Well, it’s August and not only does that mean summer is winding down it also means we’re celebrating World Breastfeeding Week August 1st – August 7th AND it’s also National Breastfeeding Month! Whoo hoo. I am passionate about this health month because I know as a doctor and a mommy that IT AIN’T EASY!!!!! No BREASTFEEDING, PUMPING and all that goes along with it AIN’T EASY! So, my hat is tipped to all you ladies out there sacrificing for your little ones so they can enjoy that #LIQUID GOLD! This past December marked my weaning date. Not because I wanted to but because I got pneumonia and had to stop nursing and pumping while on powerful antibiotics. It was an abrupt end to a 3 year journey .. And I finally packed up my pumps and threw those damn breast shields away. I loved nursing and the bond it created with my babies, but I really began to loathe pumping … Stay tuned this month and I’ll tell you why .. I’m sure you can all relate .. And please email me and share your wildest and craziest pumping and breastfeeding stories. Because ya know we are all on this ride together!
And here’s a few interesting facts I wanted to share with you about Breastfeeding:
- Breast milk is packed with disease-fighting nutrients that can help protect your baby from an assortment of illnesses like ear infections, stomach viruses, meningitis, and more due to the immunoglobulin A that is present in your milk and protects your baby from germs.
- Breastfeeding is a great way to get yourself back to your pre-baby weight, as it can burn up to 700 calories per day! That’s right! It takes energy to make all that liquid gold.
- Most babies can pick the scent of their mom’s breast milk as opposed to the scent from another mother’s milk, by two weeks! This familiar smell can be soothing to babies.
- Don’t forget: what you eat or drink, your baby eats and drinks as well: as it’s all expressed in your milk. Not only does this mean you should be sure to stick to a balanced diet but you should watch for signs of allergies or colic in your baby which could mean you may want to modify your diet in order to change your milk.
- Want your baby to fall into a “breast milk coma?” Did you know milk expressed in the evening has a higher fat content than milk expressed earlier in the day and helps your baby sleep. This also illustrates why it’s important to time stamp and label your milk if you are freezing or refrigerating it – the time you pumped truly matters!
- Breastfeeding is good for your health! Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer in a mother’s later life and can reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
- Almost 75% of all moms produce more milk in their right breast, regardless if they are right- or left- handed. The righties have it.
- Women who breastfeed for more than twelve months during their lifetime tend to have lower risks of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.
- Breastfeeding can calm you down and make you less stressed because when your baby is nursing your body releases oxytocin and endorphins which can relax you and even help you sleep!
- Breastfeeding can help prevent your baby from becoming an allergy sufferer versus babies who drink cow or soymilk. The reason? Once again it’s attributed to Immunoglobulin A, a powerful form of protection for baby!
Stay tuned this month for more interesting facts, tips and, #mommyhacks about breastfeeding and pumping!
XO
Dr. V