Actress Salma Hayek, who gave birth last fall to daughter Valentina, has stated that she is addicted to nursing the now 14-month-old infant. She has stated that she keeps promising herself she will quit soon, but can’t stop when she sees how well her daughter is doing.

This may be one addiction with no down-side. Contemporary women rarely nurse their babies as long as Salma has. The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life, and that breastfeeding should continue until two years of age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that nursing be continued for at least 12 months, and as long thereafter as desired.There are many advantages to breastfeeding for babies. Mother’s milk contains the ideal nutrients for babies’ growth and development. Breast milk is more easily digested by an infant’s gastrointestinal tract. Breastfed babies have less of a tendency towards becoming overweight as children and adults. Breast milk also contains antibodies which help the infant’s immune system to fight off infections, both viral and bacterial.

Advantages for mothers who breastfeed include:

cost savings (breast milk is free)

convenience (no bottles to prepare)

lowers a woman’s risk of certain cancers (breast and ovarian)

delays return of ovulation (although women should not depend on this as a means of birth control!)

most importantly, nursing promotes closeness and bonding, and infants benefit from the close contact that nursing provides

It is likely that many people will raise their eyebrows when they read that Salma is addicted to breastfeeding, as our culture too often views the breasts as objects of a sexual nature. This is a Western phenomenon. In other countries, a woman breastfeeding beyond an infant’s first year would not be viewed with the same attitude. Luckily, breastfeeding is making a comeback these days as more and more women realize the health benefits that their babies realize from nursing.

Related Links:

Breastfeeding Basics from illumistream

Exclusive Breastfeeding from the World Health Organization

All About Breastfeeding