Ten Reasons to Breastfeed 1. That's what breasts are for.

Unfortunately, many societies have sexualized the breast to the point where mothers don't feel comfortable breastfeeding. Trust your body. We have breasts for a very important reason - to feed our young. 2. Breastfeeding helps promote the bond between mother and child. When a woman breastfeeds, hormones are produced in her body that help her relax and bond with her baby. 3. Breastmilk contains immunities that are passed to your child. Breastfed children get sick less often. Breastfed children get fewer ear infections, childhood lymphomas, and diabetes. 4. Breastmilk composition changes from week to week, from day to day, from hour to hour, and during a feeding. It is always the perfect food for your child. 5. Breastfeeding raises children's IQs. 6. Breastfeeding reduces your chance of getting breast cancer and your daughter's chance of getting it as an adult. 7. Breastfeeding is great for the environment. The production and consumption on formula uses a great deal of resources and produces a huge amount of waste. 8. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of SIDS. 9. Breastmilk tastes great. Have you tasted formula? It's awful. Try drinking an 8 ounce glass of it before you give it to your baby. 10. Breastmilk is free, always available, always at the right temperature, and never goes bad. Ten Reasons Why Women Don't Breastfeed* 1. "I was raised on formula and I'm just fine." Chances are the formula you were given is no longer considered a fit food for infants. Do you want to take the same chance with your child?

2. "I want my husband to bond with the baby too." There are many ways to bond with a baby, including holding, playing, and changing diapers. You will find that your baby keeps you both very busy, and any time spent with a baby is time for bonding. 3. "I don't want to ruin my figure." Contrary to popular opinion, breastfeeding will not make your breasts sag. Sagging is mostly caused by heredity. 4. "It's just not me."

Your baby doesn't know that. She thinks it's perfect for her. Try it for 6 weeks. You might find out having a baby changes you and it really is you. Or if you don't like it, you can switch to formula and your baby will have gotten some invaluable health benefits. 5. "I have to go back to work." There are many ways to combine employment and breastfeeding. For more information (and a sample letter you can use to request that your employer set up a space for pumping), visit this site. 6. "I don't want to be tied down." Breastfed children are very portable! It is much easier to go out without all the paraphernalia you need for formula feeding. 7. "My breasts are too small (or large)." Breast size has nothing to do with the underlying milk producing structures. 8. "It hurts." If it hurts, then you most likely do not have the baby positioned correctly. Contact La Leche League or a lactation consultant for help. Breastfeeding is a learned skill. It takes a little time for the breastfeeding pair to get good at it. 9. "Well, if you only need to do it for 6 weeks why should I start?" Breastfeeding provides benefits to the mother and child for as long as you do it. The American Academy of Pediatrics breastfeeding policy statement recommends exclusive breastfeeding (no water, glucose water, formula, etc.) starting as soon as possible after birth and for the first 6 months of life, and continued breastfeeding for at least the first year of life and thereafter for as long as mutually desired. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least two years. Around the world it is not unusual to find children breastfed for several years or more. 10. "I don't want to do it in public." Feeding your child is the most natural thing in the world. It is terrible that we are asked to hide when we breastfeed. Every time you breastfeed in public, you are helping to change

this. If discretion is important to you, there are products that can help you nurse discretely. What Is SIDS? Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the "sudden death of an infant under one year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history"(Willinger, et al., 1991).

Any sudden, unexpected death threatens one's sense of safety and security. We are forced to confront our own mortality (Corr, 1991). This is particularly true in a sudden infant death. Quite simply, babies are not supposed to die. Because the death of an infant is a disruption of the natural order, it is traumatic for parents, family, and friends. The lack of a discernible cause, the suddenness of the tragedy, and the involvement of the legal system make a SIDS death especially difficult, leaving a great sense of loss and a need for understanding.

Proper breast care is important for both you and your baby. Here are some breast care tips for if you are experiencing breast engorgement and/or sore nipples, as well as some other breast care tips: Breast Care for Breast Engorgement

Express some milk before you breast feed. Place a warm moist cloth over your breasts; take a warm shower; use cold compresses when expressing milk; use ice packs between feedings. All of these things should help decrease discomfort. Try multiple positions when feeding your baby this way, you are more likely to use the milk in all areas of your breast. Sit up; lay down; use the cradle position; use the football hold; etc. Massage breasts gently, from beneath the arm down toward the nipple. Ask your lactation consultant or doctor about other methods, including homeopathic medicine, gel packs, cabbage leaves, ultrasound treatments, etc.

Breast Care for Sore Nipples

Talk with your caregiver if you are experiencing sore nipples while it is common for a mother to have sore nipples when first starting breastfeeding, breastfeeding should not be an overall painful experience. It is not normal to have a sore, cracked, and/or bleeding nipple. These could be signs of an infection. Try positioning your baby differently certain positions can cause sore nipples. Your baby should be latching on not just to the nipple, but as much of your areola as possible, too. To unlatch your baby from your breast, do not just pull him or her off. Instead, first break the suction with your finger. Start feeding on the breast that is the least sore. Continue to breastfeed even if you have sore nipples you can numb your nipple by rubbing ice on it for a few minutes before feeding. Rinse off your babys saliva with water after breastfeeding and pat dry. Do not use any sort of plastic breast shields or other items that could lock in moisture. Keep your nipples both dry and warm. Some caregivers may suggest that you express a little milk and rub it around on your nipples. Lanolin could also be recommended by a caregiver. Tea bags are something else that a caregiver may suggest.

Other Breast Care Tips

Nursing bra Cotton bras will give you better circulation. For the most comfort, avoid underwire and choose wide straps. If you do wear an underwire bra, be sure that it fits properly and does not plug your ducts. You can wear your bra while sleeping. Purchase your bra in your last trimester of pregnancy. Be sure there will be room for nursing pads.

Do not use soap on your breasts because it can remove the natural oils of your skin and lead to drying and cracking. Use a warm, wet wash cloth. Wear cloth breast pads rather than plastic pads (for the most comfort). Leave your nipples exposed to the air every once in a while let them breathe.

For more suggestions on proper breast care, be sure to speak with your lactation consultant, caretaker, and/or medical doctor.

There are some medical reasons why a mother should not breastfeed and these are listed below: In New Zealand a woman who is HIV positive is advised not to breastfeed as the HIV virus may pass through breast milk to the baby. If a mother is taking antiretroviral medications breastfeeding is also contraindicated. The New Zealand Ministry of Health considers infant formula to be safer in these circumstances. Mothers who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment are advised not to breastfeed. Current thinking indicates that if a mother is breastfeeding, that after a chemotherapy cycle, the mother must not give the baby the breast or fresh expressed breast from her breasts for eleven days. Radiation therapy requires only a temporary interruption to breastfeeding. Untreated active tuberculosis. Breastfeeding may be contraindicated if the mother is using illicit drugs of addiction. Drugs can pass into breast milk, particularly CNS depressants, which may dangerously sedate or cause respiratory depression in the neonate. Methadone passes into breast milk only in small amounts, and mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed where possible. More information is available in Practice Guidelines for Opioid Substitution Treatment in New Zealand 2008 Ministry of Health. Specialist services or obstetric services that are experienced in the care of women dependent on opioids can provide advice if required.

If you've had breast reduction surgery, chances are good that you'll have a low supply of breast milk and won't be able to nurse exclusively, because the breast tissue that was removed contained milk glands and ducts. (If you've had breast augmentation, there's also a small chance that you'll have a low supply of breast milk.)

Even though you won't be unable to breastfeed, you should not try to if you have been infected with HIV, because the virus can be passed to your child through the milk. (Women infected with cytomegalovirus and hepatitis C generally can breastfeed.)

If you have a serious illness heart disease, for example, or severe anemia breastfeeding might not be a good idea for the sake of baby health. You should not nurse if you have a serious infection like active, untreated tuberculosis. You shouldn't nurse if you are receiving radiation in any form or are taking medications that pass into the breast milk and can hurt the baby, like antithyroid medication, chemotherapeutic agents, and some mood-altering drugs. Check with your practitioner to see whether any drugs you are taking present a problem.

You shouldn't nurse if you have a drug or alcohol addiction. Smokers can breastfeed, but you shouldn't light up at least 95 minutes before every feeding, to be sure no nicotine or other chemicals are in your milk and never smoke around your baby. A much better idea: Quit smoking and keep breastfeeding your baby.