The healthiest start in life you can give to your newborn - comes from the decision to breastfeed your child.

It's a fact: breast milk is the best of food for your baby. It is a complete food source in itself and contains at least 400 nutrients (hormones and disease-fighting enzymes) that are just not available in infant milk formula that seems so prevalent these days. It also contains special growth compounds and hormones that aid in optimal growth and development of the baby.

Indeed, colostrum (or 'first-milk' as it is sometimes called) is a creamy, low-fat, high-protein substance that is produced during the first days of breastfeeding. It is easily digestible and packed full of disease-fighting antibodies that strengthen your newborn's immune system. for those first few essential weeks of life.

Breast milk even changes during the baby's feed: to start with at first the breast milk tends to be thirst-quenching and then as the baby gets older and bigger, it changes into a thicker mixture to satisfy his growing hunger.

As well as providing excellent nutrition for the baby, breast milk has many other benefits:

Breast milk is the baby's first port of immunisation. It contains antibodies that protect your baby from many intestinal and common respiratory diseases.

Some studies have shown that by breastfeeding for the first 3 months of your baby's life, you may be preventing respiratory illness in your baby. If you increase this and breastfeed for at least 4 months, it is possible you can lower your baby's risk of catching ear infections as well.

If your family has a history of allergies, then exclusive breastfeeding, especially if carried out for at least the first six months of his life, can help to provide protection against allergies such as asthma and eczema.

Recent research also shows that breastfeeding leads to optimal brain development.

It's good for the mother too!
It has been well documented that one of the benefits of breastfeeding is more rapid and sustained weight loss for mothers as the suckling of the baby has the effect of pulling the womb back into shape