World Breastfeeding Week is August 1st thru August 7th.
In honor of the closing of World Breastfeeding Week which was between the dates of 8/1/2017- 8/7/2017. I wanted to write a post that focused on breastfeeding.
You may be wondering what does this even mean? What is World Breastfeeding Week?
Does it mean all moms will band together to breastfeed as group in harmony? Will all moms who don’t breastfeed be judged and be required to breastfeed?
Nope, nothing like that. World Breastfeeding week is focused on awareness to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. The theme this year was : “Sustaining Breastfeeding Together. Everyone working together to promote and encourage breastfeeding for everyone
If you are pregnant, I’m almost 100% certain you have thought about how you plan to feed your baby so he/she has the nutrients they need to thrive.
To Breastfeed or Formula Feed is the Question?
Some mothers are unable to breastfeed, they do not want to or for any reason at all- sometimes it just does not happen. I follow the healthy mom/ healthy baby motto of doing things; and believe a fed and healthy baby is best; whichever way that is achieved. There are times when you are pregnant, in the postpartum period or even parenting day to day and the best made plans go awry; and that’s okay. It does not mean you have failed, please do not feel guilt; this is just an opportunity for you to choose another way to make it work.
You have to choose what works best for you and your baby-it is a personal choice and know that you are making the right choice for you and your little one. The main goal is every mother is happy and healthy and every baby is healthy and happy ; that there is no judgment towards any mother and her preferred choice.
With that being said in the spirit of World Breastfeeding Week, I want to talk about the “Liquid Gold” and how mom and baby can benefit from Breastfeeding.
The American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologist (ACOG) states you should exclusively Breastfeeding your baby for 6 months.
Are you thinking?…….
What does my baby get from Breastfeeding?
According to ACOG,2016; Breastfeeding is best for your baby for the following reasons listed below:
It’s Miraculous
Breast milk has the right amount of fat, sugar, water, protein, and minerals needed for a baby’s growth and development. The amazing part of breastfeeding is as your baby grows, your breast milk changes to adapt to the baby’s changing nutritional needs.
Digestion:
Breast milk is easier on their little tummies. Babies are able to digest Breast milk easier than formula.
Breast milk has all the antibodies needed to protect infants from infections, allergies and illness. As ACOG stated; the longer your baby breastfeeds, the greater the health benefits.
Protection:
Breastfed infants have a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Wellness for life:
Breast milk can help reduce the risk of many of the short-term and long-term health problems that preterm babies face.
Are you thinking?
So Breastfeeding helps baby- Does it help me?
Snapback!
Yes , breastfeeding can help you reach your pre pregnancy weight.
Breastfeeding may make it easier to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy. 
When you breastfeed, a hormone is released called oxytocin which causes the uterus to contract; this helps the uterus return to its normal size Breastfeeding triggers the release of a hormone called oxytocin that causes the uterus to contract. This helps the uterus return to its normal size more quickly and may decrease the amount of bleeding you have after giving birth.
Wellness for life:
Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Yes, there are many benefits with Breastfeeding.
It is amazing if you are able to breastfeed your baby exclusively for 6 months or any length of time. Its also amazing if you are formula feeding your baby. The main goal is your baby is healthy , fed, happy and healthy.
By: Mary Echols, RN , BSN, MSN
Wife/Mother/Registered Nurse
I would love to hear your breastfeeding stories
Comment Below
Contact Mary by e-mail: theamazingadventuresofpregnancy@yahoo.com
Sources:
https://m.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Breastfeeding-Your-Baby?IsMobileSet=true
Pictures: pixaby.com edited with PicArt
The Amazing Adventures of Pregnancy 
Love this post as I am pregnant with my 4th. I breastfed my other 3 but the girls would only latch for a few months. With this one I am pumping and bottle feeding because I will be going back to work plus I will be in school right after the baby is born.
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Thank you for publishing a post that has to do with raising awareness for breastfeeding and all its benefits. I knew from the start that I wanted to breastfeed, and even took a breastfeeding class at the local hospital. Unfortunately, NOTHING can prepare you for the real thing. I suffered from a terrible oversupply, which many would say is a “good problem to have”, but that’s not true. I was basically choking my newborn baby every time I fed him and he was filling up on all the sugary milk, causing him stomach pains. So many tears from both of us, but I was determined. After 10 weeks and lots of work with a certified lactation consultant, my supply leveled out and my baby and I were successfully breastfeeding! I couldn’t be more proud of myself, not only for sticking with it, but providing him with these nutrients that God intended for him. Now he is almost a year old, and we are still going strong. He is starting to self wean, which is a happy and sad time for me. I will miss our special moments together, that only him and I could share, but know it is our path.
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@nedulkerson-what a beautiful journey. Good job sticking with it and helping your baby receive the best nutrients. Even more amazing you were able to Breastfeed for over a year! It is sad when it ends, but the bond you have made with your son will last a lifetime 😊
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I breastfed my Little Paddler for 2.5 years and hope to begin another breastfeeding journey shortly. We had a rough start initially but I had two friends who were huge support and found my local La Leche League volunteers who were full of fabulous advice. Over here the bf training for medical professionals is nonexistent so experienced mothers and lactation consultants are a godsend.
Some of the best advice I got starting out was:
Don’t give up on a bad day.
Demand a bf solution for a bf problem.
Whatever the problem with baby, boob is probably the answer.
Remember, your body had everything your baby needed for nine months. It won’t let you down. You got this mama.
😉
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I love you saying “Don’t give up on a bad day”. It can be trying , it can be challenging. It is always awesome when you can find that support system- a tribe so to speak. The extra support is so beneficial for a new mom!
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It really is. I would have given up after two or three days! Just the little nuggets of wisdom and advice.
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Loved reading the post. I am breastfeeding my 2.5 yrs and I think it’s ok as Long as we continue. But there are moms who cannot breastfeed or breast feed their baby for a limited period of time. That is also ok. Thanks for sharing the post.
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Hi Jiya-thank you for stopping by! I think it’s great your baby. True there are a lot of moms for various reasons who cannot feed their babies or breastfeed them for long-and that’s ok #fedisbest. 😊
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Breastfeeding takes a lot of confidence! I breastfed both of my children and I was determined to from the beginning. I breastfed for about nine months with both of them and slowly weaned them by their first birthday. However, seeing moms who breastfeed past that used to make me feel bad! Like, wow, I should have stuck with it longer than I did. But again, that’s where my confidence had to kick in. I did a great job and I never gave up while doing it, so why feel bad now?
As my family grows, I will continue to breastfeed and if I feel like I should go past nine months to a year, I will pump afterwards. Like you, fed is best! Whatever works is fine!
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Hi Torche’ Nash! Thanks for stopping by. Never feel bad about your Breastfeeding journey! I think you did an Amazing job feeding your babies. Breastfeeding is unique in that it is natural and instinctive-yet it can be a challenge to adjust and have your baby adjust. 👍To you for providing your babies what they needed 😊
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Thank you for writing such an engaging yet informative post! I love that you clarified the misconceptions around World Breastfeeding Week as people outside the community often have little awareness around its overall purpose and goals. Just like you said it’s all centred around providing support for breastfeeding mums and their babies! It’s so great that you also addressed the issue around mothers who are either unable to breastfeed or are finding it extremely difficult for various reasons. This is NOT about us vs them but about banding together to raise awareness and to ensure that all mums and families are happy, healthy and feel supported. Thanks again for such a great article!
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Thank you for stopping by and leaving. Such a nice comment. I agree all moms need to support one another. There is not one better because of the way they feed their children or deliver. I love you saying it is Not about us vs then but banding together. Together we are stronger!
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