Information On Breastfeeding, Articles On Breastfeeding

When breastfeeding moms are sick, is it safe for them to continue to nurse their babies?

The good news is that even if you are a nursing mom who becomes sick, breast feeding is very safe AND beneficial for babies. With all viral illnesses, your baby will have been exposed to the virus by the time you notice symptoms. The best thing you can do in ordinary times (pre-COVID) is to continue to breast feed if you feel up to it. In fact, your breast milk contains illness-specific antibodies that offer protection to your baby. During COVID-living, things are a bit more complicated as we want to prevent the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to baby.

Tips and Tricks for Common Challenges During Breast Feeding

Almost every breastfeeding mom has wondered how to increase her breast milk production at some point, whether she needed to or not. Most of the time your body figures out how to make enough milk for your baby.

Avoiding environmental pollutants during (and before!) breastfeeding

At GetzWell we hold that, whenever possible, breastfeeding is the absolute best way to feed your baby.

With the many benefits to your child’s cognitive development, immune system, gut health, and bonding, the protective and health promoting properties of breastmilk are nothing short of amazing! At the same time, the reality of our modern world means that pollutants that contaminate our bodies on a daily basis can be passed on to our little ones. Breasts absorb and store chemicals in their fatty tissue, some of which is transferred during milk production. The presence of toxins is higher in first-time moms and during the first months of breastfeeding, so it is never too early to limit your exposure.

Breast Milk: A Key Ingredient For A Healthy Baby

At GetzWell, we proudly stand behind the “Breast is the Best!” mantra. Why? Research continues to uncover the inextricable link between breast milk and your baby’s long term health. While we recognize there are circumstances that prevent breast feeding and honor a mother’s decision, whatever it is, to feed her baby as best she can, we’re excited to share some amazing facts and the over allhealth benefits of Mother Nature’s perfect baby food.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

This past January Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin announced the The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding. Due to mounting evidence of breastfeeding’s myriad health benefits she declared its promotion a national priority. Indeed, most people have heard about the passage of immunities from mothers to their breastfed infants, but few parents have been informed that formula-fed babies are at higher risk for developing lower respiratory infections, asthma, atopic dermatitis, obesity, necrotizing enterocolitis, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, childhood leukemia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In fact, the Surgeon General estimates that if 90% of mothers breastfed exclusively for 6 months, nearly 1,000 deaths among infants could be prevented annually!

Breastfeeding Reduces Risk of Fever After Vaccines

Parents often ask if they should premedicate their baby before immunization in order to prevent fever and discomfort that’s associated with the shots. In fact, a study published last year in The Lancet suggested that acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) blunts the immune system’s response to the vaccines. At GetzWell, where we often vaccinate children on a staggered schedule (fewer vaccines per appointment) and strongly discourage premedication, we rarely see post-vaccine fevers or pain. Additionally, an Italian study involving 450 babies (published in Pediatrics in May 2010), showed that half as many infants who were exclusively breastfed developed post-vaccine fevers compared to babies who weren’t breastfed at all. Yet another reason to support breastfeeding whenever possible!

Omega-3s during pregnancy and while breast feeding

Learn more about Omega-3s during your pregnancy and while breast feeding, plus see Dr. Getzelman’s Favorite Fish Taco Recipe.

Breastfeeding

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