Breastfeeding: A Gift of Love

Benefits of Breastfeeding:

Research proves many benefits of breastfeeding not available from artificial baby milk:

• Breastfeeding provides "human milk for human babies" for optimal brain development.
• Immune system protection with live antibodies passed on from mother.
• Fewer infections.
• Digestive compatibility with probiotics for a healthy gastrointestinal tract.
  
• The onset of allergies is delayed.
• Breastfed babies may have a decreased risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes.
• Mothers who breastfeed may have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
• Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months is associated with greater health benefits.

Pediatricians Recommend Breastfeeding:

The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for one year, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with continuation of breastfeeding for two years or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant."

The alert, healthy newborn infant is capable of latching onto a mom’s breast without specific assistance within the first hour after birth. This is amazing to know the baby naturally bonds with mother, if allowed to do so. The bonding produced by close contact between mother and baby increases the feelings of love toward her baby, which is the body's natural hormonal response to breastfeeding.

More Reasons to Breastfeed:

• Convenience of feeding baby without need to wash bottles and prepare, especially in the middle of the night.
• Making up bottles and carrying them around is eliminated when a mother chooses to breastfeed.
• Decreased infections for baby means less hospital and doctor sick baby visits and less time off of work for working mothers.
• Breastfeeding releases hormones in the mother's body that helps return her uterus back to normal size and returning to her pre-pregnancy weight sooner.
• Provides continuous food supply for infant in times of natural disaster when water may be contaminated and formula supplies depleted.

WIC Offers Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program:

In the St. Lucie County WIC Program, 83.18% of infants enrolled as of December 2023, were breastfed.

Contraindications to Breastfeeding:

However, for those women who are unable to breastfeed for medical reasons including HIV-positive status; drug-abuse or who must take medications that are harmful to breastmilk quality, artificial infant formula is the next best alternative. We always encourage women to check with their physician regarding questions on medical conditions and breastfeeding.

To learn more about our local Peer Counselor Program, call 772-873-4891 and leave a message on our voice mail.

WIC is an equal opportunity provider.