A Gift of Love First, you ve given your baby the gift of life. Now you wish to give your baby the gift of love .your breastmilk. This is one of the most important decisions that you will make in your child s life. There are many factors that influence a woman s decision whether to breastfeed including the support she receives from their physician and family, the experiences of friends, exposure of breastfeeding during childhood, and education about breastfeeding.
Many women wonder if there is a difference between breastfeeding and bottle-feeding.
Human milk is the only substance available to provide complete nutrition and immunologic protection to the human infant. Receiving human milk has a direct effect on the infant s immediate health as well as lifelong benefits. Research shows that breastmilk decreases the incidence of diarrhea, respiratory infections, and necrotizing enterocolitis. Studies have also shown a possible protective effect against SIDS, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, Crohn s disease, ulcerative colitis, lymphoma and allergic diseases. There are also advantages for the mother, both physically and psychologically.