When i was little all I really seen growing up was women bottle-feeding their babies, the onlytime I seen a woman breastfeed was my mother and she never spoke about it, and today when I ask her she said she never knew about the benefits; breastfeeding just felt natural. But it wasn’t just in public, but all over the tv and in movies. you never seen a woman feeding her own child from breasts. giving that life source. I always said I could wait to bottle feed m own babies some day. “no i wasn’t breastfeeding” i would say with nose stuck up in a very disturbed way.
The day I found out I was pregnant I decided i wanted my little girl to have the very best of everything, I wanted to give her the best start in this nasty world. But honestly i didn’t know what that meant, so I began to study RESEARCH I started following mommy blogs and reading mommy books, and they were the basic ones, but then one woman spoke out about chemicals in formula and benefits to this and that and talked about a Facebook group called Crunch mamas?? I was now very confused with this title Crunchy and interested to know more about these unsafe chemicals and how they would effect my baby. Long story shot My eyes were opened for the first time, my life changed and I myself became A crunchy mama! so here is why I chose to Breastfeed my first, second and plan to breastfeed my third baby and never give not even an ounce of formula.
1st id like to say the benefits go past 2yrs. I’ve heard so many mamas weening their babies as soon as 6months or a year and I never understood why. but then realized no one ever told them the benefits or why its so important, so I hope this helps a mommy out.
If you’d like to learn more on Breastfeeding than what I posted here please check out this link
Lower rates of childhood obesity, decreased incidence of asthma and even better brain development are all linked with drinking more of mother’s milk in infancy, and despite decades of research and promising marketing claims, the formula industry has not caught up to mothers milk. Breastfed babies have higher IQ scores, this is not something moms say to be proud but its actual science! feel free to google this and do all the research you need. we make smarter babies!
All babies need to be held. Studies have shown that premature babies are more likely to die if they are not held or stroked. There is no more comforting feeling for an infant of any age than being held close and cuddled while breastfeeding. While many bottle-feeding parents are aware of the importance of cradling their babies while offering the bottle, some are not. Even for parents with good intentions, there is always the temptation to prop up a bottle next to the child, or, when the baby is a little older, to let the child hold his/her own bottle and sit alone. This is emotionally unsatisfying to baby, and can be dangerous physically.
Human milk contains two types of proteins: whey and casein. Approximately 60% is whey, while 40% is casein. This balance of the proteins allows for quick and easy digestion. If artificial milk, also called formula, has a greater percentage of casein, it will be more difficult for the baby to digest. Approximately 60-80% of all protein in human milk is whey protein. These proteins have great infection-protection properties.
Listed below are specific proteins that are found in breast milk and their benefits:
Lactoferrin inhibits the growth of iron-dependent bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. This inhibits certain organisms, such as coliforms and yeast, that require iron.
Secretory IgA also works to protect the infant from viruses and bacteria, specifically those that the baby, mom, and family are exposed to. It also helps to protect against E. Coli and possibly allergies. Other immunoglobulins, including IgG and IgM, in breast milk also help protect against bacterial and viral infections. Eating fish can help increase the amount of these proteins in your breast milk.
Lysozyme is an enzyme that protects the infant against E. Coli and Salmonella. It also promotes the growth of healthy intestinal flora and has anti-inflammatory functions.
Bifidus factor supports the growth of lactobacillus. Lactobacillus is a beneficial bacteria that protects the baby against harmful bacteria by creating an acidic environment where it cannot survive.
Human milk also contains fats that are essential for the health of your baby. It is necessary for brain development, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and is a primary calorie source. Long chain fatty acids are needed for brain, retina, and nervous system development. They are deposited in the brain during the last trimester of pregnancy and are also found in breast milk.
The amount and types of vitamins in breast milk is directly related to the mother’s vitamin intake. This is why it is essential that she gets adequate nutrition, including vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, are all vital to the infant’s health.
Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, and panthothenic acid are also essential. Because of the need for these vitamins, many healthcare providers and lactation consultants will have nursing mothers continue on prenatal vitamins.
Lactose is the primary carbohydrate found in human milk. It accounts for approximately 40% of the total calories provided by breast milk. Lactose helps to decrease the amount of unhealthy bacteria in the stomach, which improves the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. It helps to fight disease and promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the stomach.
Breast milk has the perfect combination of proteins, fats, vitamins, and carbohydrates. There is nothing better for the health of your baby. Leukocytes are living cells that are only found in breast milk. They help fight infection. It is the antibodies, living cells, enzymes, and hormones that make breast milk ideal. These cannot be added to formula.
Though some women ultimately are not able to breastfeed, many who think they cannot actually are able to breastfeed. Lactation consultants are able to provide support to women learning to breastfeed. For those who are not able to breastfeed, milk banks or donor milk may be an alternative.
researchers are now realizing that skipping the lactation phase would be problematic for mothers’ health. In fact, not breastfeeding after giving birth seems to put women at higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many other serious health conditions.
If you read a bottle of formula you will find scary ingredients such as dairy. I will write a post on why this is so harmful for babies under 6months and why its so bad for humans in general.
Sugar! thats right people, Sugar for your baby!!!Tragically, many infant formulas are more than 50 percent sugar — 43 percent being corn syrup solids, which means they’re also high in fructose. Metabolically, consuming fructose is very similar to alcohol on a chronic basis, so there appears to be a surprising similarity between giving your infant a can of soda, or a bottle of most conventional infant formulas.
High Oleic Safflower Oil
This ingredient is commonly used in processed food. The reason why manufacturers use high oleic safflower oil is to extend the shelf life of their products.
Soy Oil
It’s extracted from soybean seeds and used as a base in paints and printer ink because of its drying property; meaning that it hardens when exposed to air. Soybeans are on the top list of GMO crops which makes it an inexpensive ingredient and available to manufacturers year-round. According to Dr. Mercola, this is one of the most harmful ingredients in processed foods.
upric Sulfate
Cupric sulfate is a pesticide, herbicide and fungicide. It is classified as an irritant, dangerous to the environment, and harmful. Here are some common uses:
Added to swimming pools to prevent algae overgrowth
Used to treat parasitic infections in aquarium fish
Used as a snail removal solution in aquariums
Used to preserve wood
Used in anemia blood tests
Used in chemistry experiments
Exposure to this “ingredient” can lead to many health problems.also is lacking in other key components that breast milk naturally provides. Chief among these are probiotics, friendly bacteria that help your body to thrive. In Greek, the term pro means “for life,” and the large amount of careful research surrounding these healthful microorganisms suggests that they are an integral part of your, and your child’s, well-being.
Breast milk is a natural source of probiotics, so babies who are breastfed receive an ideal source of your first immune-building good bacteria, and as a result also tend to have intestinal microflora in which beneficial bifidobacteria predominate over potentially harmful bacteria.
Some infant formulas do contain added probiotics, but they are going to be inferior to those that are found naturally in breast milk. That was enough to scare me far away from that powdered sugar bomb. And Im glad I did, the bond we share when we breastfeed is something you can’t explain, its pure joy, connection I feel as if we connect on some higher level.
(Tandem nursing brother and sister in photo)
I chose to breastfeed I feel it was best for me and baby, as a mother it is your decision to make what is best for your child, no one else can make the choice. Just remember to always do your research. And if you breastfeed, Don’t hide! the world needs to see this is natural. we need to Normalize breastfeeding!
-Julia
Tiaras and Tonkas 