Why Breastfeed?
Many women find it
hard to imagine using their breasts to feed a baby and it can be even
harder if your family and friends haven’t breastfed. The best
way to gain confidence and find out more about breastfeeding is to meet
mums that are doing it and meet health professionals that can offer you
help and advice.
Baby
benefits
Breast milk
protects your baby against many health conditions:
Chest infections: Babies have a limited
immune system and
they can’t fight infections on their own so all of your
infection-fighting antibodies are passed on through your breastmilk,
helping to boost your baby’s immune system.
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Tummy upsets:
Your breastmilk helps to coat the lining of your baby’s gut
and contains enzymes that can kill harmful bacteria.
Ear infections: While your baby is feeding they
are building
up the muscles that help drain the ears, reducing the risk of ear
infections. These muscles are not developed as well when babies are
bottle fed, as babies suck differently from a bottle.
Obesity: Unlike bottle feeding, breastfeeding
allows your
baby to satisfy their own appetite, an important skill that will last a
lifetime! The very first milk you will feed your baby is called
colostrum and is packed full of nutrients and antibodies, which unlike
bottle feeding, doesn’t stretch your baby’s tummy
more than it should. The fact that your breastmilk is constantly
changing helps your baby recognise when to stop feeding and it helps
them to learn to control their own appetite.
Benefits to mother
The benefits of
breastfeeding for you are reduced risk of :
-
Ovarian
cancer
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Breast cancer
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Osteoporosis
-
Diabetes
As well as helping you to
develop a strong bond with your baby, breastfeeding is great for your
health and losing weight. Women who choose to breastfeed produce
hormones that help the womb contract back to its original size more
quickly, leaving them with a flatter tummy.
Breastfeeding mums also burn up to 500 extra calories a day, helping
them to lose weight and feel great.
Resources
Breast
feeding support groups in Warrington
Breastfeeding
Network Site
Back to
breastfeeding
homepage
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