Breastfeeding: Myths vs. Facts | Merck Manual Consumer Version

Breastfeeding is good for the mother and the baby. Breast milk: -Provides the baby with the necessary nutrients in the most easily digestible and absorbable form -Contains antibodies and white blood cells that protect the baby against infection The first milk the mother produces is a thin yellow fluid called colostrum. -Colostrum is particularly rich in calories, protein, white blood cells, and antibodies. The breast milk that is produced after colostrum helps maintain the correct pH of the stool and the proper balance of normal intestinal bacteria, thus protecting the baby against bacterial diarrhea. Because of the protective qualities of breast milk, many types of infections occur less often in babies who are breastfed rather than formula-fed. Breastfeeding also seems to protect against the development of certain chronic problems, such as allergies, diabetes, obesity, and Crohn disease. Most commercial formulas are now supplemented with certain fatty acids (arachidonic acid [ARA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) to more closely resemble breast milk and perhaps promote optimal neurologic development in formula-fed babies. Breastfeeding offers many advantages to the mother as well, such as: -Helping her to bond and feel close to her baby in a way that bottle-feeding cannot -Allowing her to recover more quickly after delivery -Providing her with some long-term health benefits Long-term health benefits of breastfeeding include decreased risk of obesity, osteoporosis, ovarian cancer, and some breast cancers. About 60% of mothers in the United States breastfeed their babies, and this proportion is steadily increasing. #breastfeeding #breastmilk #breastfeedingfacts About Merck Manuals: Access to MerckManuals.com, an online medical reference, is unlimited and always free. There is no registration and the user experience is not compromised by advertising or sponsored content of any kind. More than 350 medical experts currently serve as contributors; all of the material is reviewed by an independent editorial board, regularly updated online, and available in multiple languages. The website features an extensive and continually expanding collection of visual resources, including videos, animations, three-dimensional models, interactive quizzes, and infographics. The digital offering enhances the subject matter contained in The Merck Manual, a medical reference for doctors and pharmacists first published in 1899. The Merck Manual Home Health Handbook translates the complex medical terminology contained in the professional version into everyday language. The first edition of the consumer version was introduced in 1997. • Merck Manual Consumer Version: https://www.MerckManual.com/home • Facebook for Consumers: https://www.facebook.com/MerckManualH ... • Twitter for Consumers: https://www.Twitter.com/MerckManualHome

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