Breastfeeding Brochure

1. [phone]

W IC o f De s P laine s V isit Us!
Breastfeeding Your
Baby
Here at WIC, we understand
that the option to breastfeed
is a mother’s choice, and it
is sometimes not an easy
one.
Visit your local WIC clinic to
speak with our specialists
and learn why breastfeeding
is an optimal choice for your
baby.
Together, we can give the
support you need to
successfully breastfeed your
beautiful child!
Why the
Best Fed Baby
is a
Breast Fed Baby
WIC CEDA
400 O’Connor Dr
Des Plaines, IL, 60016
www.wicprogram.org
By choosing to
breastfeed, you
choose to give your
child the best
nutrition possible!

2. Choosing to Breastfeed
When Breastfeeding Becomes
Challenging:
o Inform friends, families, and
coworkers of your choice to
breastfeed to help them
understand and support you
o Speak with a lactation
consultant and WIC staff to
learn about your
breastfeeding resources
o Understand your options for
continuing breastfeeding if
busy, or returning back to
work (i.e. pumps)
o To get a sense of
breastfeeding before your
baby arrives, attend classes.
o It is perfectly normally to feel
tired and overwhelmed. Just
take it one day at a time. Your
child will thank you.
Understand that various barriers
will arise, such as difficulty
expressing milk, or latching on from
baby. There are always resources
available to you, so utilize your WIC
clinic!
Did you know?
A mother’s body can alter the amount of
breast milk that she produces in direct
response to the amount that the baby
needs. For example, if a baby is going
through a growth spurt and nursing
more often, the mother’s body will make
more milk for the hungry baby.
Breast Milk vs. Formula












How long should I breastfeed?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
recommends exclusively breastfeeding for
6 months, and continuing to breastfeed
alongside complimentary foods until the
child’s first birthday. Any longer is up to
you and your baby!

While breastfeeding is one of the
most natural things about being a
woman, it sometimes feels like a
hard decision for most mothers.
Today’s widespread use of baby
formulas has many women
forgetting that they possess a free
and nutritionally perfect food for
their babies: breast milk.
What makes breast milk different
from formula?
Unlike baby formulas, human breast
milk is a perfect nutritional food
for babies. A mother’s milk contains
the correct amount of carbohydrates
(sugars), fat, and protein that a
growing child needs. It contains
infection-fighting components called
“antibodies” that can protect the
child from disease – something
formula cannot do.
Breast milk also contains essential
fatty acids (such as DHA) that are
needed for proper brain growth, as
well as necessary hormones,
vitamins and minerals.