The Milky Way

Hi there! Hope your weekend was filled with blessings and awesomeness :-) Now onto the start of another lovely, wonderful and exciting week in the amazing world of motherhood. In recognition of World Breastfeeding Week I want to use this entry to talk about the womanly art of breastfeeding!

Breastfeeding is such a great experience for both mother and child. Unfortunately, so many of us are plagued with pain and frustration in the first few days of this endeavor. I have to admit that although I prayed and affirmed to have a positive and painless start to breastfeeding, it just didn’t happen that way. I now understand that this happened to raise a breastfeeding testimony for me to one day share. I don’t want to go through play by play of what went wrong because I don’t want to discourage any mothers or mothers to be out there that are planning on breastfeeding. Although, I do want to share that after we got through the rough patch it was such a blessing!

Many women are not aware of the many benefits that can be afforded to both mommie and baby as a result of breastfeeding. I want to take this time to point out those benefits to you. Even if you are beyond breastfeeding years, you can still encourage others to bless themselves and their babies by choosing to do so.

Benefits to baby are as follows…
· Children receive the most complete and optimal mix of nutrients & antibodies
· The varying composition of breast milk keeps pace with the infant's individual growth and changing nutritional needs
· Have fewer incidences of vomiting and diarrhea
· Protection against gastroenteritis, necrotizing entercolitis
· Reduced risk of chronic constipation, colic, and other stomach upsets
· Reduced risk of childhood diabetes
· Protection against ear infections, respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, bronchitis, kidney infections, septicemia (blood poisoning)
· Protection against allergies, asthma, eczema, and severity of allergic disease
· Reduced risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
· Protection against meningitis, botulism, childhood lymphoma, crohn's disease and ulcerative entercolits
· Decreased risk of tooth decay (cavities)
· Suckling on the breast strengthens baby’s facial structure development, enhances speech, promotes straighter teeth & enhances vision
· Breastfed babies are more intelligent. They develop higher IQ's, and have improved brain and nervous system development reduced risk of heart disease later in life
· Increased bone density
· Breastfeeding plays an important role in the emotional and spiritual development of babies
· Breastfed babies enjoy a special warm bonding and emotional relationship with their mothers
· Antibody response to vaccines are higher
· Are hospitalized 10 times less than formula fed infants in the first year of life
· The colostrum (first milk) coats the GI tract, preventing harmful bacteria and allergy -triggering protein molecules from crossing into baby's blood
· Decreased risk for vitamin E and Iron deficiency anemia
· Decreased risk for acute appendicitis, rheumatoid arthritis, inguinal hernia, pyloric stenosis
· There are factors in human milk that destroy E coli, salmonella, shigella, streptococcus, pneumococcus....and many others
· Less risk of childhood obesity
· Breastfed babies are healthier
· Breast milk is easily digested.

Benefits to mommie are as follows…
· Moms miss less time off from work due to child related illnesses
· Helps the uterus contract after birth to control postpartum bleeding
· Reduced risk of breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers
· Reduced risk of anemia
· Protection against osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life
· Reduced risk of mortality for women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with total time of lactation
· Helps the mother's body return to its pre-pregnancy state faster - promotes weight loss...1/2 of calories needed to manufacture milk is pulled from fat stores... can burn from 500 - 1,500 calories per day
· Helps delay return of fertility (menstrual period) and to space subsequent pregnancies
· Develops a special emotional relationship and bonding with her child
· Breast milk is free- reducing or eliminating the cost of formula (in the thousands of dollars/per year)
· Breastfed babies are sick less thus reducing healthcare costs to family in Doctor office visits, prescriptions, over the counter medicine purchases, and hospitalizations
· Releases prolactin, a hormone which relaxes mom and reduces stress
· Reduces the risk of postpartum depression.

Other Benefits...
· Breastfeeding reduces the cost of healthcare by promoting healthier children and mothers
· Reduced insurance premiums for both parents and employers
· Breastfeeding reduces global pollution by decreasing the use of resources and energy required to produce, process, package, distribute, promote and dispose of materials created by the manufacture and use of artificial baby milk
· Reduced tax burden on communities and government to ensure children are properly fed
· Reduced absenteeism in the workplace due to children's illnesses
· You can nurse while sleeping...nursing moms get more rest than formula feeding moms
· Breastfeeding saves moms about 7 hours a week off their feet
· No screaming baby in the middle of the night waiting on the formula to heat up
· Breastfeeding is more convenient, when traveling, all you need is to take diapers, the milk is always available, sterile, and the right temperature
· During times of disaster, you don't have to worry about finding formula
· Breastfed babies smell great....spit ups don't stain, or smell, and poopie diapers are not offensive...(until solids are introduced)
· Breastfeeding requires the use of only one arm....you can do other things while breastfeeding, (except cooking and driving)
· Many, many more benefits, too numerous to list!!!

(Information gathered at http://www.motheringfromtheheart.com/Benefits.htm)

There are so many wonderful benefits to breastfeeding and I thank God for allowing me the opportunity to be blessed with those benefits....You made me hope and trust when I was on my mother's breast. (Psalms 22:9). I must state that this post was not meant to demean mothers that weren’t able to breastfeed. I just want to raise awareness on the blessings of breastfeeding and discourage mothers from not breastfeeding due to selfish reasons and lack of understanding.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Be sure to subscribe on the website.

Mommie Blessings,

Shonte’ Press