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Keeping Your Breast Milk Healthy

by: Michelle Higgins

Expecting a baby? You must be in a state of bliss, yet confounded by multiple choices. One of the toughest decisions you will have to make: Bottle feeding or Breastfeeding? Despite all the information available on the pros and cons, the final decision is yours. What is right for someone else might not be right for you.

Here is some help to make your decision.

The strong case for breast feeding

Most pediatricians advocate breast milk as the perfect food for a baby and indeed it is all that she needs for the first six months. It is easy to digest. It contains unique disease fighting antibodies, an exclusive blend of nutrients, hormones and enzymes that promote growth and development.

Breast milk stays at the right temperature, is available at all times and is safe and sterile too. Breastfeeding offers protection against several allergies and diseases. There is more physical contact with your baby while you breastfeed.

Breastfeeding is beneficial for the mother as well. It helps shrink your uterus to its normal size, burns calories and helps you lose weight, and is known to reduce your risk of breast, uterus and ovarian cancer. Exclusive breastfeeding until six months is an effective method of contraception too.

And yes, breast milk is nature's first choice for your baby.

Breast feeding: The flip side

Breastfeeding requires a great deal of patience and perseverance not to mention a great deal of time. If you want to go back to work, breastfeeding might not be practical.

A breastfeeding mother has to avoid alcohol, smoking and limit caffeine consumption. She also has to watch what she eats until she is breastfeeding.

You cannot go on a diet while you are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding also limits the variety of clothes you can wear. This can be a little disappointing especially if you were waiting to shed those pregnancy pounds and get back into those bikinis and tube tops.

Nursing is not recommended for mothers suffering from certain medical conditions or on particular medications.