10 Reasons I Support Breastfeeding & 10 Tips

Keep in mind everything in this post is based on personal experience, but personal experience is something you won't find in most books. Also, there are certainly many more than just 10 reasons and 10 tips pertaining to breastfeeding, these are just a mere few.

Here are a list of reasons why I support breastfeeding and encourage others to do so:

1.  You save a lot of time & money since you are not always running to the store to buy formula.

2. Your milk is readily available to baby anywhere and anytime, which is especially useful during those 3 am feedings.

3. Your milk is the perfect food for your baby by helping build immunities and reducing their risk of certain allergies.

4. Breastfeeding helps reduce the size of your uterus faster and helps reduce your weight significantly by burning 500 calories a day.

5. Breastfeeding encourages strong bonding between you and your baby.  This is where Judah and I had our first real conversation.

6.  Breastfeeding is a good reason to "get away" and get some alone time with your baby if you need a break from a crowd.

7.  Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of breast cancer, cervical cancer, type 2 diabetes, as well as other various health problems.

8. Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of getting pregnant again because of lowered estrogen levels,  but do be sure and use another form of birth control if you are not intending on getting pregnant in the near future.

9. Breastfeeding has been linked with a reduced risk of childhood obesity as well as risk for Vitamin E deficiency, and anemia.

10. Breastfed baby's spit up does not stain and their diapers are significantly less odorous.


 Here are some tips that I have compiled based on my personal experiences with breastfeeding:

1. Get a good rocker. You'll be nursing a lot and you want to be comfortable.

2. Get a cover that goes around your neck. It helps keep you securely covered with a fidgeting baby.

3. Invest in quality nursing pads.  No one wants to leak or see leaking.

4. Use a cream like Lansinoh to heal and protect sore nipples.  It really works wonders and you don't need to worry about wiping it off before nursing.

5. Be sure to eat your extra 500 calories to produce sufficient breast milk because believe it or not you will be more hungry than when you were pregnant.

6. Invest in a good quality breast pump like Medela Pump in Style if you need to relieve yourself from engorgement, store breast milk for when you may be separated from baby, or are planning to work and still breastfeed.

7. Invest in a Boppy Pillow.  This makes breastfeeding much more comfortable especially when your little one is a newborn and has many great uses as baby gets older.

8. Relax when you are nursing and make sure you are not tense or frustrated from an outside situation because baby will definitely sense it and may not cooperate as easily.

9. Don't be afraid to nurse in public. You need to feed your baby and you can't be confined to your house forever.

10. Most importantly don't give up, it absolutely takes time. It was a good 2-3 weeks before I felt confident.


Breastfeeding Websites:
Breast Milk Storage
Benefits of Breastfeeding for You and Baby
Breastfeeding: Health Benefits for Mother and Baby
Breastfeeding.com
Breastfeeding Benefits