Operation Lactation

It is not a secret that there are numerous benefits gained from breastfeeding. The more I learn, the more amazing it is to me. I cannot keep all this goodness to myself so here are some of the great things about breastfeeding:

• Boost baby's immune system - baby's saliva at the nipple can tell the mother's immune system if the baby needs antibodies to fight a new germ. Then, those antibodies can be made by momma and sent through her breastmilk to baby.

• Burn an extra 500 calories a day - enough said!

• Promote postpartum recovery - the hormones released during breastfeeding encourage the uterus to shrink, decreasing bleeding. Research has shown that breastfeeding helps decrease the risk of postpartum depression.

• Decrease momma's risk of certain cancers - evidence shows that breastfeeding has a protective effect AGAINST breast and ovarian cancer.

• Decrease the incidence of some infections in babies - there is evidence that breastfed babies have less GI, respiratory and ear infections. 

• Decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - unfortunately SIDS is still mysterious, however, there are things that have been found to decrease a baby's risk and one of those is breastfeeding.

• Encourage bonding - all that good skin-to-skin time and all those "love hormones" rushing around set the stage for bonding with your new little one.

And that's just the beginning! There are other known benefits and there are new discoveries as the research continues.

Peace, joy and blessings!