Breast feeding is becoming much more common today than when you were a baby. Several factors need to be considered when making this decision. Breast milk is the ideal nutrition for a newborn. It contains just the right balance of nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and fat. It also provides the infant with antibodies to fight off some common childhood illnesses, and it helps create a protective environment in the gastrointestinal tract to ward off infection.
Breast milk is also easier to digest than commercial formulas.
Breast feeding has advantages for your own health as well as your baby's. Stimulation of your nipples triggers the release of oxytocin, a hormone that causes the uterus to contract and return to its normal size. And breast feeding helps you return to your normal pre-pregnancy weight. Breast feeding has some practical advantages too. It's less expensive than bottle feeding, because there is no equipment to buy.