Breast feeding : It's nutritious, delicious and good for both mother and baby!
Breast feeding is the scientifically proven best source of nutrition for your baby and there are also lots of breast feeding benefits for mothers too.
Many mothers however, don't even think about breast feeding until the birth of their baby. They assume they'll know how to breastfeed since it's Nature's way and so don't even consider preparing for breast feeding during their pregnancy. As a result, at the first sign of breast feeding problems many mothers stop.
Aside from physical breast feeding problems, new mothers often give up breast feeding for other reasons - such as not feeling supported by family and friends, listening to old wive's tales, believing that prescribed medication prevents it, thinking the baby doesn't like it or believing that they just can't breast feed.
Of those mothers who are successfully breast feeding beyond the first few weeks, many then stop prematurely because they are returning to work, not realising that law protects breast feeding mothers or that there are other options available to them, such as expressing or combining breast and formula feeding. Others feel uncomfortable breast feeding in public so find they gradually replace more and more breastfeeds with substitutes.
It is very rare for a mother to be physically unable to breast feed. Most mothers simply need to be shown how to ensure their baby is properly positioned. Add to that a supportive circle of family and friends and there is every reason for breast feeding to be a success!
Whereas those mothers who successfully breast feed then have to decide when to wean the baby, other mothers decide to let nature take its course and embark upon the journey of extended breast feeding!
Whatever decision individual mothers take, one thing is sure, when the time comes for stopping breast feeding they feel a mixture of both sadness and pride: sadness that this particular stage of their baby's life is over, pride in their body's own ability to provide their baby with the very best start to life!
