Breastfeeding offers life-long health benefits

Breastfeeding offers a list of life-long health benefits for both mom and baby, making it the best food you can give to your baby by far. Many are aware that breast milk contains antibodies, or immune molecules, that are transferred to the baby, giving her immunities to illnesses that the mother is immune to. The converse is also true -- if your newborn is exposed to a germ, she will transfer it back to the mother while nursing. The mother's body will then make antibodies to that particular germ and transfer them back to the baby at the next feeding.

So it's not just a matter of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fats that makes breast milk far superior to formula. In fact, as a new study revealed, breast milk also contains substances that may significantly enhance your baby's gut and brain development.

Breastfeeding may even have a direct impact on a mother's brain, promoting 'maternal behavior' and increasing emotional bonding between the mother and child. Breastfeeding promotes the increased release of oxytocin, also known as the "love hormone" or "bonding hormone."

The more your baby nurses, the more milk you will produce! This is why supplementing with formula can be detrimental to your milk supply.

Mom needs to drink plenty of water and seek optimal nutrition while nursing -- and the beginning weeks and months are critical in the process.

You should begin nursing as soon after birth as possible, as your baby's sucking instinct will be very strong at that time, giving you the best chance of success.

[Sam's note: Breast feeding is extremely beneficial to brain development because of the frequent close interaction between mom and child. Speak to your child, sing to your child, and gently caress your child while feeding. Synapses are connected at the rate of 700 per second to form memories.]

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Additional information: In the beginning, the milk that is produced is called colostrum -- a thick, golden-yellow fluid that is very gentle for your baby's stomach and full of beneficial antibodies.

As your baby continues to nurse, your milk will gradually change in color and consistency from thick and yellow, to thinner with a bluish-white hue. Newborns need to nurse at least once every two hours, for about 15 minutes or so on each side, but most do not adhere to any kind of strict schedule and feedings can vary in length. It is this frequent nursing that stimulates your breasts to produce increasing amounts of milk to keep up with demand.

You may want to begin planning for successful breastfeeding before your baby is even born by taking a breastfeeding class while you're pregnant. Le Leche League is a terrific resource to contact for help whether you want to prepare beforehand or find you're having trouble breastfeeding once your baby is born. But even many hospitals offer breastfeeding classes and lactation consultants who can help you.

I do encourage you to do all you can to breastfeed your baby successfully, and exclusively, for at least the first six months, ideally longer. This is one of the best gifts you can give to your child and the health benefits will last a lifetime.

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