10 Interesting Facts About Breastfeeding
Should I breastfeed?
How you decide to feed your baby is a highly personal choice and choosing what is right for your body, family, and situation is the most important thing. There are circumstances that arise physically, medically, emotionally, and spiritually that may impact your decision or limit your choices. We encourage you to have this conversation with your partner, healthcare providers, and anyone in your support circle to best prepare for the arrival of your baby.
Our goal is simply to help make some interesting facts about breastfeeding available to assist you in becoming informed. We also would like to offer a few resources where you can get more information and assistance. We invite you to reach out if you have any questions or would like support and additional information.
Office on Women’s Health Breastfeeding
la leche league Breastfeeding Information
From a medical perspective, breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months is recommended and considered best practice. There are proven benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby. Stopping breastfeeding before 6 months, also a general decline in breastfeeding altogether has been the trend for a wide array of reasons including but not limited to lack of lactation and breastfeeding support, lack of access to medical care, demands of work, lack of areas to pump, lack of breastfeeding education and easy access to formula. We hope to help improve breastfeeding rates for those who both desire to do so and are medically able.
Breastfeeding Facts
Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child’s health and survival. Generally, breastfeeding together with additional feedings helps prevent malnutrition and can save approximately 1 million child lives. Globally, less than 40% of infants under 6 months of age are breastfed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes breastfeeding as the best source of nourishment for infants and young children.
The Top 10 Facts On Breastfeeding:
Breastfeeding should begin within 1 hour of birth, it should be "on demand" (i.e. as often as the child wants). Try to avoid pacifiers and bottles.
Breast milk contains all the nutrients for healthy development containing antibodies that help prevent the infant from childhood illnesses.
Breastfeeding also benefits the mother: It has a 98% successful measurement of birth control for the first 6 months after labor, reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer later in life, helps women return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster, and lowers obesity.
Besides the immediate benefits, children who were breastfed often have lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as lower rates of obesity and type-2 diabetes.
Use it or lose it. Frequent breastfeeding maintains the breast milk supply.
HIV-infected mothers can pass the infection to their infant during pregnancy, delivery, and through breastfeeding. Antiretroviral (ARV) drug interventions to either the mother or HIV-exposed infant reduce the risk of transmission of HIV through breastfeeding.
Regulating breast milk substitutes. (i.e. having the labels clearly state the benefits of breastfeeding vs formulas)
Breastfeeding has to be learned and support for mothers is essential. Many women encounter difficulties at the beginning including nipple pain and fear that there is not enough milk to sustain the baby are common.
For women that return to work finding the time to continue breastfeeding is difficult. Women need a safe, clean and private place in or near their work to continue breastfeeding.
Introduce complementary foods starting at 6 months, but do not abandon breastfeeding until the infant is comfortable with solid foods.