BE WELL
THE JOYS AND WOES OF BREASTFEEDING WRITTEN BY JACKIE WOODS / PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES
Parents want the best for their babies, and deciding whether or not to breastfeed is one of the first choices a mother makes for her child. Breastfeeding offers multiple health benefits for mom and baby, so the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least six months.
Perhaps the most important advantage of breastmilk is the nutrients it provides for proper organ development and to help babies stay healthy. Breast milk protects infants from illnesses such as ear infections, pneumonia, and meningitis, and research suggests it may also protect against sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS), asthma, eczema, diabetes, and some cancers. Women who breastfeed can more easily bond with their babies, and tend to recover from childbirth more quickly. Some studies show that breastfeeding reduces a woman’s chance of developing breast and
ovarian cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. Regardless of the health benefits, learning to breastfeed and continuing the process is not always an easy task. Sheila Sloss, RN, IBCLC, is the Birth Center Program Coordinator for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. Sloss
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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SEPTEMBER 2021
