Breast Feeding: The Sure Way To Go

NO!!! Breast feeding isn’t over rated. We fail to remember is that infants are fragile and susceptible to disease, partly because their bodies are not fully developed. They must be treated with special care and given adequate nourishment.
It is true that  a lot these infant formulas are able to mimic a few of the nutritional components of breast milk, but these formulas cannot hope to duplicate the vast and constantly changing array of essential nutrients in human milk.                                                

There are countless benefits of breastfeeding but here are a few of them

• Breast milk is the only natural food designed for your baby.
• Breastfeeding protects your baby from infections and diseases.
• Breast milk provides health benefits for your baby.
• It’s free.
• It’s the right temperature.
• It can build a strong physical and emotional bond between mother and baby
• Breast-fed children are less likely to contract a number of diseases later in life, including juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and cancer before the age of 15
• Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to develop osteoporosis later in life, are able to lose weight gained during pregnancy more easily and have a lower risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer

Pregnancy and all that it entails can be over whelming to mothers, first timers especially. Even when mothers are able to get off to a good start, all too often in the weeks or months after delivery there is a sharp decline in breastfeeding rates, and practices, particularly exclusive breastfeeding. The period when mothers do not visit a healthcare facility is the time when a community support system for mothers is essential. Continued support to sustain breastfeeding can be provided in a variety of ways.

As we celebrate this year's World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) themed, 'BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT: CLOSE TO MOTHERS'. The driving force is encouraging support by the family. As societies change, however, in particular with urbanization, support for mothers from a wider circle is needed, whether it is provided by trained health workers, lactation consultants, community leaders, or from friends who are also mothers, and/or from fathers/partners. 

 Offer Support To Mothers Today!

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/why-breastfeed.aspx#close
http://www.nrdc.org/breastmilk/benefits.asp