Breastfeeding
Breast Milk Is Best for Your Baby
Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby, because it contains all the vitamins and nutrients your baby needs during the first six months. Breast milk also contains disease-fighting substances that protect your baby from illness. That is why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.
Breastfeeding can help protect against:
- Ear infections
- Allergies
- Becoming overweight later in life
- Diabetes
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Breastfeeding can be good for your health by:
- Helping you lose weight
- Reducing stress
- Reducing postpartum bleeding
- Reducing risk of some cancers
- Protecting against osteoporosis later in life
A breastfed baby usually doesn’t need water. However, you may want to give your baby water if the weather is hot and your home is not air-conditioned. If you do, please do not add sugar or honey to your baby’s water. Do not give flavored drinks or soda pop to your baby. You should not give fruit juice to any newborn baby, whether the baby is breastfed or bottle fed.
Mothers often find that breast milk is the easiest way to feed their babies. Also, there is no cost.
Breastfeeding is natural, but it sometimes takes a little time for babies and mothers to learn what works best for them. If you have sore nipples when you first start breastfeeding, the pain can be reduced if your baby is held properly when attached to the breast.
You can find more information about breastfeeding at the Web sites below:
Or you can call:
- Oklahoma Breastfeeding Hotline Number - 1-877-271-Milk (6455)
- 1 (877) 4-LA-LECHE or 1 (877) 452-5324 (24-hour toll-free breastfeeding helpline)
If you would like further assistance with breastfeeding, you can call your local county health department. You may also contact the hospital where you delivered your baby.
