Breastfeed for Health

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Why Breastfeeding is so Important

It is a widely accepted fact, documented by many fully substantiated studies published in respected medical journals, that successful breastfeeding of an infant improves the health of both the mother and the baby, compared to feeding the infant formula. The reason to breastfeed isn't just because it's the natural thing to do--it's because it's the healthy thing to do. The field of lactation consultancy is one of the most important and fastest growing fields of preventive medicine. It is only a question of time for the health insurance industry as a whole to recognize the financial benefit of the services of a certified lactation consultant to whom the patient is referred by her attending physician or primary health care provider. The costs are minimal for the consultation, but the costs later to the insurance company in a chronically sick child and the greater risk of serious disease to the mother are astronomical. In addition, the infant's family will save approximately $2,000 per year in infant formula.

Benefits to the Mother

• Pitocin savings in post partum care

• Breast Cancer Reduction

• Reduces

  • Diabetic's Need for Insulin
  • Or Delays Onset of Gestational Diabetes
  • Hyperprolactinemia
  • Galactorrhea
  • Menstrual Disturbances
  • Genito-Urinary problems

• Oxytocin

  • Decreases Blood Pressure
  • Decreases Stress Hormone level
  • Calms the mother

• Reduces Risk of

  • Endometrial cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Helps in Weight Loss

Benefits to the Baby

• Protection from

  • Allergies!
  • Anemia
  • Communicable Childhood Diseases
  • Sudden Death from Botulism
  • Other SIDS
  • Diarrhea and vomiting
  • Salmonellosis
  • Giardiasis
  • Gastrointestinal Disease
  • RSV infections
  • Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Hospitalization

  • Less Likely
  • Reduced Readmission Rates

• Lessen Risk of

  • Necrotizing Enterocolitis
  • Otitis Media
  • Respiratory Infections
  • Sepsis
  • Urinary Tract Infections
  • Childhood Cancer
  • Asthma
  • Heart Disease
  • Inguinal Hernia
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Childhood Obesity