Nursing Mothers...Don't Quit

THE BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING

I managed to nurse for 14 months and would have loved to have gone longer.  I enjoyed the bonding experience I had with my daughter while nursing.  Maybe it was the fact that she needed me and with all the added benefits of breastfeeding you can't go wrong.  Breastfeeding provides so many benefits for both mother and baby, but don't get me wrong it is a very demanding job and time consuming.

During my pregnancy I gained 30lbs.  Immediately following the birth of my daughter I lost 20lbs.  Granted, I did not feel or look like I had lost 20lbs, but I was glad about that number.  I only had 10lbs to lose before I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight.  Within 4 weeks of breastfeeding I had lost the 10lbs.  I still did not look like it and my boobs were the size of two watermelons, but the numbers were down.  As I continued to breastfeed, the weight just fell off.  I was so happy about this and there is no greater feeling than having a baby and every time you see family or friends they actually notice your weight loss.  This was definitely one of the benefits I enjoyed from breastfeeding.

I commend those mothers that actually work out after delivering their babies.  If I would've worked out, I could only imagine what my body could have looked like, although I was happy with my results from not working out and just breastfeeding.

Another benefit of breastfeeding was that I saved so much money.  I used this as a bargaining tool for my husband whenever I wanted to purchase something and he might disagree, I would just kindly tell him, do you know I saved us $2,021.75 last year.  He would always give in to whatever I wanted, because he understood the demands of being a working/nursing mother.  

One thing I did notice is when I returned to work 10 weeks after having the baby, my milk supply did decrease.  My body was so use to being on a schedule every 2-3 hours and I didn't have the baby to nurse.  Thankfully, I work for a company that promotes Working Mothers and encourages us to Breastfeed, they provide a nursing room for the nursing mothers, so I would schedule the room twice per day and pump.  I would freeze my milk and take it home.  The days that I was with my baby, I made sure to breastfeed her.  She rarely used a bottle, only when she was at daycare.  Whenever we were together, I always breastfed her.  I did not want her to get use to the nipple.  I've read that some babies will get lazy once they realize they don't have to work as hard using a bottle and it can become very difficult to breastfeed after that.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR MILK SUPPLY

To increase my milk supply, I would nurse the baby and immediately following I would pump.  This helped to trick my body into thinking that my baby needed more milk, so I was able produce more.  Your body will produce as much milk as it thinks your baby needs.  

I also recommend pumping more after you give birth.  My milk supply was the highest right after I gave birth, I had pumped so much milk, by the time I went back to work I had a freezer full of milk.  I had took up so much space, we barely had room for our food.

An herbal supplement you can purchase to increase your milk supply is Fenugreek.  Fenugreek seeds are thought to be a galactagogue (a substance that promotes lactation in humans and other animals) that is often used to increase milk supply in lactating women.  Fenugreek can be purchased at any herbal store or GNC

STAY ENCOURAGED

It is such a blessing to be able to breastfeed your baby.  It can also be very frustrating when your baby is having trouble latching, does not want to breastfeed, you simply cannot produce the amount of milk your baby needs or you feel like you don't have a life because you're like a cow.  If you are experiencing any of these issues, contact La Leche League International, their mission is to help mothers world wide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, provide encouraging information, and education and promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.  Find local support in your area at La Leche League International, they are there to help you with all aspects of breastfeeding.  Do not give up...where there is a will, there is a way. 

Below is a list of Benefits for baby and Mother.  This information was pulled from Nursing Mothers Counsel

benefits for baby

Here are just a few of the benefits babies stand to gain from the breastfeeding relationship:

• less gas, diarrhea, and constipation
• stronger immune systems
• higher IQ
• fewer allergies and less risk of asthma
• fewer incidences of diabetes and cancer
• less risk of childhood obesity
• less risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• better dental and facial development, and decreased likelihood of dental caries

benefits for mom

The rewards of breastfeeding are often overlooked when it comes to mom:

• promotes bonding
• promotes uterine contractions after childbirth and reduces bleeding
• promotes weight loss
• less risk of ovarian and breast cancers
• economical—breastfeeders save over $1000 USD in the first year
• convenient—always available, and always the right temperature
• saves time—no formula to prepare, and no bottles to wash
• clean and safe—and available when normal supplies of food and water are interrupted

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