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What are the benefits of breastfeeding for me?.
A
As well as looking at the benefits
of breastfeeding for baby, the Department of Health (DoH) and the World Health
Organization (WHO) have looked at the benefits of breastfeeding for Mums.
- Firstly breastfeeding your baby
it is the most convenient method of feeding. There are no bottles to sterilize
and feeds to prepare and warm. Breast milk is always available and handy (especially
useful in the middle of the night when you are already tired) and it is at
the right temperature.
- Breastfeeding is free, on average
one pack of formula milk will cost around £8, not to mention the cost
of the bottles, teats, sterilizing unit and solution, leaving you more money
to spend on your little angel.
- It may be easier to lose weight
and get your body back into shape after giving birth if you are breastfeeding.
This is due to a hormone that is released called oxytocin. It is released
in response to your baby's sucking. This hormone makes your womb (uterus)
contract and get smaller again.
- It helps to form an emotional
bond with your baby. Research suggests that mothers who breastfeed their babies
have less incidence of post natal depression than mothers who bottle feed.
- There are also long term health
benefits to women who have breastfed. Breast cancer, diabetes (type 2), and
cancer of the ovaries and uterus are less common in mums who have breastfed
compared to those who have not.
health visitor
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