Breastfeeding Success | Health Benefits




	• Breast milk is the perfect nutrition for a growing baby. • Breast milk protects the baby against illness such as ear infections, and lowers the risk for asthma, diabetes, and leukemia later in life. • Babies who are breastfed are less likely to be obese or overweight later in life. • Breastfed infants are more likely to stop eating when they are full. • Breastfed infants are more likely to try a variety of foods when they start baby foods and later, family foods.


	• It’s easy—breast milk is always available, always at the right temperature, and convenient to give any time of the day. There is no formula to mix or bottles to heat, especially in the middle of the night. • It’s comfortable—breastfeeding helps a mother bond with her baby and is comforting for the baby. • It can help moms lose weight—nursing uses up extra calories. • It’s healthy—breastfeeding may lower the risk of diabetes, osteoporosis, and ovarian and breast cancer.


	Breastfeeding gives you and your baby a very special way to spend time together. Most mothers report that breastfeeding makes them feel close to their baby. They also notice that their baby becomes calmer, quieter, and that mom finds it very relaxing, too. • It helps babies and moms to learn to breastfeed if babies have time in the first 30-60 minutes after birth to be skin-to-skin with their mom and try to breastfeed. • Babies like lots of skin-to-skin contact with their mom or dad. Ask the nurse at the hospital to help you hold your baby skin-to-skin. • Babies not only like to breastfeed, they also like to look at you, feel your breath, smell your skin, and hear your heartbeat.


	http://www.wicworks.ca.gov/breastfeeding/BFResources.html http://www.4woman.gov/breastfeeding/index.cfm?page=home http://www.lalecheleague.org