From how and where it’s done, to the health effects of it on mother and baby alike, breastfeeding is a popular conversation, and debate, topic. In order to help bring this topic into a bit more focus and clarity, we’ve gathered some telling facts on just this subject. Here are five interesting facts about breastfeeding and its effects.
Breast Health Improves
There are many notions going around that this method of feeding your baby comes at a cost to your breasts. Specifically, fears about their resulting appearance, sensitivity, health, and so on abound. This is actually quite far from the truth.
While it is true that pregnancy itself can change the feeling of the breasts in general, the act of feeding your breastfed baby has no negative effects on this area of the body. In fact, there are a number of studies coming to light these days indicating that breastfeeding actually reduces the later chances of a woman developing breast cancer.
Infants Don’t Confuse Real and Artificial Nipples
Out of understandable concern, many new mothers greatly fear the introduction of artificial nipples and bottles into their infant’s routine, even if only on a rare occasion. This is because of the concern that the infant may then become confused between the differing milk sources. After all, suckling problems are the last things a breastfeeding mother wants to encounter at feeding time. The truth, however, is that most babies are actually quite keen on recognizing the difference between the artificial and real nipple and thus will not become confused because of interchanging use.
Breasts Create Milk Based on Demand
Did you know that your breasts actually produce milk per the demand for which they regularly encounter? This is a well-proven fact today, but many still believe that “resting” their breasts every once in a while will allow them to somehow recuperate and then produce more. The only exception to this rule is with nutritional or other medical circumstances which may affect overall milk production in the new mother.
Breastfeeding is Great for Your Health
There is certainly no shortage of research work and results in this common area of concern. The truth here is that science is fairly unanimous in its findings that breastfeeding is terrifically good for mom’s health. This is thought to be due to the activity’s demands and subsequent metabolism increases on the mother’s body. Some numbers even suggest that normal feedings equate to a daily, seven-mile jog in energy consumption. No matter how you look at it, from heart disease, to diabetes and obesity, this single act does a great service for your baby and you as well.
The Healthiest Babies are Breastfed
This is yet another source of great debate. Many argue over whether or not babies are healthier with bottle feeding or breastfeeding. The results are in, and again science unanimously sides with breastfeeding as the healthier option. Many studies have covered this exact topic from all angles. By height, weight, growth rates, and mental aptitude, breastfed babies typically get the upper hand in long-term health outcomes.
In the end, all babies can prosper despite the feeding approach chosen by mom. However, as a general finding, bottle-fed babies and mothers do not display the same health results as those choosing the breastfed approach. These five above-mentioned facts are some helpful ones in shining a little more light on the topic of breastfeeding today.
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