Breast Is Best
...to be the best food for an Infant. (AAP) I think that there are some great facts that will show that breastfeeding is a great resource. There are reasons that some people do not utilize these resources.
Breastfeeding is something that all new mothers need to be on familiar terms with. There is a reason that a women's body produces milk, human milk is species-specific.
The American Academy of Pediatrics joins other organizations such as American Medical Association the American Dietetic Association and the World Health Organization in recommending breastfeeding is the best for infants. The AAP also says that infants should be exclusively be given breast milk for the first six months, and if both baby and mother are willing they should continue until the child's first birthday. (Izenberg)
Breastfeeding helps the infant with fighting infection. Antibodies are passed though the mother into the breast milk. This helps the baby lessen the amount of many conditions, including ear infections, diarrhea, respiratory infections and also meningitis. Breast milk also helps build the infants immune system by increasing barriers to infection and lessening the development of organisms like bacteria and viruses. (Izenburg)
Breast milk is often called the "perfect food" for an infant. The infant's digestive system has no problems digesting the milk. Breast milk naturally contains all the vitamins and minerals that a newborn requires. Infant formula companies are trying to duplicate the ingredients in breast milk, and they are coming closer, but they haven't yet matched their precise combination and composition. This has not been done because breast milk has more complex substances, they are too difficult to manufacture and some haven't even been identified.
Breastfeeding is also said to benefit the mother. The mother can feel that she has the ability to nourish her infant....
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