Main Page Blog Getting Pregnant Articles Pregnancy Articles Parenting Articles TLOL Article Directory Chinese Gender Chart Pregnancy and Parenting Journals	Nature's Brilliant Plan Some Lesser-Known Facts about Breastfeeding by Amy Scott 1. Aids in uterus returning to original size after birth. Nipple stimulation from nursing causes the uterus to contract and return to its original shape quickly. 2. Nursing burns calories. With a sensible diet, most nursing mothers can eat many small meals a day, and lose weight without dieting. 3. Amenhorrea. Amenorrhea is the cessation of menstruation, and the average length is 18 months. Aside from the pleasure of being period-free for over two years, mothers also enjoy a reduced risk of anemia. 4. Fewer illness, ear infections, allergies, asthma "Your baby will not be allergic to your milk, you can be certain of that," states The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, by La Leche League International. However, nursing reduces your child's risk of having eczema, food allergies, respiratory allergies and asthma, and can lessen the severity of those she has. Breastfeeding also has a protective effect against juvenile diabetes, celiac disease, childhood cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, urinary tract infections, multiple sclerosis, liver disease, and acute appendicitis. According to Cecilia Miller, breastfeeding advocate, "When the breastfed baby does get the occasional sniffles or stomach flu, breastmilk provides a perfect, nutritious, well-tolerated re-hydrating fluid so there's no need to use synthetic substances like Pedialyte or glucose water." 5. Poops and spit-up don't stain or stink as much. Well, it's true! J As fast as they grow, those baby clothes don't get much wear. It's a shame when perfectly good outfits get stained from formula spit-up. And of course, the poop of a breast-fed baby really is much less offensive. 6. Mother-infant bonding enhanced. According to Dr. William Sears (quoted in The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding), "Breastfeeding mothers respond to their babies more intuitively and with less restraint. The baby's signals of hunger or distress trigger a biological response within the mother (a milk let-down) and she feels the urge to pick up the baby and nurse her. This response rewards both mother and baby with good feelings. If a mother is bottle-feeding, her response to her baby crying is quite different. She must initially divert her attention away from the baby to an object, the bottle, and take time to find and prepare it. Research has show that a baby's memory span in the first six months is from four to ten seconds. The time it takes to produce a non-biological response, such as bottle-feeding, is usually longer than the baby's memory span. The bottle-feeding baby does not receive the same immediate reinforcement of his cues that a breastfeeding baby does. In my practice, I have noticed that breastfeeding mothers tend to show a high degree of sensitivity to their babies, and I believe this is a result of the biological changes that occur in a mother in response to the signals of her baby.." 7. Rest and rejuvenation. According to Miller, "Nursing is the perfect excuse for getting the rest you need to recover from childbirth and to maintain your energy level so you can keep up with your growing baby and any older children you have. While it's possible to breastfeed "on the run" if you use a sling, you will most often sit down and "take a load off" while nursing. This allows you some much-needed rest and gives you an opportunity to rejuvenate a little, have a cool drink, enjoy some quiet time with baby and older children, maybe even doze off for a few minutes. 8. Great way for working moms to maintain their attachment to baby and to "reconnect" after work. 9. Reduces exposure to sugar in formula. The only sugar babies need or should have is lactose - the simple sugar found in human breastmilk. Sucrose is harmful to teeth and the rest of the body. 10. Reduces exposure to harmful chemicals in plastic nipples and bottles. 11. Reduces exposure to potential allergens in formula. Cow's milk and soy are two of the most common allergens, and cow's milk and soy are the two most common types of formula. Human babies are never allergic to human milk. 12. Inexpensive. With the money saved from formula and bottle costs (not to mention healthcare costs that would be otherwise avoided), you could hire a weekly housecleaning, eat out more often, see movies, have a savings account, you name it. Nursing is free. 13. Reduced risk of SIDS. Studies indicate that formula-fed infants are more likely to be victims of SIDS. 14. Reduces a mother's risk of breast, ovarian, cervical and uterine cancer. Breast cancer is a leading killer of women in the United States and around the world. We know that breastfeeding drastically reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. For this reason alone, it is worth committing to breastfeed. 15. Good for toddler tantrums. Depending on the child, tantrums and other very intense emotional expressions can begin as early as infancy. Most toddlers have them, and nursing will very often soothe and calm. Many times it ends the tantrum immediately. It is a wonderful way to re-connect when your child is over-extended, tired, hungry, frustrated or feeling lonely. 16. Good for soothing during emergency. Many times, crises can be handled more smoothly and with less trauma if a child can nurse. My own son, at two years old, had to have stitches in his head from a bad fall. Without an understanding doctor and our nursing relationship continuing into toddlerhood, my sweet, frightened son would have been strapped to a wooden board and given treatment. I can't imagine the terror and grief we all would have suffered, and am very grateful that I was able to hold and nurse him throughout this process. 17. Easier when travelling. Who wants to pack bottles? Find a place to wash them, keep them cool, and warm them? Breastmilk is always available, always warm, always sterile, and always packed. 18. For the normally flat-chested, a temporary boost! Not the single best reason to breastfeed, but a nice, um perk. ( "Saggy" breasts in some mothers are caused by an increase in breast size during pregnancy, not from breastfeeding ) 19. For the normally full-bosomed, finally putting it all to good use! Seriously, it is very empowering to fully sustain a life for over a year. You carry your child within you for 9 months, and can completely nourish him from you breasts for at least six months more. It is a miracle! References The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, La Leche League International, 1997. Laura Marple's "Reasons to Breastfeed" Page "Breastfeeding & the Working Mother" page Wears The Baby - Distributing cool and useful goodies for nurtured children and mindful family life. "Every stage in a child's life is there for a purpose. If we can respect and respond to her needs fully during each stage of her life, she can be done with that stage and move on. " Naomi Aldort Amy Scott lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two children. She is a sociologist, breastfeeding counselor, and owner of Wears The Baby, distributing cloth baby slings, breast pumps, and nursingwear. The Scotts are a home-educating family.