10 weird facts about breastfeeding

breastfeeding/maternity&infant

Ten weird and wonderful facts you might not have known about breastfeeding, to encourage all you yummy mummies to keep up the good work.

Calorie burner

Who needs the gym? The amount of metabolic energy it takes to breastfeed a hungry baby every day uses the same amount of energy it would take to walk seven miles.

Ambidextrous?

Are you a righty or a lefty? Almost three-quarters of breastfeeding Mums feed from their right breast and it has nothing to do with being right-handed.

What support is there for mums who breastfeed?

Activate the endorphins

A natural high. Breastfeeding releases endorphins when you feed your child, which relaxes you and your baby.

Your baby knows your smell…and loves it!

Babies can practically pick you out of a line up based on the smell of your breast milk alone. This is why your baby will turn their head toward you when they are hungry. Your breast milk is also perfect and unique for your own baby, and no two milks are alike. Your breast milk may even change its composition day to day depending on your baby’s needs.

The money maker

Breast milk is sold on the internet for a whopping €3 an ounce.

Pain does not equal gain

Your baby should have a good latch when breastfeeding. A good latch is when most of your nipple and areola are inside the baby’s mouth. If your nipples are very sore it can be a sign that your baby is not latching on correctly.

Newborn’s sight is perfect for feeding

Babies are born extremely nearsighted, which means they can only see about 8-10 inches away. This also happens to be the distance between your face and your baby’s face when they are breastfeeding. So when your baby locks eyes with you it is a true bonding moment.

Lowers future dental costs

Breastfeeding reduces a baby’s risk of cavities later on in life and may even lower the chance they will need braces when they are older.

9 things you can do to support your breastfeeding journey

Sleep better

Mothers who breastfeed sleep an extra 45 minutes on average a night, compared to mothers who bottle feed.

Increased IQ

Scientists believe that breastfeeding can increase your baby’s IQ. Their IQ may reach up to 8 points higher than that of a bottle fed baby.

 maternity&infant

Originally posted 2014-08-07 09:58:12.