Evidence-Based Care
Breastfeeding is Better
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend keeping breast milk in your baby's diet to some level up until age TWO? Because of this recommendation, Colorado laws protect a mother's right to pump at work until age two. Breast milk and breastfeeding are so vital that they are protected by law
Giving your baby breast milk is the BEST way to give them a healthy start in life with benefits that are immediate and last a lifetime. Every mother's breast milk is unique and customized by her body to meet the exact needs of her baby. It's like preparing a gourmet meal especially for your baby! Feeding your baby breast milk saves time, money and potentially their life.
Benefits for Baby
Breast milk is the only baby food that contains live cells, hormones, antibodies and critical growth factors that promote gut development. The composition of human milk is constantly changing to meet the nutritional needs of your growing baby. And most importantly, human milk has critical immune factors that provide immune protection that cannot be reproduced.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, research shows that breastfed babies have lower risks of:
- Asthma
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Ear infections
- Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
- Leukemia (during childhood)
- Obesity (during childhood)
- Necrotizing enterocolitis, a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in premature babies.
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Type 2 diabetes
Benefits for Mom
When a mother breastfeeds in the first hour after birth, a surge of hormones are released to help with post-partum healing, decrease the risk of bleeding, and assists the uterus in returning to its normal size. By breastfeeding, a mother also lowers her risk for these conditions:
- Postpartum hemorrhage
- Postpartum depression
- Type 2 diabetes
- Breast, ovarian, endometrial and thyroid cancers
- Hypertension
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Breastfeeding also benefits our environment and society. Evidence shows that breastfeeding families are sick less often and the parents miss less work. There is no risk of contamination and breast milk is always available and ready to feed, at the right temperature even in the case of emergency situations, such as natural disasters.
Composition of breastmilk compared to formula
Breastmilk is better than science? YES!
- Formula is more complex to digest than breast milk. Formula is made from cow's milk, and since humans are not cows, it often takes time for a baby's stomach to adjust to digesting it. This is especially true if your baby was born before 37 weeks.
- Breastmilk is customized to meet their needs. As mentioned above, breast milk changes as your baby gets older and to meet its needs during conditions like illness. During latch feeding, a mother's body can sense her baby's needs and changes the breastmilk to meet those needs. Isn't that amazing?
- Bruastfeeding saves time. At first, formula feeding may seem more straightforward, but once you are comfortable with breastfeeding, it can make life easier and save a lot of time. Once a mom and baby settle into a good routine, nothing else is needed. You don't need to worry about getting up in the middle of the night to mix formula. There's no waiting for the bottle to warm, nor are there bottles to wash. A mother's breast is always primed and ready to meet her baby's hunger immediately.
- Breastfeeding saves money! It's estimated that formula and feeding supplies can cost well over $5,000 a year (2022). Statistically, breastfed babies also don't get sick as often, saving the parents medical expenses.
- Breastfeeding helps facilitate a stronger mother/baby bond. Even though a mother can hold her baby while feeding a bottle of formula, her baby will feel even more secure and comforted when nursing from her breast. The mother will also feel a closer connection because her baby's suckling increases her oxytocin hormone levels. Oxytocin is known as the "love hormone," so breastfeeding can help a mother feel calmer and comforted. This also helps decrease the development of postpartum depression in some women.
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