Brestfeeding Benefits
Brestmilk is the absolute best food for newborn babies and breastfeeding also has several benefits for the new mom.

Benefits for Baby

Research indicates that babies who are breastfed are at reduced risk for:

• Stomach or intestinal infections.
• Chronic constipation, colic, and other stomach upsets.
• Skin diseases (infantile eczema).
• Allergy problems (infantile allergies).
• Fewer incidences of vomiting and diarrhea (20-35 million episodes of diarrhea occur in children under the age of 5, resulting in over 200,000 hospitalizations and 400-500 deaths in the U.S.).
• Obesity, developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, iron-deficiency anemia, cancer, and tooth decay.
• Ear infections,colds, respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney infections, septicemia (blood poisoning).
• The varying composition of breastmilk keeps pace with the infant’s individual growth and changing nutritional needs.
• Reduced risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) Statistics reveal that for every 87 deaths from SIDS, only 3 are breast-fed.
• Nursing promotes facial structure development, enhanced speech. straighter teeth and enhances vision.

Benefits for Mom

• Reduced risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer

• 1/2 the calories needed to manufacture milk is pulled from fat stores… can burn from 500 – 1,500 calories per day

• Decreased post-partum bleeding

• Saves at least $2,000 per year, depending on which formula you buy

• Saves time on bottle cleaning and formula preparation, increasing your sleep

• Always the right temperature, ready made

• Protection against osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life

• Reduced risk of mortality for women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with total time of lactation

• Helps delay return of fertility and to space subsequent pregnancies

• Develops a special emotional relationship and bonding with her child

• Breastfed babies are sick less thus reducing healthcare costs to family in Doctor office visits, prescriptions, over the counter medicine purchases, and hospitalizations

• Moms miss less time off from work due to child related illnesses