Breastmates - Evidence ::

Mother's Milk: The Start of Something Special

Breastmilk is the perfect food

It provides everything your baby needs, in the quantities it needs, for the first six months of it's life (Department of Health website, NBAW 2001)

It's the healthiest option for your baby

Your baby has a lower risk of gastro-enteritis, respiratory, urinary tract and ear infections, eczema and childhood diabetes (www.promom.org, 101 reasons to breastfeed your child)

It's the healthiest option for you

You have a lower risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer (www.promom.org, 101 reasons to breastfeed your child)

It's convenient

It's always available and instantly at the right temperature

It's free

In fact it saves you an estimated £450 across a year (www.nct-online.org)

It saves the nation money

It's estimated that the NHS spends at least £35 million a year treating gastro-enteritis in bottle-fed infants in England (Breastfeeding: good practice guidance to the NHS, Department of Health 1995)

Breastfed babies have higher IQs

A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that breastfed infants tested 5.2 IQ points higher than bottle-fed infants (www.promom.org, 101 reasons to breastfeed your child)

Breastfed babies are less likely to be obese as adults

(Department of Health website, NBAW 2001)

It's more environmentally friendly

Breastmilk is produced and delivered to the consumer with no pollution, unnecessary packaging or waste (www.promom.org, 101 reasons to breastfeed your child)

Women who breastfeed regain their figures sooner than women who bottle feed

When your body is producing breastmilk it burns about 500 calories a day (www.ahealthyme.com)

In Addition

- Breastmilk also contains substances that help your baby's development

- You'll get a special closeness by breastfeeding your baby

- You'll enjoy the way it makes you slow down

- You can do it anytime, any place, anywhere