Breast-Feeding - Benefits to You and Your Baby

Breast Feeding

By nature's design, breast feeding is the best possible way of meeting your infant's nutritional needs. At the same time, it provides a warm, intimate relationship between you and your child, which is quite  important for his healthy psychological growth. Breast milk is the ideal food for infants. It contains all the nutrients a normal child needs to develop and thrive.

Benefits to your baby

Besides offering your infant a natural, complete diet, breast milk also provides a number of other important benefits. Its proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals permits easier digestion with fewer intestinal problems such as diarrhea or constipation. Breast-def babies are less likely to become overweight. There is also less chance that your breast-fed infant will suffer from excessive water loss or other related disorders.

Breast-fed infants are less likely to experience allergic reactions or bacterial infections. In addition, breast milk provides the newborn with many natural immunities, because important antibodies are transmitted from mother to child through the milk.

Breast feeding also affords psychological benefits to the baby by allowing him to experience the close, physical warmth of his mother's body, to take pleasure in the sound of her voice and the sight of her face and, at the same time, to satisfy his sucking needs.

Benefits to you

As a breast feeding mother, you too will benefit by sharing a unique and satisfying relationship with your infant. The physical act of your baby's sucking will relieve the discomfort of your full breast. Breast feeding also helps you regain your figure more quickly, while permitting your uterus to return more rapidly to its normal non-pregnancy state. Furthermore, breast feeding is a convenient, economical means of feeding your child. A supply of milk, warmed to the right temperature, is available whenever your baby is hungry. Additionally, of course, breast feeding saves the time, effort and expense of formula preparation.

Some thoughts about breast feeding

Because breast feeding is unquestionably the best method if feeding your baby, you should talk with your doctor early during pregnancy so that you can develop a comfortable attitude toward it and prepare yourself physically for nursing. You may also want to discuss your decision with your husband, who can lend his full emotional support to your efforts.

 You must take proper care of your breasts and nipples both during and after pregnancy. During the final weeks of pregnancy you can begin to prepare your nipples for nursing by rubbing them once or twice a day with quick strokes using a towel or washcloth. Another helpful exercise involves rolling the nipple between your thumb and forefinger a few minutes each day. To prevent any unnecessary drying of the nipples, you should avoid soaping them while showering. Instead, allow clear water to run over them freely.

In order to breast feed successfully, you should eat correctly. A well balanced diet during your pregnancy, and especially while nursing, is important in order to supply an adequate amount of high quality milk. You will probably have to increase your daily food intake by 500 to 600 calories, paying particular attention to foods high in protein such as meat and eggs, as well as to green and yellow vegetables for vitamins and minerals. You should try to drink at least one pint of milk (approximately 1/2 liter) daily. Other liquids such as water and juices are also important for adequate milk production. 

Unless prescribed by your doctor, drugs of any kind should not be taken during your pregnancy, especially while breast feeding, since they can be transmitted to the baby through your milk. You must also avoid alcohol and cigarettes during this period.