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The
perfect
food
BREAST
M I L K
Breastfeeding can also help:
•
Make life easier. Not having to pre-
pare formula saves time and money.
•
Reduce your risk of ovarian cancer
and breast cancer. It may also help re-
duce the risk of fractures later in life.
Food for a year
The longer you breastfeed, the better
it is for your baby. The AAP recom-
mends that babies get only breast milk
for the rst six months of their life.
And they should continue to get breast
milk, along with other appropriate
food, until they’re at least 1 year old.
But even if you can only nurse for a
short time, your baby’s immune sys-
tem will still bene t from breast milk.
Not every woman can breastfeed her
baby, of course. But for those who
can, breast milk is the perfect food for
baby’s rst year.
Tackle problems together
Traci Stech of Osmond breastfed
her rst child, Klaire, and thought
she would have no issues with her
second, Axton. After three weeks,
Axton became fussy. He would cry
“Breastfeeding for me
was never a decision. It
was just what mothers
are meant to do for their
babies.”
—Traci Stech, Osmond
BREAST MILK
is a remarkable
food. It has just the right amount
of fat, sugar, water and protein that
babies need. But breastfeeding of-
fers more bene ts to babies than just
good nutrition. For instance, breast
milk contains antibodies—something
formula doesn’t have—that can boost
a baby’s immune system and help
protect him or her from a variety of
illnesses, including ear infections,
diarrhea and pneumonia.
Lifelong bene ts
Studies suggest that the bene ts of
breastfeeding may last long past infancy.
According to the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), breast-
feeding may help protect babies
from developing sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS), obesity, diabetes
and some cancers.
Breastfed babies may also have an
advantage when they eventually enter
the classroom.
Breast milk contains important
fatty acids that help an infant’s brain
develop. And research suggests that
children who were breastfed score
slightly higher on IQ tests and do
better in school than do kids who
weren’t breastfed.
Moms bene t too
Breastfeeding is good for you as well
as for your baby. For instance, your
body releases hormones when you
breastfeed that help you and your
baby bond. Plus, the extra calories
you burn while nursing can help you
get back to your
pre-pregnancy
weight sooner
than if you
don’t nurse.
6 FAITH REGIONAL
HEALTH SERVICES
Stech family