Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding has many benefits for both baby and mother. Breastfeeding helps protect baby against ear and gastrointestinal infections. Reduces baby’s risk of allergies and colic and provides for better brain development. Breast milk digests easily so there is less constipation. Breastfeeding reduces mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer and the uterus will return to normal size more quickly. It also helps the mother burn more calories.

The more you breastfeed the more milk you will produce. You can return to work and breastfeed and you can use birth control while breastfeeding, but should consult the medical professional who ordered your birth control. While breastfeeding your diet should be healthy, but doesn’t have to be perfect in order to produce nutritious milk.

More information on breastfeeding can be obtained at your local health center. Manual breast pumps are available to mothers enrolled in the WIC program and electric breast pumps are available to mothers enrolled in WIC who are returning to work or school.