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Breast Feeding
There is no substitute for 'mother's milk', and by breastfeeding
your baby, even if it is just for the first six months, you will be
giving your child the best start to life. Breastmilk contains a huge
amount of beneficial ingredients, that 'Mother Nature' fashioned
especially for your bundle of joy. If you are unsure to try it from
any conflicting stories you may have heard, try and consider the
following:
Colostrum
Colostrum, (the yellowish fluid available at birth) contains
antibodies that fight diseases such as polio, tetanus, whooping
cough and gastroenteritis, or those you have either had or been
immunised against. And with your baby's own immune system only
taking effect after a few months, it does offer peace of mind,
knowing that she is being supplied with some form of protection.
'The ideal food'
Unlike cow's milk that needs to be altered before it is suitable for
feeding your baby, breast milk is perfect in it's natural form and
is produced at exactly the right temperature too. And who knows,
there may even be two different flavours to this wonderwork.
'Foremilk' is expressed at the beginning of the feed, this is needed
to quench the baby's thirst, and as the feed progresses 'hindmilk'
will be made which will act as her main meal.
Shielding against allergies
Allergy to cow's milk can cause endless problems, such as eczema,
asthma, colic and hayfever, and with your baby being totally
tolerable of your milk these problems are less frequent. If there is
a family history of allergy, it is recommended that you breast-feed
your baby for at least the first six months, to give her the maximum
protection needed.
Resistance to infection
Breast milk, lines your baby's stomach, providing added protection
against infection throughout the breast feeding period and setting
up a long term barrier too.
Laxative qualities
Breastmilk helps in clearing the baby's intestines of meconium (the
sticky substance which is contained in the intestines at birth), and
because it is so easily absorbed it prevents the discomfort of hard
dry stools with the smell being less offensive than those of their
bottle-fed counterparts.
Tooth talk
Faulty mouth development, resulting in misplaced teeth are
phenomenally higher in bottle fed babies, and children who were
breast fed for more than three months have been shown to have far
less tooth decay.
Convenience
One of the biggest advantages of breast feeding is that there is a
constant supply of food for your baby. There will however be times
when your milk supply will seem more plentiful than others, but
there will always be a ready-made meal waiting to be consumed. This
also has the added advantage of not having to get up in the middle
of the night to sterilize and prepare bottles.
Regaining your shape
Breast feeding benefits the mother too, as every time the baby
sucks, the uterus contracts, until it returns to it's normal size,
therefore helping you to regain your pre-pregnancy figure sooner.
You may experience 'afterpains' while breastfeeding, but these soon
pass.
Money wise
Breast milk comes ready packed in it's own special container, so
there is no need to buy all the equipment and artificial milk that
is needed for bottle feeding.
Blissful bonding
Probably one of the finest reasons for breast feeding is the
closeness shared between mother and baby. Nothing can compare to the
inner comfort and love that is experienced when you hold your
creation to your breast. Baby bonding is a crucial part of
motherhood, and enjoying a cuddle together while feeding is a
wonderful way of guaranteeing yourself some much needed rest and
relaxation.
Breastfeeding promotes a healthy intimate relationship between
mother and child, so why not offer the best there is!
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