World Breastfeeding Week: 1 - 7 August 2010

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 120 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world.

Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old, and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.

Breast feeding is beneficial to both the mother and child. Breastfeeding offers protecting against a variety of diseases. These are some benefits as a result of you breastfeeding your child:

Breastfeeding protects your baby from gastrointestinal trouble, respiratory problems, and ear infections
Studies from around the world have shown that diarrhea, lower respiratory illnesses, and ear infections happen less often in breastfed babies, and are less severe when they do occur.

Breastfeeding can protect your baby from developing allergies.
Scientists think that the fatty acids and immune factors such as IgA in breast milk prevent allergic reactions by stopping large foreign proteins from getting into a baby's system. (Proteins in cows' milk are one of the most common allergens, which is one reason that babies who are fed cows' milk-based formulas tend to have more allergic reactions than breastfed babies.)

Breastfeeding may boost your child's intelligence
Several studies have found a possible connection between breastfeeding and higher IQs. So if you want an Albert Einstein or Obama for a child, breastfeed your baby.

Breastfeeding may protect against obesity later in life
Experts think that breastfeeding may affect later weight gain for reasons such as: Breastfed babies are better at regulating their feedings, leading to healthier eating patterns as they grow.

Breastfeeding may protect your baby from childhood leukemia

Breastfeeding may protect your baby from developing type 1 diabetes
Breastfeeding for more than six months appears to reduce a child's risk of developing insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes.

Breastfeeding may protect preemies from infections and high blood pressure later in life
Breast milk seems to offer special protection for premature babies.

Breastfeeding may lower your baby's risk of SIDS{Sudden Infant Death Syndrome}

Breastfeeding helps you lose weight
Nursing your baby can help you shed pounds more quickly, especially during the first year. This is because your body burns calories while it makes breast milk.

Breastfeeding can lower your stress levels and reduce postpartum bleeding
Because nursing triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin in your body, you're more likely to feel relaxed while breastfeeding. Oxytocin also helps your uterus contract back to size after birth, resulting in less postpartum bleeding.
Breastfeeding may reduce your risk of some types of cancer
Numerous studies have found that the longer women breastfeed, the more they're protected against breast and ovarian cancer

Breastfeeding may protect against osteoporosis later in life
Two studies show that breastfeeding may actually improve a woman's bone density in the long run and reduce the risk of hip fractures in old age.

Are these not enough reason to breastfeed your child exclusively?
So, to women who feel breast feeding is a burden, you are not doing yourself and your baby any good.

NO GIFT IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN BREASTFEEDING!!!

Reference: www.babycentre.com