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It's easy. The milk is always available to the
baby. The mother doesn't have to worry about heating a
bottle when her baby is ready to eat. She doesn't have to
worry about keeping breast milk warm or cold when going
out. And best of all, a mother can feed her baby in bed at
night, allowing her to get as much rest as possible.
It's best for baby. Breast milk has antibodies
in it from the mother that pass to the baby and help
protect him against illness and allergies.
Breast milk is easily digested. Mothers don't
have to worry about their babies being constipated or
thirsty, because babies get an adequate amount of water
from breast milk.
Sucking at the breast helps with good oral
development. Breastfed babies have fewer speech
impediments. Breastfed babies have good cheekbone
development and jaw alignment. Consequently, there is less
chance of needing braces and other orthodontial work.
Breastfeeding also is good for the mother. The
baby's sucking at the breast causes uterine contractions
right after birth. The contractions lead to less bleeding
for the mother, and return the uterus to its pre-pregnancy
shape much faster.
Breastfeeding burns calories. A mother can lose
much of her pregnancy weight faster than if she were
bottle-feeding her baby.
Breastfeeding creates a bond between mother and
baby, helping the mother learn her baby's cues and
signals faster. This makes mothering her baby easier.
Recent
research has shown that having been breastfed
substantially decreases a woman's risk for developing
premenopausal breast cancer. By breastfeeding, a woman can
reduce her risk of premenopausal breast cancer by 20%.
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