The United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) officially declared August as National Breastfeeding Month on August 6, 2011. While recognizing that not all parents are able to breast feed, all major medical authorities recommend that when possible, infants should be breastfed exclusively for the first six months and receive complimentary breastfeeding for at least their first year of life.
Breast milk is a safe, reliable and natural food source that adapts over time to meet the changing needs of your growing child. It has just the right amount of calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals to support normal growth and development. Human milk is also packed with disease-fighting substances that help to protect your baby from illness. The colostrum produced in the first few days of nursing is rich with a protective substance that coats your baby’s mucous membranes and guards against invading germs.
In addition to the strong emotional bonding that occurs with breastfeeding, breastfeeding offers well-documented health benefits for both infants and mothers, protecting against a variety of diseases and chronic conditions. Breastfeeding can reduce your baby’s risk of developing ear infections, upper respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal tract infections, allergies, celiac disease, diabetes and much more. Breastfeeding can also reduce a woman’s risk of developing postpartum depression, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
Shield HealthCare’s Breastfeeding Community provides information and support on a variety of topics, including:
– Health Benefits of Breastfeeding
– I’m Breastfeeding; What Should I Eat?
– How to Use and Store Breast Milk Safely
– How to Make Sure Your Baby Gets Enough Breast Milk
– Breastfeeding: Common Problems
– Affordable Care Act Information – Breastfeeding Benefits
– Breastfeeding Resources and Links
For more information and breastfeeding support, visit www.usbreastfeeding.org and www.womenshealth.gov, which provided source information for this article.
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