Breastfeeding: Nourishing Mothers, Babies and Our Planet
Human milk is
uniquely suited for human infants:
Human milk is easy to digest and contains more than 200 components that babies need in the
early months of life. Factors in breast milk protect infants from a wide variety of illnesses.
Children who have been breastfed have less risk of becoming overweight or obese, even as adults.
Research has shown that children who had been breastfed had
higher IQs.
Breastfeeding saves
lives:
Lack of breastfeeding is a risk factor
for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Human milk protects
premature infants from life-threatening gastrointestinal disease.
Breastfed children have lower risk of dying before their first
birthday.
Breastfed infants are
healthier:
Formula fed infants have twice the risk of
having ear infections in the first year than infants who are exclusively
breastfed for at least fou months. Breastfeeding reduces
the incidence, and lessens the severity of a large number of infections,
including pneumonia and meningitis in infants. Breastfeeding protects infants
against a variety of illnesses, such as diarrhea and infant botulism.
Breastfed babies have less chance of allergies, asthma and
eczema. Evidence suggests that exclusive breastfeeding for at least two
months protects susceptible children from Type I insulin dependent diabetes
mellitus (DDM). Breastfeeding may reduce the risk for subsequent
inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and
childhood cancers.
Breastfeeding helps
mothers recover from childbirth!
Breastfeeding
helps the uterus to shrink to its pre-pregnancy state and reduces the amount of
blood lost after delivery. Mothers who breastfeed for at least 3 months may
lose more weight than mothers who do not breastfeed.
Breastfeeding mothers usually resume their menstrual cycles 20
to 30 weeks later than mothers who do not breastfeed.
Breastfeeding keeps women healthier throughout their lives:
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months can
help in child spacing among women who do not use contraceptives (The Lactation
Amenorrhea Method). Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian
cancer. Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Breastfeeding is economical:
The cost of infant formula has increased 150 percent since the 1980’s.
Breastfeeding reduces health care costs.
Breastfeeding is environmentally
sound:
Unlike infant formula, breastfeeding
requires no fossil fuels for its manufacture or preparation.
Breastfeeding reduces pollutants created as by-products during
the manufacture of plastics for bottles and metal for cans to contain infant
formula. Breastfeeding reduces the burden on our landfills, as
there are no cans to throw away.
Sources: California Women Infant & Children Program
Human milk is
uniquely suited for human infants:
Human milk is easy to digest and contains more than 200 components that babies need in the
early months of life. Factors in breast milk protect infants from a wide variety of illnesses.
Children who have been breastfed have less risk of becoming overweight or obese, even as adults.
Research has shown that children who had been breastfed had
higher IQs.
Breastfeeding saves
lives:
Lack of breastfeeding is a risk factor
for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Human milk protects
premature infants from life-threatening gastrointestinal disease.
Breastfed children have lower risk of dying before their first
birthday.
Breastfed infants are
healthier:
Formula fed infants have twice the risk of
having ear infections in the first year than infants who are exclusively
breastfed for at least fou months. Breastfeeding reduces
the incidence, and lessens the severity of a large number of infections,
including pneumonia and meningitis in infants. Breastfeeding protects infants
against a variety of illnesses, such as diarrhea and infant botulism.
Breastfed babies have less chance of allergies, asthma and
eczema. Evidence suggests that exclusive breastfeeding for at least two
months protects susceptible children from Type I insulin dependent diabetes
mellitus (DDM). Breastfeeding may reduce the risk for subsequent
inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and
childhood cancers.
Breastfeeding helps
mothers recover from childbirth!
Breastfeeding
helps the uterus to shrink to its pre-pregnancy state and reduces the amount of
blood lost after delivery. Mothers who breastfeed for at least 3 months may
lose more weight than mothers who do not breastfeed.
Breastfeeding mothers usually resume their menstrual cycles 20
to 30 weeks later than mothers who do not breastfeed.
Breastfeeding keeps women healthier throughout their lives:
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months can
help in child spacing among women who do not use contraceptives (The Lactation
Amenorrhea Method). Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian
cancer. Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Breastfeeding is economical:
The cost of infant formula has increased 150 percent since the 1980’s.
Breastfeeding reduces health care costs.
Breastfeeding is environmentally
sound:
Unlike infant formula, breastfeeding
requires no fossil fuels for its manufacture or preparation.
Breastfeeding reduces pollutants created as by-products during
the manufacture of plastics for bottles and metal for cans to contain infant
formula. Breastfeeding reduces the burden on our landfills, as
there are no cans to throw away.
Sources: California Women Infant & Children Program