Why Is Breastfeeding Important

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The Importance of Direct Breast-Feeding in the NICU
Many mothers want to breastfeed their newborn babies, unfortunately for some mothers with premature newborns this is not an option. Newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are very limited to do certain things. An example of one of those things would be sucking. Fragile, vulnerable, medically compromised infants often cannot eat by mouth initially, and their mothers must regularly express breast milk for gastric feedings, while maintaining their milk supply until direct breast-feedings are possible (Pineda, 2011, p.541). Breastfeeding even though its really important sometimes is not the best option a mother may have. The purpose of this paper is to inform how important the breast milk is, but most of all how important is it in the NICU and which newborns can receive direct breastfeeding while they are in there. …show more content…

Breastfeeding is one of the first things they consider is good for the child. Why is breastfeeding important, what are the benefits, and why is better than formula? Studies have proof that breastfeeding is important because many factors such as the development of the babies immune system and the antibodies that the mother transmits to them helps them not get an infection. However, some mothers choose to give formula, but is this really a good choice for the baby? The answer is no, formula should only be used if it is truly needed. Artificial feeding is also associated with increased risk of common disorders of early childhood such as ear infections, asthma, skin disorders, digestive problems, and respiratory tract infections (Rubinger, 2009,

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