Breastfeeding Benefits

There is no denying that nursing a newborn is one of the single best things you can do for your child. There are so many benefits for both mom and baby.

Some benefits for mom include:

Faster postpartum healing and improved mental health

Slower return of periods helps space children out

Earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight

Decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers

Some benefits for baby include:

Less risk for newborn infections that include: common colds, sepsis, urinary infections, and ear infections

Provides protection from type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus

Prevents childhood obesity (AAP, 2018)

But why is there so much push back and resistance?

· We live in a fairly modest nation, where we have been conditioned to cover up and feel uncomfortable with certain body parts, to include female breast. (Seriously, does one get upset about male nipples?)

· Formula companies have long marketed the convenience and superiority of their product, and this has allowed for a change in culture, and not necessarily for the best. Is an imitation product better than the real thing?

· Lack of education and resources. We aren’t talking just socio-economics here. We’re talking about actual hands-on experience and specialty trained educators, however when you can find these elusive educators, they can be pricey and overbooked.

Fed is best. Well yes, no one disagrees. The last thing we want is a starving, malnourished baby. Hungry babies are unhappy babies. Unhappy babies make for stressed out, unhappy moms. We want to do our best to decrease the amount of unnecessary stress. Moms (especially new moms) are already so worried and questioning their every move.

How we can help

Here at WomanCare Center, we want to provide you all the education needed to make the best choice for you and your family. There is no judgment, just support. We understand that each family is different and each mom has unique circumstances. The more we know, the more we can help.

How can we help you more? Make sure to ask all the questions you need! The more we know in advance, the better we can plan. All the providers in our practice have both personal and educational experience with this subject. We can be a resource lactating women, and if we don’t know the answer- we have plenty of community resources and names. This support is paying off! In the Midwifery Center, we boast a breastfeeding rate of 98%!

DePaul has two lactation consultants available Monday – Saturday. They can assist with latching, provide suggestions, and also provide assistive devices that aid in better nursing experiences. They also can provide resources outside of the hospital.

Exciting news! WomanCare Centers is also looking into expanding our lactation support and teaching. If you have any creative suggestions, please let us know. Stay tuned for details on an exciting new resource we are establishing!

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2018). Breastfeeding: Benefits of breastfeeding. Retrieved from: https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Breastfeeding/Pages/Benefits-of-Breastfeeding.aspx