| Breastfeeding 101 |
| Written by Jane Brown | |
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After your baby is born, you'll have to choose whether to breast or bottle feed your newborn. While either method will supply your child with the nutrients he or she needs to prosper, scientific and anecdotal evidence point to several benefits of breastfeeding. According to studies by the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfeeding is the best option for feeding babies during their first six months. In fact, the two organizations actually say it's okay to breastfeed up to two years. Some of the health benefits of exclusive breast feeding during a baby's first six months include better nutrition, improved intellectual development, a stronger immune system, fewer allergies, some long-term health benefits and a decreased likelihood of developing certain childhood illnesses. Breastfeeding also has some benefits to mothers, including providing a cost effective way of nourishing their newborn children and a way of forming a stronger maternal bond with the children. Breastfeeding can also provide a form of birth control for mothers, in that it can delay the return of fertility to a woman after pregnancy. The practice also offers some health benefits to mothers, including weight loss after pregnancy, hormone release and a decreased chance of breast cancer and heart disease. During the fourth month of pregnancy, women's bodies begin producing hormones that facilitate the growth of the milk duct system within the breasts. Milk is made by cells known as aveoli in reaction to the secretion of the hormone, prolactin, which is produced when your baby suckles. The more you breast feed your baby, the more milk you'll make. By the fifth or sixth month, the system is ready and the woman is prepared to begin breastfeeding after birth. It's not uncommon for mothers attempting breastfeeding to run into some difficulties. Initiating breastfeeding as soon as you can after the child's birth will help avoid many of these problems. Infants are born instinctively knowing how to breastfeed. It just takes a little practice on both your parts. Some early breastfeeding tips include:
Although breastfeeding is advisable in most cases, there are some situations when you shouldn't breastfeed. These include circumstances such as, the mother being infected with HIV, if the mother uses illegal drugs or has tuberculosis, if the mother is undergoing chemotherapy. In the event of circumstances such as this, or if the new mom can't produce milk or just can't hang with breastfeeding, there are some alternatives. Wet nurses offer a "second breast" solution to the problem of a mother being unable to breast feed. Wet nurses, women who breast feed children other than their own, have been around since the dawn of time, offering many babies in ancient times their only chance at life because their own mother's had died or were unable to produce milk. Today, wet nurses can be hired to feed your baby or to provide you with frozen breast milk as a service. If there is no wet nurse available, you can also feed your child formula milk. There are quite a few good formulas and supplements on the market. Check with your pediatrician before choosing one. At about the age of one year, you'll probably want to wean your baby from the breast. There's a variety of ways to do this, and by no means should you just abruptly cut off breastfeeding. A way many mothers have found to be successful is to gradually reduce breastfeeds while introducing formula milk or baby food to the child's diet. You could also feed the child formula and baby food during the day while breastfeeding at night. Breastfeeding provides a wide variety of health and emotional benefits to both mother and child. It can be a very special time in your child's development, so while it may leave you somewhat sore and tired, it'll be the sore and tired feeling that goes along with the accomplishment of something important. Enjoy it! |
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