies.

Breastfeeding also helps mom because it stimulates your uterus to contract back to its original size. It may be easier for a nursing mother to lose the pounds of pregnancy as well, since nursing uses up extra calories. Breastfeeding research has shown that there is a reduction in the risk of ovarian cancer and, in pre-menopausal women, a reduction in the risk of breast cancer. A nursing mother is forced to get needed rest. She must sit down, put her feet up, and relax every few hours to nurse. Nursing is also called “nature's contraceptive” -- although not a very reliable one. Frequent nursing suppresses ovulation, making it less likely for a nursing mother to ovulate, menstruate, or get pregnant. There are no guarantees, however, so it is recommended that you use a convenient form of birth control when having intercourse while nursing.

Other pros of breastfeeding include that there are no bottles to sterilize and no formula to buy, measure and mix. Nursing at night is easy as well. No one has to stumble to the refrigerator for a bottle and warm it while the baby cries. Best of all it is free and convenient!