OF THE BEST...
BREASTFEEDING PROTECTS MOTHERS AGAINST BREAST CANCER
THE Tanka Fisherwomen of Southern China traditionally only breastfeed their babies from their right breast. In the early 1970s, a medical student at a Hong Kong clinic noticed that if Tanka women developed breast cancer, in 79% of cases, it was in their left breast. It was this observation that led to the discovery that breastfeeding is protective against breast cancer.
IT SHOULDN’T HURT
PAIN is there to tell us something is wrong, and this is true for breastfeeding too. Pain and damage happen when a mother’s nipple isn’t positioned correctly in her baby’s mouth. In the majority of cases, when a baby is well-positioning and deeply latched, breastfeeding will be completely comfortable. If breastfeeding hurts, it’s important to seek out qualified support as soon as possible.
THE TEMPERATURE OF A MOTHER’S BREASTS ADAPTS TO BABY’S NEEDS
A MOTHER’S breasts can warm up by 2˚C if the baby is too cold, and cool down by 2˚C if the baby is too hot. In fact, it has been shown that when newborn twins are placed in skin-toskin contact with their mother, each of her breasts will heat up to a different temperature according to each baby’s needs. This is called thermal synchrony.
BREASTFEEDING MUMS SLEEP LONGER
STUDIES have shown breastfeeding mothers sleep on average 45 minutes more a night than mothers who formula feed. Human milk contains substances that promote sleep and calmness in babies.
Mothers release the hormone prolactin into their own blood while breastfeeding, which helps them to fall asleep more easily.
BREASTFEEDING IS CARBON NEUTRAL
WHEN a mother is breastfeeding, there is zero waste and no carbon emissions. Research at Imperial College London has shown breastfeeding for six months saves an estimated 95-153kg CO² equivalent per baby compared with formula feeding.