Breastfeeding saves lifes
• Lack of breastfeeding is a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
• Human milk protects premature infants from life threatening gastrointestonal disease.
• Beastfed children have lower risk of dying before their first birthday.

Breastfed infants are healthier
• Formula fed infants have twic the risk of having ear infections in the first year than infants who are exclusively breastfed for at least 4 months.
• Breastfeeding reduces the incidence, and lessens the severity of a large number of infections, including pneumonia and meningitis in infants.
• Breastfeeding protects infants against a variety of illnesses, such as diarhea and infant botulism.
• Breastfed babies have less chance of allergies, asthma and eczema .
• Evidence suggests that breastfeeding for at least two months protects susceptible children Type I insuline dependent diabetes mellit us (DDM).
• Breastfeeding may reduce the risk for subsequent inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and childhood cancers.

Breastfeeding helps mothers recover from childbirth
• Breastfeeding helps the uterus to shrink to its pre-pregnancy state and reduces the amount of blood lost after delivery.
• Mothers who breastfeed for at least 3 months may lose more weight than mothers who do not breastfeed.
Breastfeeding mothers usually resume their menstrual cycles 20 to 30
weeks later than mothers who do not breastfeed.

Breastfeeding keeps women healthier throughout their lives
• Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months can help in child spacing among women who do not use contraceptives (The Lactation Amenorrhea Method).
• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
• Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Breastfeeding is economical
• The cost of infant formula has increased 150 percent since the
1980’s.
• Breastfeeding reduces health care costs.
• The formula costs over $1000 (ANG. 1800) per year!

Breastfeeding is environmentally sound
• Unlike infant formula, breastfeeding requires no fossil
fuels for its manufacture or preparation.
• Breastfeeding reduces pollutants created as by-products during the
manufacture of plastics for bottles and metal for cans to contain infant
formula.
• Breastfeeding reduces the burden on our landfills, as there are no cans
to throw away.

Source | Heather de Paulo, MS.
RD registered dietritian CPR First Aid Instructor
Californian Health Department about breastfeeding