One of the best ways to build a strong and loving bond with your newborn baby is to make the decision to breastfeed. Breastfeeding your new baby gives both you and your baby an extra sense of security and comfort that cannot be achieved through bottle feeding. Not to mention all the medical benefits breastfeeding promotes.

Breast milk is rich in fatty acids that provide your newborn with all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your baby needs for healthy growth and development. Breastfeeding gives your little one the amount of calories he or she needs to grow, and at the same time helps build the immune system.

Studies have proven that babies who are breastfed are typically healthier and have a lower chance of becoming obese later in life. Breastfeeding also reduces the number of sicknesses and illnesses your baby will suffer from during childhood. Breastfed babies usually have fewer ear infections, allergies and other types of infections.

Breast milk is easy and natural to your baby's digestive system. Allergic reactions during breastfeeding are rarely cited and newborns who are breastfed generally suffer fewer stomach problems, including constipation and diarrhea. Breastfeeding can even reduce the number of foods your little one is allergic to later in life.

The first breast milk a mother's body produces is colostrum. The first few feedings provide your newborn with all sorts of beneficial vitamins and nutrients that aid in his or her early development. Early breastfeeding quickly builds your baby's immune system and guards against early bacterial and viral infections that could be life-threatening to a newborn.

The benefits of breastfeeding don't stop with your baby. Breastfeeding is also beneficial to mom! Following childbirth, breastfeeding will aid your body in expelling the placenta by stimulating natural contractions. Breastfeeding can also help accelerate your recovery after giving birth.

At home with your newborn, breastfeeding helps you burn calories so you can lose the extra weight gained during pregnancy quickly. Mothers who breastfeed also reduce their risks of breast cancer and osteoporosis. Breastfeeding can lessen the risk of other types of cancer too. Choosing to breastfeed your newborn provides mental satisfaction as well because you know you are giving your baby the very best.

The time you and your baby spend together during breastfeeding is a special bonding opportunity that cannot compare to bottle feeding. Your baby will gaze contently into your eyes while nursing and will spend a lot of time studying your face. Breastfeeding strengthens the trusting relationship between mother and baby and is very relaxing to both mom and newborn as well.

Deciding to breastfeed can be a difficult choice. Breastfeeding can be very time consuming and may become harder as your baby gets older, especially if you plan to go back to work. There are many options for working mothers who would like to continue breastfeeding, but even a few months, a few weeks, or even a few days of breastfeeding can benefit both you and your baby.