1. Perfect food for baby
Breastfeeding is the ideal way to feed your baby and breastmilk has the perfect proportion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to help meet your baby’s energy and nutritional needs. Maintaining your healthy balanced diet and getting enough calories – up to 300 more per day — is important while breastfeeding – after all, making the perfect food requires perfect ingredients.
2. Growth and development
Breastmilk is rich in the majority of essential nutrients to help support your baby’s healthy growth and development. Breastfeeding and the nutrition of breastmilk has been shown to be an important contributor to brain development and cognitive function in newborns.
3. Easy to digest
Breastmilk has proteins that are naturally gentle and easy to digest making breast milk well tolerated by most babies. Breastfed babies also tend to be less gassy and have less constipation.
4. Helps Prevent Allergies
Breastmilk may be protective against the development of some allergies since breastfed babies tend to develop fewer allergies.
5. Good For the Immune System
Breastmilk has antibodies and beneficial bacteria called probiotics that help support digestive health and the developing immune system.
6. Can help prevent disease in mom
Breastfeeding isn’t just good for baby! Studies have shown that it may help decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes, certain breast cancers, and ovarian cancer.
7. Helps you recover
The hormones released while breastfeeding help your uterus to contract and return to its pre-pregnancy size more quickly.
8. Helps you relax
Breastfeeding stimulates hormones which may be associated with a feeling of calm or relaxation. Many mothers also feel fulfillment and joy from the physical and emotional connection they experience when breastfeeding their child.
9. Burns Calories
Breastfeeding moms may experience greater weight loss than those who don’t but more research is needed to confirm the effects of breastfeeding on weight loss.
10. Bond with baby
Best of all, cuddling is required for breastfeeding. You’ll be making lots of eye contact and doing a whole bunch of touching when you breastfeed, helping you make connections with your newborn that will last a lifetime.
While breastfeeding can be very beneficial for both you and Baby, that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. You might have questions, concerns, or just be looking for a little support. Thankfully, our partners at Gerber have made a program available to all Ovia moms that offers a free, 15-minute phone call with a lactation consultant. Just tap the button below to schedule an appointment for the next time you’ve got a free moment.
Schedule now
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