preview

Choosing To Breastfeed Is One Of The Best Decisions A Mother

Decent Essays

Choosing to breastfeed is one of the best decisions a mother can make for her child. The benefits of breastfeeding are infinite, although it can also be very challenging. Always consult with your doctor about health decisions, but here are a few tips that I have learned along the way. If you have not yet delivered your baby, the first step to take is to contact a breastfeeding consultant. Almost all hospitals now offer you the opportunity to speak to someone about the basics of learning to breastfeed. If a consultant is not available, speak to everyone you can at the hospital about it. Your OB/GYN, pediatrician, or nurse should be able to provide you with invaluable information, and may be able to point you in the right direction to speak …show more content…

Stress can not only interrupt your milk flow, it can hamper your child from getting or maintaining a good latch. When you are exhausted from caring for a newborn, both you and the baby will feel the effects of the stress. If you can, try to relax yourself and the baby as much as possible before attempting to feed. Select a quiet, peaceful atmosphere with a comfortable way to sit and nurse. Simple gestures such as stroking your child 's cheek as they are nursing can help them to latch on, and help give them a gentle reminder to nurse. Everybody is different, and so every infant 's nursing habits will be different. Being open to suggestions from your health care provider and other women that have breastfed can give you new opinions and ideas on what to try, but always remember to listen to your own instincts when it comes to your child. You may know exactly what to do.
Breast-feeding is believed to help save money and lives, according to results published in the journal Pediatrics, an American organization committed to the success of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. The results suggest that breast-feeding may help prevent hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year. "These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia,"

Get Access