Breast milk is best for baby

(WTNH) - Breastfeeding your baby can not only protect your baby's health, but also yours.

At three days old Calista Potkay can barely keep her eyes open. But when it comes to breastfeeding, her mom says she is already a pro. Christine Potkay says breastfeeding was an easy choice; she also breastfed Calista's older sister and was well aware of its benefits for a newborn.

"The baby getting the immunities and all the antibodies from me. I didn't feel so concerned if we were out and someone sneezed because I felt like I was breastfeeding and so she was going to get protection from me," Christine said.

But not everyone chooses to breastfeed and that has lactation consultants at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital concerned. Robin Murtha says not breastfeeding can carry a number of health risks for a baby.

"For healthy newborns in developed countries, the risk of not breast feeding can be increased rates of ear infection, increased rates of eczema, asthma, obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes," Murtha said.

Breastfeeding a baby is a natural biological process from which mothers can also benefit.

"Have a reduced risk of things like breast cancer, diabetes themselves, and other cancers. Heart disease is the latest research," said Valerie Bozzi, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital.

For working mothers like Carla Giles, breastfeeding and pumping milk is a balancing act.

"The benefits really outweigh so much of that and you want to give the best to your child and so I work it, I make it work," Carla said.

Lactation consultants say a little of mother's milk is better than nothing at all and will yield some benefit.

There is a walk planned to raise awareness for breastfeeding on August 3rd in New Haven beginning at 300 George Street at 11:45am.