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03
Apr
Why Breastfeeding is Recommended
Benefits of breastfeeding
For Baby:
- For your baby, breast milk is both nutritious and medicinal. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of pneumonia, diarrhea, ear infections, urinary tract infection, and meningitis.
- Breastfeeding is fuel to the developing brain. It is said that breast milk can lead to an IQ that is higher by two to five points.
- Studies suggest that breastfeeding during the first year can decrease the risk of SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
- Mortality rates are 21 percent lower amongst breast fed infants during the first 12 months compared to infants fed formula.
- Long-term benefits of breastfeeding include a decreased risk for diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and certain types of cancer, including Hodgkin’s Disease, leukemia, and lymphoma.
For Mother:
- Breastfeeding decreases the risk for diabetes, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer.
- Cost-savings extend from food costs to time off work due to childhood illnesses.
Community Benefits:
- Breastfeeding has no environmental footprint, manufacturing costs, or waste to dispose of.
Risks Associated with Formula Feeding
The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages breastfeeding, citing evidence from research in underdeveloped and still-developing countries that suggests an increased risk of disease related to formula feeding:
- Respiratory tract infection, celiac disease, high cholesterol, obesity, ear infection, diarrhea, bacteremia, bacterial meningitis, inflammatory bowel disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, late onset sepsis in pre-term infants, and asthma in children and adults.
- Supplementing breast milk with formula decreases the benefits of the first. It also introduces the risk of allergic response to soy or cow’s milk from which formula is made.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics, Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk, Pediatrics, vol.9, no. 3, March 2012.
Successful Breastfeeding
There are several ways you can improve your breastfeeding success:
- Learn proper positioning techniques in an online or live breastfeeding class. What you learn will maximize your comfort and ensure that your baby obtains an optimal amount of milk. Breastfeeding classes also cover how to transition back to work or school while still breastfeeding.
- Hold your baby with direct skin-on-skin contact soon after giving birth.
- Breastfeed your baby within an hour of delivery. After the initial feeding, continue the practice anytime your baby seems hungry. Frequent feedings encourage ample milk supply.
- Allow your baby to sleep very near to you so you can quickly learn and respond to cues of hunger.
- Do not offer a pacifier to your baby until breastfeeding habits have been well established. This can take one month or longer.
- Appreciate your own effort and ability to provide milk for your baby. Be patient with yourself and your newborn as you both navigate this new activity.
Call our office
New patients please call:
855-346-8610
855-346-8610
Existing patients please call:
281-347-2600
281-347-2600
Breastfeeding can be a successful endeavor for almost every new mother and newborn, including initial breastfeeding in the first hour of life, exclusive breastfeeding (no additional food) for the first six months, and continuation of breastfeeding after the introduction of solids.
Local Breastfeeding Resources
La Leche League International
Breastfeeding mothers can obtain the information and support they need from this well-established organization dedicated to the education on breastfeeding. Several groups can be found in our local area. To find a group near you, call 713-383-2819 . You may also visit http://texaslll.org/.
The Lactation Foundation offers support and guidance to new mothers in Texas. Visit their site here, or call their training center at 713-839-0527.
Our staff is also happy to assist you in finding resources that will help you through pregnancy, delivery, and beyond. Contact Jenkins Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Medicine at 855-346-8610.
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Jenkins Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Medicine
Connect with Dr. Jenkins on Linkedin
We offer general care, gynecology, and obstetrics services that span all
stages of a woman's life. Dr. Taryll L.
Jenkins, MD, received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and his Doctorate of
Medicine from Meharry
Medical College School of Medicine, TN. He completed his residency training at the
University of Texas and Hermann Hospital, TX and is Board-certified from the American College of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, with years of research experience.
Having graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Science in Biological
Chemistry in 2011, Dr. Stephanie
Roy received her Doctor of Medicine Degree in 2015 from the University of Texas Medical Branch. Today,
she is a leading Board-certified physician who works hard to provide you and your family with
high-quality services. In addition to spending time at the practice, Dr. Roy possesses extensive
volunteer experience in the community. She was also a tutor at the Medical Careers Diversity Program
in 2012 and, since then, has spent her free time volunteering for the St. Vincent’s Clinic.
Dr. Tiffany Ikwuagwu is passionate about caring for the diverse communities in Katy, TX. Having completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Houston, her medical degree at the Baylor College of Medicine, and her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the McGovern Medical School, she worked as principal investigator on a research project with Dr. Nana Ankumah at UT Houston. A member of the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr. Ikwuagwu has served in several leadership roles and has made many contributions to the community.
Yara Ramirez, MD, earned her
Bachelor of Science degree from Baylor University and her doctorate in medicine from the University
of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, where she also completed her residency. She won the
Resident Teaching Award from UTMB’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for two consecutive
years.
Dr. Ramirez has researched extensively on many obstetrics-related topics. She has been a Junior
Fellow Representative for the UTMB Residency Program and a Medical Student Education Committee
Member at the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has volunteered for various local
and foreign community programs. Her fluency in Spanish and French is an asset to her organization.
Nadia Alexander is a Board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with a Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center. With seven years of experience in women’s health and a focus on obstetrics and ambulatory gynecology (vaginitis, UTI, and vaginal bleeding), she provides quality, compassionate care to patients in various stages of reproductive life. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is the lead contact for our Telehealth service.
