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Before Baby
Choosing Breastfeeding
Before You Conceive
Before You Conceive
By Shel Franco
Thinking about breastfeeding might seem odd to you, especially if you are struggling to conceive. Yet, breastfeeding is a practice that many women "choose" without much thought, and the result is less than satisfying. If your introduction to breastfeeding is sore nipples, restricted diets and babies that never unlatch, a little information – before you get pregnant – will go a long way.
It would be hard to miss the never-ending string of research, toting the many benefits of breastfeeding. Still, many women find it difficult to weed through all the scientific garble and find it hard to relate the studies to their lives.
If you're looking for a straightforward answer on why breast is best, just ask International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Melissa Clark Vickers:
"It is true that formulas are improved over what they used to be, but unfortunately, they still have a long way to go to match the superior nutrition of breast milk. Consider these unmatchable qualities of breast milk and breastfeeding:
- Your breast milk changes throughout a feeding, throughout the day and throughout the entire nursing experience. As your baby grows and develops, his nutritional needs change. While some formula companies have come out with an older baby version of their product, there is no way they can come up with the variety your milk will provide.
- Your breast milk contains living cells and other disease-fighting components that are made by your breast in response to whatever you or your baby has been exposed to. Formula can't do that.
- Your breast milk changes flavor and taste, depending on what you have been eating. This helps prepare your baby to eat and enjoy the variety of food you'll be introducing to him later on. Formula is always the same taste and smell – neither of which is particularly pleasant!
