Wednesday, February 10, 2010

What I ♥ about Breastfeeding

  • It releases oxytocin which helps the uterus clamp down after birth, drastically reducing the likelihood of postpartum hemorrhage.
  • Oxytocin is the 'love' hormone--it helps facilitate the bond between mother and child, as well as making her feel warm fuzzies.
  • That it's convenient--always available, never left behind, always the right temperature, always enough.
  • It's ready right now, no making a hungry baby wait.
  • It's FREE!
  • It's easy at night. 
  • Breastfed babies don't have nasty or stinky diapers.
  • That it's the perfect nourishment for a child. 
  • The supply adjusts to the baby's suckling--so I have more when he's in a growth spurt, and less when he's not, and I don't have to try to figure out which phase we're in because it happens automatically.
  • That the nutrients adjust to the needs of my child as he grows and changes. 
  • That it bolsters the baby's immune system by sharing my antibodies.
  • That it delays the resumption of my menstruation.
  • It lowers my risk of breast cancer.
  • It lowers my childrens' risk of breast cancer and other cancers, including leukemia.
  • That 'nursing' is so much more than just feeding my child at my breast--it is developing a relationship of attachment and love.
    Eagle at about a week old
    See his little hand holding on? 
    Even then he knew what the good stuff was!


    You might also enjoy TopHat's "Top Ten Cool Things about Breastmilk"

    1 comment:

    gpc said...

    My last littler nurser stopped close to 30 years ago, and I still miss it. There is nothing in the world so sweet.

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