It has taken me quite some time to think about how I wanted to do my part II of breastfeeding in the NICU. This is such a personal topic for so many people, including myself, and my hope is that reading this would be an encouragement rather than a judgement. Being in the NICU made me realize the importance of giving our little one every fighting chance, and while I had planned on breastfeeding before knowing we'd be in the NICU, her health settled the deal for us! Having said that, I can only speak to my own experience. I know there are many moms who struggled just like me and in the end were unable to breastfeed, or produce milk etc. This post is going to cover the top 5 reasons why breastfeeding was the best choice for our family, hoping this brings some new insight and encouragement to those mom's who choose to breastfeed or are curious about it's benefits.
Top 5 Reasons Why We Breastfeed
1. Human milk is best for babies! It is specifically designed for your baby... so for my preemie, my milk was much fattier and full of nutrients that a formula could never make up! It helped her gain weight faster, and has protected her from illness.2. Breast milk actually helps develop baby's cognitive ability! This is one of my favorite facts about breast milk. Studies have proven that breast fed babies are actually smarter! The milk actually has "smarter fats," meaning that they are designed for your baby's brain development.
3. Breast feeding decreases a woman's risk of breast cancer by nearly 25%! Imagine a world with 1/4 less breast cancer stories!
4. Breast milk helps build up immunities and creates a strong immune system for these little ones! Research shows that breastfed babies are sick less often! This fact fascinates me! If a baby has been exposed to an illness that mom hasn't that organism is transferred through baby's saliva to the breast where antibodies are created onsite! Talk about an incredible design!
5. It's easier! No getting out of bed in the middle of the night stumbling to find the bottle and warm up the milk! Nope- it's always ready to go and always the perfect temperature!
I have loved getting to learn all about this incredible system through my own research, but do your own and make the best decision for you and your family! Here are some of my favorite websites, that are loaded with information!
http://www.notmilk.com/101.html
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/childrens-health/articles/2011/01/21/is-breast-feeding-always-best-for-babies
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-eating/breastfeeding/why-breast-is-best/how-breastfeeding-builds-brighter-brains
http://milkshare.birthingforlife.com/healthbenefits
http://www.llli.org/resources/assistance.html?m=0,0
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