
Substances in breast milk coat your baby's intestines, which prevents microscopic food particles from "leaking" through into a baby's bloodstream. If there are allergies on either side of the family, it is beneficial to avoid the foods the baby's mother or father are sensitive to, while the baby is quite young. But there's a good chance the baby will not be sensitive to these foods, later in life, if the baby is breastfed. This is because breastfeeding lessens the baby's chance of becoming sensitized to the allergen.
Healthy, full-term infants need to nurse every two to three hours during a 24-hour period. This equates to eight to twelve feedings per 24 hours. If a breastfeeding mother is getting an adequate supply of vitamins in her diet, her milk will contain adequate nutrients in the perfect balance for her baby. If your baby is healthy and doing well, there is no need for vitamins, iron, or other supplements in the early months. Breastfed babies have a decreased likelihood for allergies and dental cavities. They also benefit from appropriate jaw, teeth and speech development as well as overall facial development.
Some of the physical benefits of breastfeeding for the mother include reduced rates of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The American Academy of Pediatrics stated that "human milk is uniquely superior for infant feeding" and recommended that mothers breastfeed for a minimum of one year after the birth of a child.
Researchers in New Zealand have found that the longer babies are breastfed, the higher they score on intelligence tests later in childhood. An extensive psychological study measuring IQ and academic performance showed that children who were nursed for more than eight months consistently out-scored children raised on formula in reading comprehension and mathematical ability.
Human milk is the ultimate in renewable resources. It's there as soon as the baby arrives, in the quantity the baby needs, for as long as the mother and baby want it. Human milk is delivered to the consumer without any pollution, unnecessary packaging or waste. For instance, 80,000 US mothers who breastfeed their babies for six months save 17,200 tons of tin that would have been used just for formula containers, not to mention the production and shipping costs.
Breastfeeding has been shown to be protective against many childhood illnesses, including ear infections, upper and lower respiratory ailments, allergies, intestinal disorders, colds, viruses, staph, strep and e coli infections, diabetes, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, many childhood cancers, meningitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, salmonella, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) as well as lifetime protection from Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, some lymphomas, insulin dependent diabetes, and for girls, breast and ovarian cancer.
When babies are born, their immune systems are very immature and they have less ability to fight illness-causing germs. Through your breast milk, you give your baby immunities to illnesses to which you are immune and also those to which you have been exposed. Nursing also allows your baby to give germs to you so that your immune system can respond and can synthesize antibodies!
~ Contributed by South Berkshire County La Leche League
Some of the physical benefits of breastfeeding for the mother include reduced rates of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The American Academy of Pediatrics stated that "human milk is uniquely superior for infant feeding" and recommended that mothers breastfeed for a minimum of one year after the birth of a child.
Researchers in New Zealand have found that the longer babies are breastfed, the higher they score on intelligence tests later in childhood. An extensive psychological study measuring IQ and academic performance showed that children who were nursed for more than eight months consistently out-scored children raised on formula in reading comprehension and mathematical ability.
Human milk is the ultimate in renewable resources. It's there as soon as the baby arrives, in the quantity the baby needs, for as long as the mother and baby want it. Human milk is delivered to the consumer without any pollution, unnecessary packaging or waste. For instance, 80,000 US mothers who breastfeed their babies for six months save 17,200 tons of tin that would have been used just for formula containers, not to mention the production and shipping costs.
Breastfeeding has been shown to be protective against many childhood illnesses, including ear infections, upper and lower respiratory ailments, allergies, intestinal disorders, colds, viruses, staph, strep and e coli infections, diabetes, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, many childhood cancers, meningitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, salmonella, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) as well as lifetime protection from Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, some lymphomas, insulin dependent diabetes, and for girls, breast and ovarian cancer.
When babies are born, their immune systems are very immature and they have less ability to fight illness-causing germs. Through your breast milk, you give your baby immunities to illnesses to which you are immune and also those to which you have been exposed. Nursing also allows your baby to give germs to you so that your immune system can respond and can synthesize antibodies!
~ Contributed by South Berkshire County La Leche League