Let's get back to the breast

Just a quick nudge to anyone out there debating between giving their baby formula or breastfeeding. There really are numerous advantages to breastfeeding. Today I just want to focus on the benefits to baby:

• Worried about SIDS? I can only tell you researchers have provided solid evidence that there is a significant decrease in risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
• Lots of food allergies in your family? Well, you can reduce your babies chances of developing her own by simply nursing her.
• Concerned about the rise in obesity in teenagers? Yep, I'm going to tell you that breastfed babies are less likely to become overweight teens. I'm just reporting the facts here, folks.

Of course, as mothers, our primary concern is the health of our children. If you want your baby to be protected against infections like diarrhea, haemophilus influenza, otitis media (ear infection), herpes simplex, and respiratory syncytical virus (RSV), breastfeed your baby for at least the first six months. Additionally, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends breastfeeding as much as possible to protect your infant from the H1N1 virus, and as you know, the swine flu presents serious dangers to little ones. By building up your child's immune system through breastmilk, you give him a better shot at a healthy first year.

If you choose to formula feed, does this make you a bad mother? Of course not! And I don't mean to imply that. I just want to make my readers aware of the benefits of breastfeeding, based on recommendations by the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and others. Now if you decide to bottle feed with cow's milk from the fridge, then we might have to talk!

Keeping it healthy,

Hana