• Breast milk is very easily and efficiently digested.
• It has the correct balance of nutrients intended for newborns and offers protection against many types of infections, as breast milk contains many anti-infective properties.
• Research shows that breastfed infants have fewer and shorter episodes of illness.
• Your first milk, colostrum, has especially high levels of antibodies and infection fighting cells. This protection can be tailor-made according to the pathogens you encounter in your environment.
• Colostrum is also a gentle, natural laxative that helps clear baby's intestine, decreasing the chance for jaundice to occur.
• Many mothers also experience a sense of bonding and closeness with their baby when they breastfeed.
• The skin-to-skin contact encouraged by breastfeeding offers babies greater emotional security and enhances bonding.
• Breastfeeding elicits hormones which relax you and may help you bond with your baby.
• Breastfeeding may also help protect the baby against allergies in the early months.
• Breastfeeding appears to reduce the risk of obesity and hypertension.
• Breastfeeding delays the onset of hereditary allergic disease, and lowers the risk of developing allergic disease.
• Breastfeeding increases the effectiveness of immunizations, increasing the protection against polio, tetanus, and diptheria vaccines.

Breastfeeding also offers many benefits to the mother:

• Breastfeeding causes increased levels of oxytocin, stimulating uterine contractions and minimizing blood loss and encouraging rapid uterine toning.
• From 3 months to 12 months postpartum, breastfeeding increases the rate of weight loss in most nursing mothers.
• Breastfeeding offers some protection against the early return of fertility.

We hope that these pages will help to answer many of your breastfeeding questions. For more information, please call 340-7770, to discuss breastfeeding with our Board Certified Lactation consultant.
For information on Breastfeeding education see our Breastfeeding classes information.

You can also download our handout Tips on Breastfeeding at Home.