Importance of Breastfeeding

As parents, we look for the best start in life that we can give to our children.

Breast-feeding is something that you can do from day one of your child's life that will give him or her a really
good advantage.

However, not only will it benefit your baby, but it will also
benefit you.

The short term advantages of breast feeding to your baby

It will decrease the chance of your child getting:

* an upset tummy (diarrhoea or vomiting)
* ear infections
* urine infections
* chest infections and asthma
* allergies
* eczema
* diabetes

Research has shown that a baby who is breast fed (even if only for a few weeks) has a much reduced chance of being overweight or obese

The long term advantages of breast feeding your baby

It will decrease the chance of your child developing the following conditions in adulthood:

* High blood pressure
* high cholesterol
* diabetes
* obesity
* osteoporosis (brittle bones)

Research has shown that babies who are breast fed do better at school

The advantages to you of breast feeding your baby

* It uses an extra 500 calories a day, which means that you will lose weight much more quickly following the birth of your child
* It will decrease the chance of you developing breast cancer
* It will decrease your chance of getting ovarian cancer
* It is cheaper
* It is portable; you have it wherever you go without having the hassle of sterilising bottles and preparing feeds

If you would like to breast feed your baby, speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP during your pregnancy.

For more information on breast feeding, including practical tips as to how to go about doing
it successfully, have a look at www.babyfriendly.org.uk Click on: for parents and under the heading "Finding Information", click on " download and print these" and then "breastfeeding".

This site provides the leaflets in many different languages.

A HOLLYWOOD STAR ENCOURAGES BREASTFEED


Hayek, 42, was Oscar-nominated for portraying artist Frida Kahlo on the big screen and is an executive producer of hit US TV show Ugly Betty.

Last week, the star was filmed breastfeeding an African baby while visiting a Sierra Leone hospital.

During the fact-finding mission for children's charity Unicef, Hayek fed the baby boy because his own mother had stopped producing milk.

"He was very hungry - I was weaning my daughter Valentina, but I still had a lot of milk that I was pumping, so I breastfed the baby," she said at the time.