6 Good Reasons to Breastfeed Your Baby by Kenneth Elliott

Breastfeeding your new baby is a choice and all mother's have to decide one way or the other. It is a way to be sure your new baby best the best start in life that he or she can get. As you know, there are many factors that may go into breastfeeding. The following are just six reasons why you should consider breastfeeding. I am sure there are many others, but these are some of the most important ones.



1. God's Designed Food

Breastmilk provides babies with the the most perfect nutrition. The unique combination of carbohydrates, antibodies, proteins, as well as the minerals and fats, will provide your baby the very things they need to grow strong during these first months of their life.

Infant formula can never duplicate the perfect combination in breast milk. Many of the antibodies that are passed through to your baby through breast milk are very specialized to your genetic background and environment. Of course , babies are able to digest breast milk much easier than infant formulas, no matter what all the big formula companies say. Many times infant formula is based on Cow's milk and this can irritate a newborn's intestinal tract.

2. Protect's Baby from Disease

Breast milk will provide your newborn with immunities that he or she can't get elsewhere. Many infant and childhood illnesses are reduced or eliminated through the immunities from breast milk. Some of the common ones are diabetes, allergies, asthma, Crohn's disease and even sudden infant death syndrome.

3. Bonds Mom and Baby

Breastfeeding causes a close bond to form between mom and baby. This is more than just the time spent close together, this is actally a horomonal change in mom while she is nursing. A horomone called 'prolactin' is released as a mother breast feeds and this has been known to cause a relaxing effect on the mom. This whole experience is what develops this bond between the baby and mom that lasts a lifetime.

4. Helps the New Mother get Her Body Back

When a new mom decides to breast feed, her body will go into milk production mode. It requires a lot of calories to make breast milk, some say up to 500 calories a day. This help the mom lose some of the weight she gained during pregnancy. Breastfeeding also causes the body to produce a different hormone that actually "shrinks" the uterus back to it's normal position a size.

5. Reduce Baby Costs - Save Money!

Breast milk is free. Infant formula is expensive! You can use all the money you save on the new baby. You can save so much money just by buying a breast pump and storing your extra milk to use when you can't breast feed directly. Be sure to buy a good Breast Pump. You can find them at great prices on the internet.

6. Breast Feeding is Highly Recommended

Many organizations strongly encourage and promote breast feeding as the 'gold standard' for a healthy baby. Some of the big named organizations are the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the American Dietetic Association.

Remember, breastfeeding doesn't have to mean only the mom holding the baby to her breast. There are many times that it won't be possible. That is where a good quality breastpump comes in. Many of the benefits of breastfeeding are included when you feed your baby breast milk that was expressed from the mother with a breastpump.

About the Author

Mack Goodman is the owner of http://discount-breastpumps.com/nursing-bras. He collects articles on breastfeeding and helpful hints on providing the best source of nutrition for your baby. Visit http://discount-breastpumps.com for all your breastfeeding needs , pumps, and supplies.