Breastfeeding also burns calories and helps shrink the uterus, so nursing moms may be able to return to their pre-pregnancy shape and weight quicker. Also, studies show that breastfeeding helps lower the risk of breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and also may help decrease the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. Breastfeeding can be easy from the get-go for some mothers, but take a while to get used to for others. Moms and babies need plenty of patience to get used to the routine of breastfeeding.
Common concerns of new moms, especially during the first few weeks and months, may include:. Personal comfort. Initially, many moms feel uncomfortable with breastfeeding. But with proper education, support, and practice, most moms overcome this. Latch-on pain is normal for the first week to 10 days, and should last less than a minute with each feeding. Many times, it's just a matter of using the proper technique, but sometimes pain can mean that something else is going on, like an infection.
Time and frequency of feedings. Breastfeeding requires a big time commitment from mothers, especially in the beginning, when babies feed often. A breastfeeding schedule or the need to pump breast milk during the day can make it harder for some moms to work, run errands, or travel. And breastfed babies do need to eat more often than babies who take formula, because breast milk digests faster than formula.
This means mom may find herself in demand every 2 or 3 hours maybe more, maybe less in the first few weeks. Women who are breastfeeding need to be aware of what they eat and drink, since these can be passed to the baby through the breast milk. Just like during pregnancy, breastfeeding women should not eat fish that are high in mercury and should limit consumption of lower mercury fish.
If a mom drinks alcohol, a small amount can pass to the baby through breast milk. She should wait at least 2 hours after a single alcoholic drink to breastfeed to avoid passing any alcohol to the baby. Caffeine intake should be kept to no more than milligrams about one to three cups of regular coffee or less per day because it can cause problems like restlessness and irritability in some babies.
Maternal medical conditions, medicines, and breast surgery. Medical conditions such as HIV or AIDS or those that involve chemotherapy or treatment with certain medicines can make breastfeeding unsafe. A woman should check with her doctor or a lactation consultant if she's unsure if she should breastfeed with a specific condition. Women should always check with the doctor about the safety of taking medicines while breastfeeding, including over-the-counter and herbal medicines.
Mothers who've had breast surgery, such as a reduction, may have difficulty with their milk supply if their milk ducts have been severed. In this situation, a woman should to talk to her doctor about her concerns and work with a lactation specialist.
Commercially prepared infant formulas are a nutritious alternative to breast milk, and even contain some vitamins and nutrients that breastfed babies need to get from supplements. Manufactured under sterile conditions, commercial formulas attempt to duplicate mother's milk using a complex combination of proteins, sugars, fats, and vitamins that aren't possible to create at home.
So if you don't breastfeed your baby, it's important to use only commercially prepared formula and not try to make your own.
Besides medical concerns that may prevent breastfeeding, for some women, breastfeeding may be too difficult or stressful. Here are other reasons women may choose to formula feed:. Either parent or another caregiver can feed the baby a bottle at any time although this is also true for women who pump their breast milk. This allows mom to share the feeding duties and helps her partner to feel more involved in the crucial feeding process and the bonding that often comes with it.
Once the bottles are made, a formula-feeding mother can leave her baby with a partner or caregiver and know that her little one's feedings are taken care of. There's no need to pump or to schedule work or other obligations and activities around the baby's feeding schedule.
And formula-feeding moms don't need to find a private place to nurse in public. Because formula is less digestible than breast milk, formula-fed babies usually need to eat less often than breastfed babies.
Why is Breastfeeding Important for your Baby? Breast milk helps keep your baby healthy. It supplies all the necessary nutrients in the proper proportions. It protects against allergies, sickness, and obesity.
It protects against diseases, like diabetes and cancer. It protects against infections, like ear infections. It is easily digested — no constipation, diarrhea or upset stomach. Babies have healthier weights as they grow. Breastfed babies score higher on IQ tests. Breast milk changes constantly to meet babies' needs. Breast milk is always ready and good for the environment. The bacteria help with digestion and fighting disease.
Women who breastfeed also get many health benefits. If you breastfeed, you are more likely to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy. You are also less likely to get breast and ovarian cancer and diabetes later in life. Only breastfeeding for at least the first 6 months of life is best for your baby. This is called "exclusive" breastfeeding. Breastmilk can be expressed and fed to your baby in a bottle, as needed. You should not give your baby water, sugar water, formula, or solids during his or her first 6 months.
The only exception to this is:. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breastfed babies get extra vitamin D. Your baby's provider will tell you about the type and amount of vitamin D you should give your baby.
You know about many of the benefits of breastfeeding. But you might not know why it is important to breastfeed only for at least 6 months. Your baby gets the best protection against health problems when he or she gets only breastmilk.
Breastfeeding some of the time is good. But breastfeeding all of the time is best. Stop breastfeeding before your baby is at least 6 months old. Breastfeeding only is almost always recommended. But your healthcare provider may have reasons to recommend giving your baby formula or other liquids. They include:. Your baby has certain health problems.
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