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101 reasons to breastfeed...

519 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  sarastone
I'm working on a little project here. I'm trying to come up with 101 reasons to breast feed. I've found 74 and was hoping for help coming up with a few more. Here is what I've come up with so far...

1.Perfect food for your baby, breast milk for preemies is different than breast milk for full term babies
2.Contains all the right components to aid in the development of brain and nervous system
3.Only food your baby needs for the first 6 to 9 months of life
4.Not as likely to constipate baby as formula
5.Diapers are less stinky
6.Baby smells better
7.Less likelihood of serious digestive upsets
8.Less diaper rash
9.Fewer respiratory infections
10.Hypoallergenic food
11.Babies develop fewer allergies after breastfeeding
12.Easy to travel when nursing - nothing to remember to pack and transport
13.Causes secretion of prolactin (a mothering hormone)
14.Always available, properly mixed and heated
15.Because you don't have to spend time preparing it like formula, you get more sleep during night feedings
16.Lower risk of breast cancer
17.Lower risk of ovarian cancer
18.Lowered risk of endometrial cancer
19.Lowered risk of uterine cancer
20.Lower risk of osteoporosis
21.Lowered risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis
22.Breastfed babies have significantly higher IQs (8.3 points on average)
23.You don't get your period for several months
24.Can be used as birth control (lactational amenorrhea) if it is within the first six months, nursing is exclusive and frequent and menstrual cycles have not returned
25.Emotional and physical nourishment all in one act
26.Less postpartum depression
27.An excuse for you to sit down with your baby, put your feet up and rest
28.You get to see things about your baby that no one else ever will
29.A protein in human milk called mucin suppresses the reproduction of rotavirus, a major cause of infant diarrhea
30.Causes involution of the uterus, which means less postpartum bleeding
31.Encourages proper face and jaw development and therefore less orthodontia
32.Encourages proper weight gain for your particular baby
33.Helps with postpartum weight loss
34.Baby is less likely to be obese as she grows up
35.Lip and facial muscles and bones develop normally
36.The tongue functions correctly, which leads to a normal adult swallow
37.The tongue action develops the maxilla (upper jaw) into a wide enough structure to contain all the teeth comfortably within it's arch
38.Any remaining postpartum cranial distortion will have a chance to be corrected because of the amount of force needed to nurse.
39.Aids in mother child bonding
40.It costs nothing
41.Gives mom feelings of achievement and satisfaction
42.Aerates and drains the baby's eustachian tubes, resulting in fewer ear infections
43.Develops hand eye coordination
44.Induces sleep
45.Quenches baby's thirst
46.Comforting to baby and mother
47.Breastfed babies get sick less often and get illnesses that are less severe
48.Breastfed babies are hospitalized less often and have a lower rate of mortality
49.Lower risk of urinary tract infection in babies and mothers
50.Lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
51.Fewer learning difficulties
52.Statistically significant tendencies for conduct disorder scores to decline with increasing duration of breastfeeding
53.Confers passive immunity
54.Provides optimal growth and neurological development
55.Protects against hypothermia
56.Provides partial protection against necrotizing entercolitis
57.Provides major protection against bacteremia and meningitis
58.Reduces the incidence of childhood lymphoma
59.Enhanced visual development
60.Is less risky for premature and low birth weight babies
61.Lowered risk of juvenile diabetes
62.Enhanced antibody response to vaccines
63.Lower risk of inflammatory illnesses
64.Lower risk of celiac disease
65.Lower risk of Crohn's disease
66.Lower risk of ulcerative colitis
67.Lower risk of cholera
68.Lower risk of neonatal hypocalcemic tetany
69.Reduces the requirements of insulin for lactating diabetic mothers
70.Results in less environmental waste and pollution
71.Breast milk spit up doesn't stain clothes like formula spit up
72.Perks children up and energizes them
73.Soothes the frustrations, bumps and bruises, and daily stresses of early childhood
74.Nursing past infancy helps little ones make a gradual transition to childhood

Thanks so much for any help!
Allison
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WOW!!!


I will have to think....
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*cures clogged tear ducts in baby
*Gives mom a much desired (sometimes) 'busty look'

*You get to use your breasts as nature intended!
*Breastmilk helps baby use up iron in their diet more efficiently.

Hope this helps...great list!


Sarah
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At the breastfeeding support center that I work for, we have an existing 101 list. Did you want to create your own or would you like a copy of ours mailed to you? I may even have it in the comp...so as to e-mail it.
Sara, I'd love to see your 101 list. I don't necessarily need to create my own. If you can email it to me, you can send it to [email protected] If you need my regular mailing address, let me know and I will email it directly to you. Thanks so much!
Allison
I sent it to your e-mail! I hope that you find it helpful.
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