Breastfeeding Tips

Here are five reasons why breast milk is beneficial for your baby’s health:

• 1. It contains nutrients that promote brain growth, nervous system development and better eye development.
• 2. It has properties to prevent infections and reduce the chances of gastrointestinal, respiratory, ear and urinary infections.
• 3. It’s an easily digested food for a baby and requires less energy to break it down into basic nutrients.
• 4. It contains only the nutrients a baby’s body needs, so energy isn’t wasted eliminating
• unnecessary ones.
• 5. It’s gentle on your baby’s systems. With breast milk, your baby’s body works less and receives more nourishment.

How do you know when your baby is hungry? Some signs to include:

• licking
• making sucking movements
• rooting
• bobbing the head against the mattress or your shoulder
• bringing hands to face
• squawking

Remember: Crying is a late feeding cue. Many babies have difficulty latching once they cry and become frustrated.

For more information about breastfeeding your baby, here are more helpful links:

Other helpful links:

• Breastfeeding Your Baby
• Breast Milk is the Best Milk
• How Milk is Made
• Effective Breastfeeding
• Effective Sucking
• Breastfeeding Difficulties - Mother
• Breastfeeding Difficulties - Baby