So I am such a big fan of breastfeeding! This could be because I have been working at WIC (The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children) this past 2 weeks and have had the opportunity to read ALOT but I find it completely amazing & fasinating so I have to promote it. I know I haven't acutally had the pleasure of experiencing yet...but that doesn't hinder my firm belief in its importance!
So I have been reading out of this book " The Breastfeeding Answer Book" and it is great. Here is what I have read:
Basically when mothers use pain relievers & anesthesia, it may affect the child for a couple days including how well they breastfeed. (you have probably heard that before) Not only that but babies who are separated from the mother after birth for even 20 minutes had more sucking problems. There was a study done by Righard & Alade in 1990 that found that:
- babies who had unmedicated births & had no separation from the mother, 16 of the 17 babies breastfed well.
- babies who had unmedicated births and were separated for approx. 20 minutes after birth, 7 of the 15 babies breastfed well
- babies who had medicated births and were separated from the mom for approx. 20 minutes, 0 of the 19 babies breastfed well
Wow- Also, 3 things that help serve as a reliever for newborns:
1. skin to skin contact
2. suckling
3. a sweet taste
Breastfeeding provides all 3!
I just thought that this was very interesting and it gave me a greater drive to not only breastfeed but make a plan when I have kids to bring the baby to me before they do anything else! I know I haven't gone thru it and it probably sounds funny to plan things like this right now but but it just makes me excited & I think it is so important.
The Benefits of Breastfeeding:
- Helps the mother lose weight faster afterwards; breastfeeding burns 500-700 calories every day!
- Antibodies provided to the infant right after birth, it's like an instant vaccine & the baby has fewer illnesses!
- Easy for the baby to digest
- Helps remove Bilirubin that causes Jaundice
- Stimulates your uterine to contract
- Studies show it helps prevent obesity, diabetes & other medical complications later in life
- It acts as a natural laxative for the baby to get rid of the black tarry stool
- Provides bonding & comfort to the baby & mother
- It's nature's contraceptive
- It saves more that $1,000 dollars a year that you would have spent on formula
- breastfed babies score higher on cognitive & IQ tests
- Have fewer cavities
- Breastfeeding mothers have lower chances of getting cervical & breast cancer
- Breastmilk changes over time & even througout the day to meet the child's needs
-Breastmilk contains more that 100 ingredients NOT found in formula-
13 comments:
Haha, you've been learning a lot over there. I was the same way when I was at WIC. It makes you start thinking about how you want to do things. I'm def. going to breast feeding and make them give me the baby right away but, I don't think I'll be giving up the drugs. I don't want to feel ANYTHING!
I'm a firm believer of breastfeeding too. When Mason had to stay in the hospital longer he couldn't digest the formula that they were giving him (my milk was still coming in). My milk was the only thing he could digest. It made me feel special knowing that only I could provide the thing he needed!!
I thought that picture meant you were annoucing something?!! HA! I jumped the gun...I too love breastfeeding. I fed the girls 100% breastmilk for a full year. It was such a great accomplishment for me. Going strong with the boys too.
I have to agree. It is the best thing. I am almost done nursing!!! YEA!! But I lost 50lbs doing it and weigh less than I have ever weighed! I do have to disagree about the part that if you have drugs during labor, i.e. an epidural, your baby may not be good at nursing... I had an epi. and it was wonderful, and Peter nursed just fine when he was born! :)
So are you planning on not having an epidural with your babies? Riley nursed well right off the bat and I had one. Sorry, but I have no plans in the future for having a "natural" birth. Also, please do not think that just because you're breastfeeding, you won't get pregnant. I agree that breastfeeding is great but I don't do it for my benefit, that's for sure. It is hard at first and it didn't help me lose any weight. Bummer.
Yeah I haven't decided yet if I want to go natural or epi. But seeing as how I am not even pregnant yet...I still have time to decide:)
Hey Melissa! Don't know if you remember me from 4th ward but I found your blog and wanted to say hi! Thank you for the wonderful shout out to breastfeeding. It's sooo important, and no one can match nature's creations. Well, hopefully I can hear from ya sometime! Congrats at finishing your training and job! That's awesome!
Paula Thompson (Formerly Leavitt)
Hey Melissa!
How are you? we miss you guys!
I'm happy I found your guys blog.
Just wanted to say hi.
love,
Sarah and Justin Danielson
I love that you posted this!!! I have not yet experienced breat feeding, but so many women out there give up on it right away and don't realize how beneficial it truly is. Awesome post!!!
I love it Melissa. You're so cute. A breasfeeding specialist looks like it's not far off for you. What amazing bodies we have. Hopefully you won't have to think about it too long maybe you'll have a little one soon enough. I think a natural birth would be awesome but I'm not sure I'd be able to do it without the drugs.
Power to the women who can breastfeed! I did it for like 4 months and it just wasn't working. But maybe its becasue i went with the epi and i couldn't see or hold james for 24 hrs. Very educational post! Those stats are pretty mind blowing. So...when is this reunion? I am gonna be in AZ june 1st for 2 weeks..?
definitely recommend! calories burned, conveniet and free are my faves, oh can't forget mommy/baby time. although i will warn you that it hurts like crazy when you start :(
Good points totally agree. One thing to note though for future notice so you don't get a little suprise, breastfeeding isn't always a natural contraceptive. i know plenty of girls who thought that and opps they have kids 9 or 10 months apart! Also i'm curious about the no epidural thing. All the studies I've seen show that they have never been able to trace epidural drugs (there's prob a better way to say that) in babies blood, wonder why they say it affects them. Still epidural it is for me!
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