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• Breast milk contains antibodies that help protect the baby from illnesses including ear infections, stomach viruses, diarrhea and respiratory infections.
• Breast fed babies have a decreased likelihood of developing allergies, asthma, Type 1 and 2 diabetes, childhood leukemia, SIDS and obesity.
• Breast feeding reduces the rates of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, Type 2 diabetes and postpartum depression in the mother.
• The savings of breast feeding is between $1,160 and $3,915 per year, depending on the brand of formula.
• Human milk is easier for babies to digest than proteins in formula, which is made from cow’s milk.
• Colostrum, which is the first substance produced by the breasts, is the first perfect food for newborns.
• It helps promote weight loss in the mother.
• Makes traveling easier.
• Oxytocin, a “happy hormone,” is released in the mother during breast feeding.
• Oxytocin also helps produce contractions in the uterus, helping it return to its pre-pregnancy size, reducing the chance of postpartum hemorrhaging.
• The U.S. Surgeon General’s office recommends breast milk for the first six months of a baby’s life.
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Breast feeding education at DeKalb Memorial Hospital, Auburn. Call (260) 920-2510.
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