10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Breastfeeding

It’s widely known that breastfeeding is good for your baby, but did you know that it’s also great for saving for vacation? Breastfeeding can save you thousands of dollars, help you lose the baby weight, and so much more – all while providing your new loved one with the perfect nutritious concoction for a healthy, happy baby!

  1. Breastfeeding saves a family approximately $2,000 – $4,000 thousand dollars annually compared to the cost of formula (That could be a vacation!).
  2. Producing breast milk consumes 25% of the body’s energy; the brain only uses 20% by comparison.
  3. Almost 75% of all moms produce more milk in their right breast, whether they are right- or left- handed.
  4. Mama’s body is constantly making the perfect milk for baby. Milk changes its nutritional profile as baby grows (milk made for a 3 month old is different than for a 9 month old). Milk can even change day to day—for example, water content may increase during times of hot weather and baby-sickness to provide extra hydration.
  5. Mama’s breasts can detect even a one degree fluctuation in baby’s body temperature and adjust accordingly to heat up or cool down baby as needed. This is one reason skin-to-skin contact in the early days is so crucial.
  6. Your breast size has nothing to do with the amount of milk that you produce. Some mothers have a larger storage capacity, but all mothers produce about the same amount of milk at one time.
  7. A baby will breastfeed until they’re full, not until they “empty” your breast. On average, babies remove 67% of the milk you have available – this amount can vary widely among moms.
  8. Your milk sprays out of many holes, not just one. Women can have as few as three or as many as twenty something holes.
  9. The metabolic energy needed to breastfeed a baby each day is the amount you’d use to walk seven miles!
  10. Current breastfeeding rates (reported in 2016) showed that 81% of infants are breastfed initially, 51% are still breastfeeding at 6 months, and 31% have continued to breastfeed at 12 months.

For More Information:

Did you know that WMMC’s Stork’s Nest is your one-stop shop for breastfeeding needs? To learn more call (660) 262-7519.

  • WMMC Lactation Consultants: Ruthie Porter, RN, BSN, IBCLC, Monday – Friday 9 am – 3 pm (660)-262-7519
  • Johnson County WIC Lactation Consultants: Tammie Crabtree, IBCLC & Tricia Fleming, IBCLC, Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 6 pm. (660) 747-2012
  • Mom to Mom: Breastfeeding Support Group: Third Thursday each month from 4 pm – 5 pm. Facilitated by a WMMC IBCLC.

 

Author: Ruthie Porter, RN, BSN, IBCLC

 

Other Recent Posts by WMMC:

10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Breastfeeding

Breast Feeding Myths DeBunked

Pumping Pointers

 

 

About Western Missouri Medical Center

Western Missouri Medical Center (WMMC) is a fully-accredited acute care county medical center located in Warrensburg, MO. WMMC prides itself in emergency care, obstetrics, orthopedic and general surgery, family healthcare, internal medicine, outpatient clinics, ambulatory care, rehabilitation services and more. Inpatient services include medical, surgical, intensive, obstetrical, orthopedic, pediatric and skilled nursing care, as well as a wide range of therapeutic and diagnostic outpatient services. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Learn more at WMMC.com.