Breastmilk = Healthy Baby

I decided to breastfeed my baby soon before he was born. Although I know that I’ll go back for work after two months of leave and that I might not sustain the milk he needs from me I still tried it. One month before my due date of delivery, I already took “malunggay” vitamins; as per my Obygyne’s advice this will help me produce more milk. Before, I thought that after you gave birth, milk will automatically come out from your breast so I was very depressed when nothing came out from me. I even asked my mother to give me malunggay juice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But, I found out that breast milk will be ready after 3 days of baby’s birth.

I want to breastfeed him until he reach 6 months (since at this stage teeth is not yet visible) but due to my hectic schedule in the office and being tired when I go home I had no choice but to stop. He was breastfed for 4 months only. I remember expressing my milk during break time and put it on the refrigerator so that I can bring it home after work. Breast milk can last for 24 hours in cold storage and up to 7 days when in the freezer.

What are the reasons that make me decide to breastfeed my son, although I know this means sleepless nights?

1. It’s nutritious and complete – Breast milk contains all the nutrition an infant needs in the necessary amounts and in forms readily absorbed by the body. In contrast, infant formula is nutritionally deficient. Some infant formula brands have been withdrawn from the market due to either deficient or excessive amounts of certain nutrients, with life-threatening results (like the melamine scare that originated from China).
2. It’s safe – In the first 2 months of life, an infant who receives infant formula is up to 25 times more likely to die from diarrhea and 4 times more likely to die from pneumonia than an exclusively breast-fed baby.
3. Better brain development – In many studies, formula-fed babies consistently scored lower in IQ and other standardized tests than those who were breast fed. The cognitive differences increase when longer breast-feeding and persist until late childhood, so they also had lower reading comprehension, math ability, and overall scholastic skills than kids who were breast-fed at babies.
4. You’ll save money too! Formula feedings costs an average of P4,000 (>$100) a month per infant. To cut costs, some families over dilute the formula or use other kinds of milk-including condensed-leading to malnutrition, illness and even death.

I am not against those mommies who decided not to breastfeed their babies. I know you have your own reasons, but please if you can, please give this precious gift to your sons or daughters.

what ever happens in life we should always remember to live life to the fullest!