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How does your child benefit from breastfeeding?
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How she will feed her child is one of the most important decisions an expectant mother will make during her pregnancy. It is a decision to be acted upon immediately after delivery. No other decision is more charged and debated than the decision to formula or breastfeeding although circumcision is a close competitor.
As we have already explored this week, breastfeeding has many benefits for mom, ranging from decreased risk of metabolic syndromes to even aiding in protection from postpartum depression. Today we will explore the numerous benefits available to your infant should you choose to breastfeed. By choosing to breastfeed you are not only giving your child a great start to life, you are also protecting and boosting them for life in certain areas.
Dr. Sears has a terrific quick list "From Top to Bottom" which lists all of the benefits provided to children who have breastfed. The most common known benefits are less ear infections, less illness, and less likely to be obese during childhood and into adulthood. According to Dr. Sears some other benefits include less likely to have tonsillectomies, less likely to need orthodontics, higher IQ, lower cholesterol and heart rates, less likely to develop diabetes and better eyesight.
One of the biggest overall benefits a breastfeeding infant can receive is from colostrum. This is the first food your infant receives. Also referred to as "Liquid Gold," colostrum has the highest yield nutrient and antibody content of any milk your infant will receive. Amazingly many mothers think that if they are going to nurse they must do so for at least 6 months or more. This is just a guideline. Even if you nurse for the few weeks you have for maternity leave or even just one week after birth, your newborn has received colostrum and gotten off to a great start. It is of course, preferable for breastfeeding to continue as there are increased benefits the longer baby nurses but if you cannot continue, it is okay to stop.
Breastfeeding is about much more than the physical transference of milk from mother to child. Breastfeeding is also about the bonding between mother and child and the intimacy the mere act elicits. I believe you can simulate this bonding even if you are formula feeding. Granted, the physical benefits will not be there but your child will still reap all the emotional benefits if you take the time to sit down and hold your infant closely while maintaining eye and skin contact during his feedings.
I have had to make the decision to stop nursing twice. Both times were a struggle. The first decision involved giving up exclusively pumping. The second involved ensuring my son survived as I was no longer producing enough milk to sustain his needs due to emotional trauma. In the end I knew I made the right decision. Today they are both thriving. They both received breast-milk for a minimum of 6 months. In the end, armed with plenty of information, I did what I had to in order to keep my family happy and healthy. It is of the utmost importance that we support all mothers in their journey.
If you live in Georgia and are in need of some great breastfeeding support, please click here for the La Leche League of Georgia's area map page. You'll find a map you can click on as well as a list of all the available support in the state.
