1. Benefits Of Breast Feeding

​Once you've given birth, breast feeding is the single
most important thing you can do to protect your baby
and help to promote good health.  Best of all, breast
feeding is free.

Along with saving you money on HMR (Human Milk 
Replacement), breast feeding can also help you to 
keep your medical bills down.  Babies that are fed
with formula get sicker more often and more seriously
than babies that are breast fed  They also have more
ear infections, respiratory infections, and other
problems.  

This can be even more true if your family has had a
history of allergies.  When a baby is breast fed, the
antibodies pass on from the mother to the baby, 
helping to protect against illness and allergies.  As
the baby's system matures, his body will begin to 
make it's own antibodies, and he'll be more equipped
to handle sensitivities of food.

Sucking on the breast will also help with the 
development or jaw alignment and the development of
the cheekbone.  For this very reason, there is less
of the need for costly orthodontic work when the 
child gets older.

Unlike formula, breast milk is always ready, always
available, convenient, and always the right temperature
for feeding.  Plus, it contains all of the vitamins
and minerals your growing baby needs, saving you a  
lot of money.  

Breast feeding also offers many benefits for the mom
as well.  The baby sucking at the breast will cause
contractions right after birth, leading to less 
bleeding for the mom, and helping her uterus to it's
shape before pregnancy much faster.  

Breast feeding will also burn calories, so a mom can
lose weight much faster than if she fed her baby with
a bottle.  Breast feeding will also create a special
bond with the mother and the baby - which is one
thing formula simpy cannot do.

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2. ​Getting Started With Breast Feeding

​When you hold your baby for the first time in the
delivery room, you should put his lips to your
breast.  Although your mature milk hasn't developed
yet, your breasts are still producing a substance
known as colostrum that helps to protect your baby 
from infections.

If your baby has trouble finding or staying on 
your nipple, you shouldn't panic.  Breast feeding is
an art that will require a lot of patience and a
lot of practice.  No one expects you to be an 
expert when you first start, so you shouldn't 
hesitate to ask for advice or have a nurse show you
what you need to do.

Once you start, keep in mind that nursing shouldn't
be painful.  When your baby latches on, pay attention
to how your breasts feel.  If the latching on 
hurts, break the suction then try again.

You should nurse quite frequently, as the more
you nurse the more quickly your mature milk will
come in and the more milk you'll produce.  Breast
feeding for 10 - 15 minutes per breast 8 - 10 times
every 24 hours is an ideal target.  Crying is a
sign of hunger, which means you should actually 
feed your baby before he starts crying.

During the first few days, you may have to wake
your baby to begin breast feeding, and he may end
up falling asleep during feeding.  To ensure that
your baby is eating often enough, you should wake
him up if it has been four hours since the last 
time he has been fed.

Getting comfortable
Feedings can take 40 minutes or longer, therefore
you'll want a cozy spot.  You don't want to be
sitting somewhere where you will be bothered, as it
can make the process very hard.