Should I Breastfeed My Baby

Should I Breastfeed My Baby?

Many expectant Moms ask themselves whether or not they should breastfeed their baby. The vast majority of medical professionals will give them a resounding yes when asked this question, at least for most mothers. For the majority of new mothers, breastfeeding is highly recommended. But it is not recommended for all mothers. Mothers who are HIV positive or who have AIDS should not breastfeed their baby because the HIV virus can be passed to the baby through breast milk. Breastfeeding is also not recommended for mothers undergoing cancer treatment; as well as mothers who have untreated Hepatitis B and mothers who have active tuberculosis that hasn’t been under treatment for at least two weeks.

I’m not sure when breastfeeding fell out of favor in the United States. Until baby formula was developed in 1867 by Henri Nestlé of the Nestle Company, breastfeeding was the only viable option for feeding babies. If a mother was unable to feed her own baby, a “wet nurse” was found to feed the baby for that mother.

The arrival of baby formula was welcome because it meant there was a more viable feeding alternative for babies whose mothers were unable to breastfeed them. But somewhere along the way breastfeeding fell out of favor and baby formula became the favored method for feeding all babies. How did it happen? Some people think it was effective marketing campaigns from baby formula manufacturers. Other people feel it was a result of more mothers entering the workforce, which made breastfeeding a baby difficult.

Thankfully, the trend today is for mothers to breastfeed their babies, even if it is only for a few months. When my first child was born nearly 25 years ago, breastfeeding was endorsed and the benefits of it were well explained to me, but there was still a lot of “disapproval” if a person dared to breastfeed in public. It seemed to be okay only if a mother breastfed somewhere private where nobody else could see her. The only way that is possible is if a mother who is breastfeeding stays home all the time and never goes out in public, which is a ridiculous thing to expect.

My mother was one of the people that was not thrilled with my decision to breastfeed. The reason she wasn’t thrilled is that she hated it when I breastfed my baby anywhere other than in my home with nobody else around. I ignored all the disapproval though, and am very happy I did. My son has not had any problems with allergies, something that has plagued me my entire life (I was not breastfed when I was a baby), and I think breastfeeding helped give him protection. Studies have shown that protection and resistance to allergies is one of the many benefits of breastfeeding.

Why should a mother breastfeed her baby? Even though experts recommend breastfeeding for a minimum of six months, (breastfeeding for one year is ideal), even a few months of breastfeeding can impart significant benefits to both the mother and the baby. First of all, it’s the perfect food for a baby because nature designed it that way. This means a baby is much less likely to have problems tolerating breast milk than tolerating baby formula.

What benefits does breastfeeding give a mother? It’s costs less than baby formula and there isn’t the bother of making and heating formula for the baby. Breastfeeding can also help a new mom shed pregnancy pounds because a Mom whose body is making breast milk burns more calories. Breastfeeding also helps the uterus return to its normal size more quickly because oxytocin is released into the bloodstream while a Mom is breastfeeding. In addition, studies have shown that Moms who breastfeed their babies have extra protection against developing cervical and breast cancer than moms who have never breastfed.

What are some of the benefits of breastfeeding for a baby? A baby is much less likely to be allergic to breast milk than allergic to baby formula. Also, colostrum, which gives a baby immunity against viruses and bacteria, is present in breast milk for several days after the baby is born. Studies have shown that breastfed babies get sick less often than formula-fed babies, contract less infections such as ear infections and get fewer viruses. This is because breast milk has antibodies in it which helps protect babies against infections, viruses, bacteria, and disease.

High quality and easier to use breast pumps make it easier for moms to pump and save breast milk for their babies when they are away from home – a great thing for moms who have to return to work but still want to provide their baby with breast milk. There are even several breast milk banks in North America that store frozen breast milk for babies whose mothers cannot make their own breast milk for their baby or cannot feed their baby the breast milk they do produce because of medications they are taking.

BONUS : Should I Buy My Teen A Vehicle?

Well, that depends if you’re ready for your teen to become more independent and responsible. It also depends of course on your purse or wallet! Buying a vehicle for your teen is a big leap and presents lots of responsibility for your teen who is either at or approaching the age he or she can drive. You may want to consider some or all of these tips to help you in your decision on whether or not you should purchase a vehicle for your teen:

1) Consider having your teen work towards paying the down payment or entire purchase price for their vehicle. By doing this, your teen is able to learn responsibility and the value of money! Your teen will probably take good care of their vehicle if they are contributing or paying for the purchase of the vehicle.

2) You may want to purchase your teen an older used vehicle, probably a sedan that will be reliable for their needs. Your teen will probably be able to save money on insurance and fuel costs by purchasing an older vehicle. A sports car or 6-12 cylinder vehicle would not be an appropriate vehicle for your teen to have. They don’t need it! Remember, their just getting started. Usually the insurance costs for older vehicles are cheaper than newer and sport car type vehicles for your teen. So keep this in mind before you and your teen consider purchasing a vehicle.

3) If you decide to purchase or allow your teen to buy a vehicle, consider having your teen pay either a portion or all of the vehicle maintenance costs and insurance. This will assist your teen in continuing to learn responsibility and how to manage their finances. They’ve got to learn sometime, so why not now!

4) If you and your teen have come to a decision to purchase a vehicle for them to use, do your research on the vehicle that would be appropriate for your teen. If you have access to the internet, that’s a good place to start. If not, then review the newspaper vehicle classified section, vehicle trader magazines and any other resource you can find prior to purchasing the vehicle. You’ll want to find the best quality, price and reliability for the vehicle that is being purchased for your teen.

5) Maybe you’re not ready for your teen to have a vehicle yet. That’s okay too. However, you may want to have them work towards saving for the purchase of their vehicle for the future. You know they will eventually start driving, so why not start saving now! You will be able to have your teen learn the importance of saving and budgeting for items they would like to purchase in the future.

So, after you and your teen have discussed the prospective purchase of a vehicle for them, hopefully you’ll be armed with enough information to assist you in making a decision that will work for you and your teen!