Breastfeeding Tips
Should I breastfeed my baby?
Breastfeeding Benefits:
- It provides warmth, closeness, and the physical contact that helps you to create a special bond with your baby.
Human milk has many benefits.
- It is free, clean, always available, and always just the right temperature.
- It changes as your baby grows — it has all the nutrients, vitamins, and calories that your baby needs to develop strong organs.
- Human milk has antibodies and other nutrients — that formulas lack — to help protect your baby from diseases and infections.
- Breastfed babies have fewer ear infections, lung infections, diarrhea, and viral infections.
- Breastfeeding protects your baby against obesity, diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and some cancers.
Breastfeeding benefits you:
- It helps to release hormones that promote mothering behavior; you can feel proud to know that your baby is growing healthy and strong because of your milk!
- It helps your uterus to return to normal size and helps you to burn calories, which can help you lose the weight that you gained in pregnancy.
- It can reduce risk of breast and ovarian cancer, and keep your bones strong.
- It can help to delay your menstrual period, and keep your blood strong.
- It can help provide birth control if:
- You are breastfeeding at least eight times every 24 hours and not giving your baby formula
- Your baby is less than 6 months old
- Your period hasn't started
