We know that learning to breastfeed can be very challenging, frustrating and even painful. We understand that the formula that came home from the hospital can look pretty good at 2 am, when your baby’s crying and it’s painful to nurse. We know because we have been there ourselves and with many other women trying to master the art of breastfeeding. That’s why we founded Mama’s Latte in the first place.
Please try to breastfeed exclusively for at least 2 weeks, to give you and your baby a chance to master breastfeeding. That means no bottles or pacifiers that might confuse your baby and jeopardize your milk supply. If your baby needs supplementation, there are other ways to feed her. We can help with that.
We applaud your efforts and hope that this list of benefits that you and your baby receive from breastfeeding will help you through the tough times. Please know that every drop of breastmilk you give your baby makes her stronger, healthier, and smarter because it truly is the perfect food for your baby.
- Formula fed babies have an IQ score that is on average 5% lower than breastfed babies.
- Breastfed babies have lower incidence of diabetes, SIDS, asthma, eczema, allergies, ear infections, diarrhea and urinary tract infections.
- Breastfed babies have a lower rate of chronic immune system disorders, such juvenile diabetes, Crone’s disease, and childhood cancers, particularly lymphoma.
- If you have a cold or flu, your baby receives the antibodies your body is producing as they are passed through your breastmilk. She probably won’t get as sick as you did and she might not get sick at all.
- As your baby grows your breastmilk changes to be exactly what he needs at each stage of development.
- The sucking action that is unique to breastfeeding babies, strengthens your baby’s jaw muscles, encouraging good tooth, jaw and facial development.
- The longer a mother breastfeeds her babies, the less risk she has of developing breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. The longer babies are breastfed, the less chances they will develop certain diseases later in life, such as breast cancer, osteoporosis, and obesity.
- Nursing mothers lose weight faster and without dieting.
- The hormones released in the mother’s bloodstream when her baby nurses causes feelings of love and help her bond with her baby. She and the baby will also feel a natural sense of well-being while nursing.
- Breastmilk is economical (formula costs $1500 -$2000 a year, and it can be twice that if your baby has trouble tolerating ordinary formula.) Breastmilk saves time and energy, is instantly available, always fresh, easy to digest and delivered at the perfect temperature.
- Your baby will be healthier by breastfeeding, and a healthy baby is a happy baby. You will miss fewer days of work and later on, fewer nights of interrupted sleep taking care of a sick baby.
- And last but not least: Think about the environment! Infant formula and its associated products have a significant environmental footprint. Breastfeeding your baby, on the other hand, literally helps save the planet!
