BREASTFEEDING SERIES No.1: The Benefits of Breastfeeding

Since my sister is giving birth to her first-born this month, I'm helping educate her on breastfeeding by writing about it all Mondays of October. And as promised, one lucky reader will receive a pretty Next9 Nursing Cover and a Lactacyd Baby Bath gift pack! Raffle contest details at the end of this post.

I believe that, when God created moms, He specifically included the ability to produce milk so that we can provide sustenance for our babies no matter what the circumstances are. There's no excuse to breastfeeding - it's natural and convenient. Plus, it benefits not only our babies but our bodies, too.

Breastfeeding is best for babies! Breastmilk make babies smarter, healthier, and happier. Among the benefits derived from breastmilk are:

• increased resistance to viral and bacterial infections
• decreased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• decreased risk of diarrhea and constipation
• less colic
• healthier and softer skin
• lower risk of anemia, pneumonia, gastroenterities, dental caries, and bronchitis
• better brain development and visual development and eye coordination
• leaner body composition throughout infancy
• reduced risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancers, allergic diseases, polio, and asthma

Breastfeeding is best for moms! Breastfeeding creates this special bond between mother than child. Aside from that, moms get to enjoy these advantages:

• quick return of uterus to normal size
• reduced blood loss after giving birth
• dealy of fertility (when exclusively breastfeeding)
• fewer urinary tract infections
• faster weight loss
• reduced risk of breask, ovarian, and endemotriosis cancers
• reduced risk of fractures and osteoporosis
• lowered risk of postpartum depression, stress, anxiety, and agression

Win this!

Help me encourage other moms and moms-to-be to breastfeed. Share the link of this post in your Facebook wall by clicking the Facebook share button at the beginning of this post and tagging The 24 Hour Mommy by writing this:

I and @The 24 Hour Mommy encourage moms and moms-to-be to breastfeed!

Reminders:

• You will need to be a FAN to successfully tag our Facebook fan page. Choose and click The 24 Hour Mommy's fan page as it appears in the drop down list after typing @ and the first few letters.
• Your post's privacy setting should be set to EVERYONE for it to appear in the fan page wall. If in case you are having problems in making your posts appear in the fan page wall, don't hesitate to place a comment to this post so I can help you.
• You will only need to share the link of this post once to qualify in the raffle. There will be 4 posts about breastfeeding so you will have 4 chances of winning!
• This contest is open to Philippine readers. I will ship the prize to the lucky winner. Contest will run from October 4, 2010 to October 29, 2010. I will announce the winner by October 30, 2010.

Reference: Breastfeeding informational flyer developed by the DOH, WHO, and SM Supermalls.

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