About Breastfeeding
Some reasons why your breastmilk is soooo fabulous

Your breastmilk is an amazing, precious and complex liquid.  To date researchers estimate that there are over 200 hundred different components that make up human breastmilk.  The list of why your breastmilk is soooo fabulous is soooo long but here are a few of my favourites:

• Your breastmilk is a living substance: it is constantly changing to meet your baby’s needs.  It literally changes from feed to feed, from day to day, from week to week. The best way to see this is to look at the colour of your breastmilk and you will see that it even changes colour, from shades of cream , to white, to a blue-ish tinge, sometimes even green-ish tinge!
• Your breastmilk is unique to you and your baby - it is the very definition of exclusive.  Many of the wonderful components of human breast milk cannot be replicated in artificial milk.
• Your breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby - the perfect match for your baby.  In fact, it matches more than 50% of your baby’s genetic material (of course! because the baby is 50% you!)
  
• Your first milk (colostrum) is fantastic for protecting the vulnerable baby from bacteria and possible infections once it is outside of the womb.  Breastmilk has very high immunoglobulins, white cells and lactoferrin which put a protective seal along the intestines to proctect the baby from bacteria. These and many other infection fighting properties are present in breastmilk every time you feed your baby.
  
• Your colostum also has high levels of a pain-relieving hormone called beta-endorphin.  One purpose of this hormone is to help the baby recover from the stress and discomfort of the birth.
• Every time you breastfeed your body produces the hormone oxytocin to help you feel calm and connected to your baby.  Your baby also receives some of this hormone.
  
• Many of the components of your breastmilk do more than one job.  For example alpha-lactalbumin which is a protein also organizes milk supply and prevents infection by killing bacteria and can also kill cancer cells when placed with them in a test tube.  Alpha-lactalbumin is not found in artificial milk.
• Breastfeeding is more than the sum of its’ parts and breastmilk is more than superior nutrition.  For both mother and baby breastfeeding is also the enjoyable experience of connection, nurture and love.

All of these wonderful functions of breastmilk translate into measurable and important long-term health benefits for your baby and also for you!   In a report about breastfeeding in Ireland the Health Promotion Unit noted that research clearly shows that when compared to the baby who is fully breastfed for more than 13 weeks the baby who does not  receive breastmilk is:

• 5 times more likely to be admitted to hospital with diarrhoea and more likely to be ill for longer.
• 2 times more likely to be admitted with respiratory (breathing) diseases.
• 2 times more likely to develop eczema or a wheeze.
  
• 5 times more likely to develop a urinary tract infection.
  
• Have an increased risk of juvenile onset insulin dependant diabetes mellitus.
  
• Have a higher blood pressure at age seven and an increased risk of obesity.

Also, compared to women who breastfeed, not breastfeeding may increase the risk of:

• breast cancer
• hip fractures in older age
• retention of fat deposited during pregnancy which may relate in later obesity

From the Interim Report of the National Committee on Breastfeeding, May 2003, pg 8-9.

Health Promotion Unit, Interim Report of the National Committee  on Breastfeeding (May 2003) page 8-9
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