"Did you think breastmilk is only for feeding a baby? As breastmilk is "clean" and has antibacterial and healing properties, have you considered other great uses for it?
Eye infections / Conjuctivitis ("Pink Eye"): Squirt into the eye. Do this as frequently as possible until healed. If the baby/child doesn’t allow you to squirt breastmilk into his eye, then do it while they are sleeping. Squirt around the crease of closed eyes, then gently lift the lids to allow the breastmilk to seep into the eye.
Sore/cracked nipples: Rub into nipples after feedings and air dry.
Scratches/Scrapes/Cuts: Squirt & clean wound first with the breastmilk; then apply some more on wound and air dry. This is really great when on outings where no ready water supply is available. If the cut is on the lips or mouth area, healing will be especially easy for a breastfeeding baby or child. Just the simple act of nursing the child not only calms the child from the pain of the injury, but the breastmilk that must pass the wound during nursing will close the cut rather quickly.
Mosquito bites / Ant bites: Squirt on bite and rub in. Helps to stop the itching.
Ear infections: Squirt or pour into sore ear
Acne / Eczema / Diaper rash: Wash skin with water, then apply breastmilk all over. Air Dry.
Facial Cleanser: Apply breastmilk on face & wipe clean. Great even for removing eye-makeup!
Sore throats/Mouth Sores: A baby/child that is still breastfeeding can benefit by directly nursing. If not, drinking a cup of expressed breastmilk will help. It certainly helped when my then 19-month-old son had mouth sores from a bout of Hand, Foot & Mouth disease. His mouth was too sore to nurse directly from the breast, but drinking expressed breastmilk from a cup helped heal the sores in a day.
Stuffy noses: Squirt into nose and suction or squeeze out as you would with saline. "
Lili
"Breast-fed babies have fewer illnesses because human milk transfers to the infant a mother's antibodies to disease. About 80 percent of the cells in breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Breast-fed babies are protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia, botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections, and German measles. Furthermore, mothers produce antibodies to whatever disease is present in their environment, making their milk custom-designed to fight the diseases their babies are exposed to as well.
A breast-fed baby's digestive tract contains large amounts of Lactobacillus bifidus, beneficial bacteria that prevent the growth of harmful organisms. Human milk straight from the breast is always sterile, never contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles, which can also lead to diarrhea in the infant. "
“We already know how breast milk provides for the baby’s nutritional needs, but we are only just beginning to understand that it probably performs many other functions,” says Dr Cregan, a molecular biologist at The University of Western Australia.
He says that, in essence, a new mother’s mammary glands take over from the placenta to provide the development guidance to ensure a baby’s genetic destiny is fulfilled.
“It is setting the baby up for the perfect development,” he says. “We already know that babies who are breast fed have an IQ advantage and that there’s a raft of other health benefits. Researchers also believe that the protective effects of being breast fed continue well into adult life.
“The point is that many mothers see milks as identical – formula milk and breast milk look the same so they must be the same. But we know now that they are quite different and a lot of the effects of breast milk versus formula don’t become apparent for decades. Formula companies have focussed on matching breast milk’s nutritional qualities but formula can never provide the developmental guidance.”
BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING
There are many benefits to breastfeeding. Even if you are able to do it for only a short time, your baby's immune system can benefit from breast milk. Here are many other benefits of breast milk for a mother, her baby, and others:
BENEFITS FOR BABY:
Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants. A mother's milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein that is needed for a baby's growth and development. Most babies find it easier to digest breast milk than they do formula.
As a result, breastfed infants grow exactly the way they should. They tend to gain less unnecessary weight and to be leaner. This may result in being less overweight later in life.
Premature babies do better when breastfed compared to premature babies who are fed formula.
Breastfed babies score slightly higher on IQ tests, especially babies who were born pre-maturely.
BENEFITS FOR MOM:
Nursing uses up extra calories, making it easier to lose the pounds of pregnancy. It also helps the uterus to get back to its original size and lessens any bleeding a woman may have after giving birth.
Breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding (no supplementing with formula), delays the return of normal ovulation and menstrual cycles. (However, you should still talk with your doctor or nurse about birth control choices.)
Breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and possibly the risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis after menopause.
Breastfeeding makes your life easier. It saves time and money. You do not have to purchase, measure, and mix formula. There are no bottles to warm in the middle of the night!
A mother can give her baby immediate satisfaction by providing her breast milk when her baby is hungry.
Breastfeeding requires a mother to take some quiet relaxed time for herself and her baby.
Breastfeeding can help a mother to bond with her baby. Physical contact is important to newborns and can help them feel more secure, warm and comforted.
Breastfeeding mothers may have increased self-confidence and feelings of closeness and bonding with their infants.
BENEFITS FOR SOCIETY:
Breastfeeding saves on health care costs. Total medical care costs for the nation are lower for fully breastfed infants than never-breastfed infants since breastfed infants typically need fewer sick care visits, prescriptions, and hospitalizations.
Breastfeeding contributes to a more productive workforce. Breastfeeding mothers miss less work, as their infants are sick less often. Employer medical costs also are lower and employee productivity is higher.
Breastfeeding is better for our environment because there is less trash and plastic waste compared to that produced by formula cans and bottle supplies.
Health Risks of Not Breastfeeding
Breast milk has agents (called antibodies) in it to help protect infants from bacteria and viruses. Recent studies show that babies who are not exclusively breastfed for 6 months are more likely to develop a wide range of infectious diseases including ear infections, diarrhea, respiratory illnesses and have more hospitalizations. Also, infants who are not breastfed have a 21% higher postneonatal infant mortality rate in the U.S.
Some studies suggest that infants who are not breastfed have higher rates of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the first year of life, and higher rates of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, lymphoma, leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, overweight and obesity, high cholesterol and asthma. More research in these areas is needed (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2005).
Babies who are not breastfed are sick more often and have more doctor's visits.
Also, when you breastfeed, there are no bottles and nipples to sterilize. Unlike human milk straight from the breast, infant formula has a chance of being contaminated.
