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14 reasons why I decided to breast feed my baby

When I was pregnant I never had doubt in my mind that I wanted to breast feed my baby and give her all the goodies that breast milk offered. It was harder in the beginning - the first couple of weeks. Cracked nipples almost made me cry and quit, but there was a special cream that worked miracles. A clogged duct happened once; painful, but was gone by the end of the day.

Although there were the few set backs, here are some of the reasons that kept me nursing my daughter for nearly two years to give her the best possible start in life.

1. There are no bottles to wash and sterilize; just this one made my life a whole lot easier.

2. No need to worry about how much formula to take if going out. There's also no need to carry any bottles or formula. Breast milk is readily available anytime baby needs it as much as baby needs and it is always fresh.

3. No need to warm the milk; therefore no risk of burning baby's mouth. Breast milk is always warm and always the right temperature that baby likes. Also, there's no need to warm milk in the middle of the night, so mom and baby could go back to sleep quicker.

4. Breast milk has much nicer taste than baby formula. The formula has a powdery taste.

5. Breast milk provides the best nutrition that baby need to grow and develop. Of course, it is best when the mother's eating habits and diet are well balanced - eating lots of fruits and vegetables, variety of meats and/or legumes, dairy products, breads and cereals. Taking maternity vitamins is just as important while breast feeding, as it was when pregnant.

6. This one was my personal favorite; when my daughter had a cold or fever I rarely relied on medicine. Nursing her was enough to lower her fever within 10-15 minutes. It worked every time. Getting through cold was a snap, too. It seems we enhanced the statistics that breast fed babies are statistically healthier than formula fed babies.

7. Nursing is an amazing helper when flying with your baby. We all know how changes in altitude can put pressure in our ears. Well, babies are even more sensitive. Breast feeding your infant when taking off and landing is a great way to keep them quiet, calm and maybe even make them feel secure.

8. Save money on formula and bottles. Surely you'll find other items you would like to spend that $1200 or more a year, or maybe use the money to start baby's RESP.

9. Research indicates that breast milk transfers to an infant a mother's antibodies to different diseases thus helping in the development of the baby's immune system.

10. The proportions of fat, carbohydrates and protein needed by your developing baby are always right. As babies grow their needs change; breast milk changes constantly according to those needs. With formula this is not the case.

11. Breast fed babies rarely constipate. It could happen when you start introducing baby to solid foods.

12. Nursing helps mom lose weight quicker after baby is born.

13. Research indicates that breast feeding tends to lower the risk of developing breast cancer in women - mother and baby.

14. It is only natural to breast feed.

There are a lot more reasons why it is better to choose to breast feed your baby than feeding them with formula and I certainly have not tried listing all of it. Also, there are many convenience and health benefits for the mother, as well as for the baby, but the choice rests with each one of us.

Copyright © 2007, My Family's Universe. All rights reserved.

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* Disclaimer: All the information here is provided as general guidelines and should not be used as a substitute for professional advice. Only your family doctor and/or pediatrician is familiar with your family's health and medical history and particular circumstances and they can provide you with the most accurate diagnosis and/or advice.