119-123
Featherston Street(Corner of Waring Taylor St)
Wellington
Breast
Feeding - There are many benefits to breastfeeding your
baby!
The following details some of the benefits
of breastfeeding to both baby and the mother. Please use the
links below to find further information or contact an expert
if you require help with breastfeeding – its not always
easy, but well worth persevering.
Human breast milk contains all the nutrient
babies need each day, plus many substances that help keep them
healthy and promote option growth and development. Your milk
is made to order for your baby.
Benefits
for Baby:
Breast milk meets the babies nutritional needs
completely for the first 6 months of life.
Breastfeeding reduces babies risk of infection because the
mothers antibodies are passed on to the baby.
Breastfeeding reduces the babies risk of developing food
allergies.
Breastfeeding is convenient (it is always the correct temperature
and readily available, assuming the mother is available).
Breast milk is safe from contamination, although care must
be taken to store breast milk correctly if breast milk is expressed
for use later.
Breast milk is low cost – its FREE
It is harder to over or under feed a breast fed baby.
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of SIDS.
Researchers have shown that breast fed infants tend to be
more accepting of new foods as toddlers because they have been
exposed to a variety of flavours through the breast milk.
Contains optimal ratios of the fatty acids required for eye
and brain development
Contains nutrients that are more bio available than in infant
formula.
It may reduce the likelihood of overweight during childhood
and adolescence (Diet 2001; Gillman et al 2001; Hediger et
al 2001).
Benefits for
the Mother
Women who breastfeed have a
reduced risk of some types of cancer, for example, breast and
ovarian cancer
Time saving – no bottles to prepare!
Always available not matter where you are
It speeds up the involution of the uterus
after birth
It provides emotional and physical satisfaction
to the mother and may help the mother to return to her pre-pregnancy
weight
