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Good for the Soul
Breastfeeding Is More Than a Physical Benefit By Teri Brown
Shelly Holbrook, certified childbirth educator and owner of Puget Sound Birth Options in Tacoma, Wash., lists the following benefits as particularly of interest to moms:
- Bonding With Baby: Breastfeeding is the best way to begin early nurturing with your child. The coddling and human touch of holding the baby is calming and sedating. Holbrook says it's so calming that a lot of women "fall asleep on the job!"
- Pure Nutrition: Not only is breast milk perfectly balanced in its levels of nutrients, but it is always the right temperature. New mothers are prone to worry, especially in the first three years. Knowing that you are taking steps to increase the chances of a healthy child is a comfort to a mother's spirit.
Unique Gift: There is a great sense of peace and pride knowing that you are providing the very life force that drives your child's health. - Environmentally Sound: Those with an ecological conscience (as we all should have), know that they aren't contributing to waste problems by tossing hundreds of plastic liners, plastic nipples, bottles or pacifiers into the garbage. Knowing that you really are making a difference gives mothers a sense of pride.
