Parenthood

To breastfeed or not to breastfeed? This is a question which women ask even before they have a baby. Nowadays it is a question that bothers many more women. Why? I am suggesting this is because today women's lives are not like they were in the past. Today women want to build their careers, and most women don't want to take a full maternity leave, or they cannot afford to stay home for a long time after the birth. At least that situation is very common in my home country Israel.

I always knew that I was going to breastfeed my children. The main reasons are because breastmilk provides all the essential nutrition, vitamins and minerals and helps build the baby's immune system. Mother’s milk also protects babies against different diseases - protection that can last a lifetime. There are no labs which can create a formula that can replace the mother's breast milk. And last but not least, breastfeeding is important for the mother's health too. Breastfeeding reduces the chance of getting breast and uterine cancer. Of course breastfeeding also helps to bond and to build a special relationship between the mother and the baby.

My choice was to breastfeed my daughter, but I understand that not every mother can do it. Sometimes the mother can't breastfeed because of her health issues or because of a job, like in Israel the mother can take just three months of paid maternity leave. There are a lot of reasons why not to breastfeed, but if you have any chance to breastfeed your baby even just for a couple months, do it!