Breastfeeding Week, breastfeeding facts

Breastfeeding has many proven benefits for both you and your baby, but this doesn’t mean you’ll get the hang of it as soon as your baby is born. In fact it can be quite tricky to master at first, however with a bit of perseverance breastfeeding can become second nature to you both and you’ll never want to stop!

It’s National Breastfeeding Week this week (24th-30th June) so we’ve compiled a few breastfeeding facts for you…

• -Across the world, less than 40 per cent of babies under the age of six months are exclusively breastfed

• -Breastfeeding burns approximately 500 calories a day
• -It reduces risks of breast and ovarian cancer later in life, helps women return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster, and lowers rates of obesity.
• -Adults who were breastfed as babies often have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, as well as lower rates of overweight, obesity and type-2 diabetes.
• -Breastfeeding aids the uterus returning to original size after birth.
• -An average breastfeed last 16 minutes.
• -Babies instinctively know how to get your milk quickly and efficiently.
• -Your baby controls your breastmilk flow with an instinctive action that includes sucking, swallowing and breathing.
• -82% of mothers use a breastpump.
• -Breastfeeding exposes your baby to many different tastes and smells.
• -In countries were breastfeeding rates are higher, the most common female cancers, ovarian, uterine and breast, are reduced.
• -There are more than 4,000 species of mammal, and all breastfeed their young.
• -Breastfeeding delays the return of menstrual periods and may aid in spacing pregnancies.
• -Breastfeeding creates a strong bond between mother and child.

Are you breastfeeding correctly?- see our gurgle article