Breastfeeding is the natural next step in the continuum of pregnancy. For the past nine months, your body has been preparing a special blend of nutrients in the exact proportions your baby needs. Human milk is a unique combination of fats, sugars, minerals, proteins, vitamins and enzymes, custom-made to promote brain and body growth.

Colostrum is the perfect starter food for babies. This clear to creamy to golden yellow substance is found in the breasts during pregnancy. A few days after baby's birth, it begins to change to mature milk. Colostrum provides unmatched immunity against bacteria and viruses, thus protecting vulnerable newborns from a host of diseases to which they are exposed. In addition, colostrum acts as a natural laxative to clear the meconium (first stool) from the baby's intestine, thus decreasing the chance of jaundice. Colostrum also contains the natural sugar lactose, which helps stabilize the newborn's blood sugar level, preventing hypoglycemia.

The advantages of breastfeeding are plentiful, as colostrum is slowly replaced by mature milk and baby continues to breastfeed. While cow's milk and formula mixtures can trigger allergic reactions and are often difficult to digest, your milk is perfectly designed specifically for your baby. Studies show that breastfed babies have fewer ear and diarrhea infections; experience less vomiting and acute respiratory illness; and are at lower risk for childhood disease. Even the activity of sucking at the breast enhances the development of oral muscles and facial bones.

As an added bonus, breastfed babies tend to have higher IQs than their formula fed playmates.

Breastfeeding offers baby emotional as well as nutritional benefits. Skin-to-skin contact helps to reduce the stress babies experience as they enter the world from the security of the womb. Tension quickly subsides as baby is comforted by the sight of the mother's face and the familiar sounds of her breathing, voice and heartbeat. Thus begins the important process of mother-infant attachment.

And baby isn't the only one who benefits from the breastfeeding experience. When baby is put to the breast immediately after birth, the resulting release of the hormone oxytocin into the mother's system speeds delivery of the placenta and constricts uterine blood vessels to minimize blood loss. Repeated release of oxytocin through nursing causes the uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size quicker.

The milk-producing hormone, prolactin, is another wonderful by-product of breastfeeding. Called the "mothering hormone," it has a relaxing effect on the mother and stimulates maternal instincts. The ongoing production of milk burns calories, helping you lose weight gained during pregnancy. And woman have been shown to have less incidence of pre-menopausal breast cancer, cervical cancer and osteoporosis.

Add to these primary advantages the practical facts that your milk is always the right temperature, absolutely fresh, perfectly clean, instantly available, and you have the most nutritious, convenient feeding system there is - at the lowest cost!

Some mothers will experience nipple tenderness for the first few days when baby starts nursing. This latch on discomfort should disappear as soon as the baby begins rhythmic, nutritive sucking. Pain after this initial discomfort generally indicates that the baby is not attached to your breast correctly. Incorrect latch on and/or improper positioning not only causes sore nipples, but can contribute to ineffective emptying of the breast as well. If you have blisters, cracking, burning, bleeding and/or pain, it is recommended that you talk with a certified lactation consultant, LLL Leader or the Nursing Mothers' Council.

Breastpumps come in a variety of styles. Most important is that the breastpump is safe, effective and comfortable. Always read the manufacturer's instructions before using your pump.

A healthy infant is far more effective at emptying the breast more than any pump. Remember, breastfeeding is a learned process. Be patient. It may take several tries before you are comfortable and proficient.

Apply sunblock approximately 30 minutes before going outside. This will help to prevent it from rubbing or sweating off.
Apply liberally and evenly to all exposed skin. The average adult in a bathing suit should use approximately one ounce per application. Using less than the needed amount of sunblock reduces the product's SPF, and therefore, the amount of protection.
Remember to wear sunblock on cloudy days too! Clouds may block only 20% of the UV radiation of the sun.
Don't forget about reflection! Sand, concrete and snow are highly reflective surfaces, bouncing up to 90% of the sun's rays upwards and sideways. Be sure to apply sunblock to "hidden" places like underarms and under your chin.
Be sure to cover your often missed spots: lips, ears, hands and feet, and the scalp of young children with thin hair.
Reapply sunblock at least every 2 hours, more often if you have been swimming, sweating or have towel-dried.

Tips to help your child best use toys and play products

At birth, your baby can see objects clearly at a distance of about 7-10 inches (18-25 cm). Objects closer or farther away than this will be seen as blurry. When objects are held at the correct distance and moved from side to side, baby is able to follow the object with his eyes. This milestone is called "tracking" and is very important in your baby's development.

From age two months and older, a baby's capacity to focus on different objects at different distances begins. At birth, a baby's color perception is not yet developed and he can only see stark contrasts. It is only between the age of four and six months that color perception has fully developed. Even then, baby still prefers strong basic color patterns.

Studies have found that babies are fascinated by the high-contrast extremes of colors, such as black, white and red designs. They are also attracted to repetitive patterns: circles, stripes, checks, etc. Babies are most intrigued though, by the familiar faces of their caregivers, and also enjoy gazing at images that resemble the face of a person. This is why interacting with your baby is critical when early vision is developing.

Research shows that a baby can hear while still inside the womb. After birth, a baby will gradually learn to discriminate between the different voices, their pitch and tone. Babies prefer human sounds to mechanical sounds, and female, higher pitched voices, to male lower pitched voices. Within one week, a newborn is able to recognize his mother's voice.

The ability to place voices starts about 10 minutes after birth. At this point, however, a baby is not able to move his head towards the sound of the voice, but can move his eyes in that direction. Moving his head towards the sound of a voice starts at about 3 months of age. By allowing your baby to be exposed to various sounds, you can enhance this area of development.

Establishing a consistent daily routine with your baby will help him look forward to the familiar sounds around him. One suggestion is to begin each day by playing the same musical toy for your baby.