Congrats! You are pregnant and you’ve decided to start thinking about how you will be feeding your little one once he or she arrives. The decision may come easily for some, but for others, the choice between bottle and breast is one that takes some thinking. Here are several advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding if you're having a hard time deciding if breastfeeding is for you. Advantages of Breastfeeding Breastfeeding can lower illness in babies, such as ear infections, allergies, respiratory issues, colds and viruses, diabetes, insulin dependent diabetes, a number of childhood cancers and ovarian cancer and breast … [Read more...]

When it comes to breastfeeding support, few organizations are as well known as La Leche League International (LLLI). When it comes to breastfeeding resources, few are as time-tested and thorough as the La Leche League guidebook The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. This book, now in its eighth edition, is a 550+ page volume covers breastfeeding basics, the stages of baby and toddlerhood, breastfeeding troubleshooting, and so much more. It's truly more than just your average book on breastfeeding! The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding to My Rescue Eight and a half years ago I became a young, inexperienced, insecure, and terribly overwhelmed new mom … [Read more...]

Disadvantages of breastfeeding? Really? We're going to talk about this topic on a breastfeeding site? Yup. I was recently asked to write a guest post for The Humbled Homemaker and chose to write on this topic. Originally, I thought it was this website was a better platform...because I certainly couldn't write about this topic on a breastfeeding website, right? Wrong. One of the reasons I wanted to write this post is because I know—thanks to companies like Google—hundreds of women are searching for information about the disadvantages of breastfeeding. Women want to know what the disadvantages are. I probably wouldn't typically call them … [Read more...]

I'm sure you know that breast milk is the best source of nutrition for your growing baby, but I'll bet I can tell you some things that you didn't know about the amazing powers of breastfeeding! Here are some little known breastfeeding facts: Past infancy, breast milk continues to provide rapidly growing babies and toddlers with a great source of nutrition. The fat and energy contents in breast milk cannot be matched in formulas or cereals found on store shelves. As quickly as their little bodies are growing and changing and moving, breast milk is the best source of energy, vitamins, and nutrition for them for years! Numerous … [Read more...]

“So, are you going to breastfeed Abbey?” It was the beginning of a new school year.  A few weeks prior, I had started homeschooling the children, but today was a special day. It was the first day of our homeschool co-op. I walked into the building to get “The Three Amigos” settled into their new Thursday routine and had plans to enjoy the rest of the day with my new baby girl. Several weeks prior, she had come to us by way of adoption. So, although I was still a bit sleep deprived when I walked into the church, I was excited to be a new mommy all over again. Many of my friends knew that our daughter had come home but had not met her … [Read more...]

Can you get pregnant while breastfeeding? We have all heard one opinion or another regarding whether or not it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding.  And many of our experiences run contrary to the information we were given. There is factual information about breastfeeding and fertility available, whether you hope to avoid pregnancy after childbirth or add to your family with a baby close in age to your little one. Much of the confusion comes not from misinformation—trusted health organizations (like the WHO and the La Leche League) are in agreement on the basic ways that lactation affects reproduction—but in the difficulty in … [Read more...]

Thanks for joining us for the second part of "Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mom and Baby." We talked about bonding/empowerment, antibodies, passing of meconium after birth, contraction, and developing sucking reflexes. If you missed the first 5 benefits, click here. Easy to Digest Breast milk is packed with a lot of vitamins, proteins, and amino acids that are easier to digest when compared to formula. Babies will have fewer occurrences of colic, constipation and diarrhea. However, because breast milk is so easily absorbed by the body, babies tend to nurse more often. Mothers need to be aware of the amount of time their babies spend … [Read more...]

Breast milk is naturally produced by a woman’s mammary glands during or after pregnancy. Mothers who have decided to breastfeed their infants and toddlers are able to offer a natural source of vitamins, nutrients and immunizations, which enhances growth and development. This article highlights 5 benefits of breastfeeding for baby. These benefits are: bonding/empowerment, antibodies, passing of meconium after birth, contraction, and developing sucking reflexes. Bonding & Empowerment Mothers who have decided to breastfeed their babies after birth are able to develop a close emotional bond with their little ones. Mother and baby are taken … [Read more...]