The Special Health Benefits You And Your Baby Will Receive While Breastfeeding

Breast milk has real healing powers to your baby and is not just the best nutrition for your baby, isn't that awesome news. Breastfeeding your baby is just another way you can show your baby...

Breast milk has real healing powers to your baby and is not just the best nutrition for your baby, isn’t that awesome news. Breastfeeding your baby is just another way you can show your baby just how much you love and care about giving your baby the very best when it comes to good health and good nutrition. Breast milk contains all the vitamins and minerals your baby will need to develop and grow for the first six months of life and continues to give nutrition and many health benefits to your baby as long as you breastfeed even up to 2 years!

Breast milk is high in fat which aides your baby in gaining much needed weight. It also contains not only all the vitamins and minerals your baby needs but your milk is specially tailored just for your specific baby, how special is that? Your baby has it’s own private chef right from day one!

Breast milk is specially formulated not only to nourish your child but the healing powers in breast milk has been heralded in recent years as being able to heal as well. Many researchers, scientists and doctors have studied the properties of breast milk and have concluded that it does appear to have some healing powers. The reason for the healing can be found in the antibodies contained in breast milk. This is why it is important to nurse your baby for the first six months, because the antibodies provide protection for your baby against illnesses and infections.

Two situations that researchers, scientists and doctors agree that can be directly healed by the use of breast milk are: sore and bleeding nipples and pink eye (conjunctivitis).

Conjunctivitis is an eye infection that is highly contagious and is very uncomfortable to have. The eye becomes inflamed, sore and can become crusted over. A particular antibody in breast milk can heal the infection when breast milk is applied directly to the eye. The antibody is called, “immunoglobulin A”, and it prevents the bacteria in conjunctivitis from attaching to the mucosal surface of the eye. The growth of the bacteria is halted and your eye symptoms clear up. Use the breast milk, as you would eye drops squirting it directly onto the surface of the eye. If you lift your eyelid slightly the breast milk will circulate underneath it. You can treat the infected eye three times a day for a couple of days or until the eye infection clears. As in any infection, if it fails to clear or becomes worse you should see a doctor.

If you have sore nipples from breastfeeding, which can occur if you have had improper positioning of the baby on your breast or if your baby has an incorrect grasp when sucking you can become sore and even experience cracked or bleeding nipples. This is especially common in the beginning days of breastfeeding before the nipples have become “toughened up”. To prevent this try to toughen up the nipples before the baby is born by letting them rub against the fabric of your shirt or by doing nipple exercises that your midwife, nurse or other lactation specialist can show you that help to toughen up the nipples prior to breastfeeding.

Use a few drops of breast milk on your sore or cracked nipples several times a day and let them air dry naturally. Do this after every nursing. The antibodies in the breast milk will aid in healing any infections you may have on your nipples and will also promote healing of the sore and cracked nipples. Ask your doctor, midwife or lactation consultant about lanolin or other creams to safely use while breastfeeding that can be applied after nursing to reduce any pain. Although breastfeeding itself should never be painful, if you have got yourself into a position where there has been improper positioning of the baby at the breast or your baby is not grabbing enough breast tissue into the mouth while nursing you can experience pain if the nipples become cracked.

Read Also

1. Common Problems Women Encounter When Breastfeeding - As beneficial as breastfeeding is for the baby there are some problems that can be associated with breastfeeding. A woman...
2. Breastfeeding Benefits Not Just The Mom And Baby - What a concept, breastfeeding benefits not just the mom and baby but it also benefits the economy and the environment....
3. Why Breastfeeding Is Best For Baby And Mom - There are many reasons why breastfeeding is best for the baby including nutritional reasons, health reasons, and for better bonding....
4. Can I Breastfeed My Adopted Baby - The answer is a resounding, yes; you can breastfeed an adopted baby. How, you ask? Well, the how is a...
5. Preparing For Breastfeeding Before Baby Arrives - Like most moms, those who anticipate breastfeeding as a choice for feeding their newborn; usually prepare for the coming of...