Breast is Best

"Mom, milk mom, milk, Harvey milk", this is what is coming out of my sons mouth while he is pulling down my shirt and attempting to pull my boob out in the middle of Target. Now to some this would be "cute", and normally to me this is cute when it is occurring to other people. However, the first issue was we were walking through target with my girlfriends and their babies, the second my son is almost two, and lastly I have not breastfed my son since he was 5months old. Though we were all laughing to the point of tears it made me think if I had done my son an injustice by bottle feeding him exclusively after 5months of breast.

Now a days we hear a lot about "Breast is Best", health professionals strongly recommend it, and it is the most natural milk for the baby. Studies have shown that breastfeeding is the best for babies and their development. Breastfeeding helps to lower infancy sickness, makes for smarter children, and later puberty are just a few of the benefits(Berger 2012). Besides there being benefits for the baby there are multiple benefits for the mother and family as well. For the mother is it easier to bond with the baby, reduces the chance of breast cancer, and makes it much easier to travel with baby (Berger 2012). Another obvious benefit of breastfeeding is it is free! Of course you may encounter a cracked nipple or two, engorged breast, and leakage but it is a way of feeding as old as time. Breastfeeding is universal and occurs around the world. Western society has embraces breastfeeding and it has become more popular. In the United States, 22% are breastfed at a year. In other societies it can be slightly different.

In China, the support for breastfeeding is not as available. During prenatal visits and the mother's hospital stay after birth they will not get information on the benefits of breastfeeding as in the United States. Despite the lack of support mothers are pro breastfeeding and all mothers plan to breastfeed but do typically wean sooner than planned. Also, breastfeeding in public is much more normal compared to here in the United States. Again breastfeeding is universal and how it was done in the past and how it was meant to be.

In my personal opinion I think breastfeeding is amazing. If possible I believe every woman should breastfeed as long as they are able too. When I  was breastfeeding I did it anywhere and everywhere. I felt the most connected to my son when I was feeding him and would high five other mothers who were doing it. Today I have vowed, if I have another child to breastfeed to a year or more. I was a breastfeeding mama, I am a pro breastfeeding mama, and I believe Breast is Best!