Feeding Baby

Photo of breastfeeding mother Breastfeeding or formula? For many reasons, breastfeeding is the better choice according to doctors. Babies who are breastfed:

  • Get the best nutrition every day, without expensive trips to the grocery store
  • Have fewer allergies
  • Have fewer stomach problems (colic, spitting up)
  • Have fewer ear infections
  • Are less likely to die of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
  • Have some protection against diseases such as cancer
  • Are less likely to be obese as adults

There are benefits to mom, too:

  • Women who breastfeed have less vaginal bleeding and less risk of hemorrhage after birth.
  • Milk production requires 500-1000 calories a day. Women who breastfeed lose pregnancy weight more easily than women who formula-feed.
  • Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer in young women. The longer you breastfeed, the lower your risk.
  • Breastfeeding reduces the risk of uterine cancer and ovarian cancer.
  • Breastfeeding improves bone density and reduces the risk of hip fractures in older women.
  • Breastfeeding requires no mixing, no measuring, and no clean-up, making nighttime feedings quick and easy.
  • Breast and babies are portable.
  • Parents who breastfeed save more than $1000 in infant feeding cost during the first year alone

The fact is that no one has yet created a substitute that equals the benefits of breast milk for babies.  This Breastfeeding Facts: Why should I breastfeed my baby? flyer has even more information for you.

Barriers to Breastfeeding

In spite of all these benefits, women face some barriers to breastfeeding.

  • Embarrassment
  • Lack of social support
  • Worried about not enough milk
  • Lack of support at work or school
  • Worried about having to eat well

Women need support from family, friends, and their doctors to overcome these barriers. If you or someone you know is having trouble breastfeeding, call one of these help lines for information or to arrange for someone to visit you for a personal consultation.

August 1-7, 2011 was National Breastfeeding Awareness Week.  At PNMC, we thought that it would be nice to find out what the women in the Rochester community had to say about breastfeeding. Here are a few quotes from the women that visit our Healthy Start Center:

 

If you want more information about breastfeeding, check out these great websites:

Women’s Health www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding

kellymom Breastfeeding and Parenting www.kellymom.com

Breastfeeding www.breastfeeding.com

Breastfeeding Partners www.breastfeedingpartners.org

 

Online Resource Directories

Directory of obstetricians and midwives
Directory of perinatal support services
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