RMC Women

Dear Mom-To-Be,

Congratulations to you on the news of your pregnancy! You are probably already thinking and dreaming of loving and caring for your new baby. You will want to provide the best of everything for him or her. Over the next few months, as you plan for your baby's arrival, we hope you will thoughtfully consider breastfeeding your baby.

DID YOU KNOW THAT:

• Breastfed babies are hospitalized ten times less often than babies who are are formula fed.
  
• Diarrhea, respiratory illnesses, and ear infections are more frequent and more serious in formula fed babies.
  
• Breastfed babies are less likely to die of SIDS
  
• Formula fed babies score lower on I.Q. tests at age 8 years, 12 years, and 18 years.
  
• Breastfed babies have a decreased chance of developing childhood cancers.
  
• Children who are breastfed grow into healthier adults. Moms who breastfeed their babies may lose their pregnancy weight faster and may benefit from protection against osteoporosis and certain cancers.
  

Can YOU breastfeed? Sure you can! There are only RARE instances where breastfeeding is not recommended or not possible. An adoptive mother can induce lactation and breastfeed her adoptive child, even if she has never been pregnant. Breastfeeding is often called the fourth trimester of pregnancy because it is the continuation of nurturing from the womb before birth, to nurturing from the breast after birth. YOU can make the highest quality nutrition for your baby. No formula company has been able to replicate the components of breast milk that make it so superior.

Regional Lactation Services is a service of Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center to provide support for you in your decision to breastfeed your baby. Board certified lactation consultants are available before and after your child's birth to answer questions and provide guidance. In this packet you will find other resources to explore as you make this very important decision.