Benefits of Breastfeeding

I have said it on here many times before - I am very pro-breastfeeding. I would never hold it against someone that chose NOT to breastfeed - but for my family, there wasn't a choice. I suppose if I hadn't been able to nurse, then I would have gone to formula (and Julien was on a mix of breast milk/formula in the NICU) - but I didn't have to cross that path.

I am fortunate that I have been successful at nursing, as I know many that haven't been. I have witnessed their feelings of failure (which I don't think they need to feel) and their guilt of using formula (again, I don't think you should feel guilty about how you nourish your child).

I am also a believer in the health benefits of breast milk.  My oldest was in the NICU for 10 days, and I have been told by more than one health professional that his intake of breast milk is probably one of the reasons he recovered so quickly.

Until I had Kyle, I was a little skeptical - I really wondered how they could know for sure that breast milk has so many benefits - here are just a few "un-orthodox" uses for breast milk I had/have heard:

- use it to clean out nasal passages instead of saline
- use it for conjunctivitis (eye gunk)
- to clean your child
- to clear up baby acne
- use on diaper rash
- helps to build immunity and protect against illness

When Kyle was born, I used breast milk to clean his eyes, his nose and it helped to clear up his baby acne.  When he was a few months old, I heard about the diaper rash trick - and it worked there too.

Kyle is 19 mths old, and has never TRULY been sick; he has had the odd case of sniffles, or the start of a cold - but when hubby, Jules and I are knocked flat - he generally gets a very MILD case of whatever we have - and I attribute that to the breast milk he is still getting.

The body is a wondrous thing - it still amazes me that my body can produce the nourishment he needs every day.