The benefits of breastfeeding your newborn

When a woman chooses to breastfeed her newborn there are many benefits for both mother and child. The nutrients in breast milk provide all the vitamins and minerals needed for the newborn. Making a decision to feed the baby formula or breast feed is one of the most important decisions expectant parents will make. The American Academy of Pediatrics highly recommends breastfeeding because it aides in the prevention of allergies, is a defense fir multiple infections and protects the newborn against multiple conditions that could be chronic conditions.

Although medical experts believe it’s best to breastfeed a newborn, not all women are comfortable or simply cannot breast the child. It’s all based on lifestyle, comfort level or certain medical conditions the new mother could have.

Should the mother decide not to breast feed, infant formula is an alternative to feeding the newborn, there is the same connection between mother and baby.

Deciding to breast or formula feed is a decision that the mother would have to decide. But there are a few things to keep in mind should you decide to breast feed your new addition/additions.

There are many benefits to breast feeding the antibodies passed from mother to child can reduce the occurrences of meningitis, ear-infections, diarrhea and common respiratory infections.  A baby who is breast fed also builds a stronger immune system which increases the barrier to any infections and reduces the growth of organisms like viruses and bacteria.

Newborns that are breast fed have less difficulty with digesting that babies who are formula-fed infants. Breast fed babies have fewer occurrences of diarrhea or constipation because breast milk is easier to digest.

Breast milk also contains many of the minerals and vitamins that a newborn requires. If a mother cares for herself properly, the newborn will not need all of the nutritional supplements and vitamins needed with the exception of Vitamin D. It’s recommended that breast fed babies begin receiving Vitamin D supplements from the beginning until after the first year. 

Storing breast milk

There are several way to store breast milk. It can safely be stores in glass or plastic containers with lids that are tight fitting or in breast milk storage bags made for storing breast milk. Storage bags are made to protect the nutrients and the qualities of the human milk. They are designed to protect human milk and are developed to withstand freezing. Use only bags that are (BPA) free and thaw the bags in water over night. After usage the breast milk storage bags must be used within 8 days.  Places like Mamere, Walgreen’s, and CVS also sell the breast milk storage bags which are washable and reusable.

There are benefits for the mother who breastfeeds her newborn. There have been studies that have reported that it reduces the mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer and can reduce the levels of stress and post-partum depression which is common among new mothers’. Although enough research has not been done it has been noted that it could be change in the breast tissue or continual lactation that could reduce the risk of certain types of cancers.