Benefits to your Baby    

• Start breastfeeding as soon as possible, within an hour of birth is preferred, placing your baby skin-to-skin and allowing him/her to find the nipple and latch on

• Breastfeed your baby 8-12 times a day, usually every 1 ½ to 3 hour

• Avoid use of pacifiers until breastfeeding is well established

• Avoid giving any other fluid, such as water, juice, formula

• Look for signs of hunger and offer the breast for feeding

  • Increased activity and alertness, sucking motions of mouth

• Do not feed a crying baby, rock them and calm them first. Crying is a late sign of hunger.

Breast Feeding Facts:

• Formula is expensive!

• Reduced risk for breast and ovarian cancer

• Decreased bleeding after birth, including menstrual blood loss

• Increased rate of weight loss

• Reduced risk of type 2 Diabetes

• Enhances bonding with your baby

• Decreased risk for osteoporosis (bone loss)

• Decreased risk for Iron-Deficiency Anemia

• Delays return of period

• Promotes growth and development

• Increased resistance to infections

• Decreased Ear infections

• Decreased Respiratory Infections

  • Pneumonia

• Digestive problems

• Meningitis (swelling around brain)

• Bacterial infections

• Decreased rates of chronic disease

• Asthma

• Diabetes

• Childhood Cancer

• Decreased risk of Obesity

• Stronger immune system, decreasing risk of becoming sick

• Decreased risk of urinary tract infection

• Decreased incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

• Decreased risk for Necrotizing Entercolitis (death of tissue in small intestine)