Breastfeeding. It's a common topic of conversation here. Usually, I'm asked at least once a day if I still breastfeed Isaaq (and the answer is yes!). Culturally here, women are encouraged to breastfeed for at least two years (it seems), though I've only met two women who actually breastfed beyond the first year. Culturally, unfortunately, Americans don't always have a very positive view of breastfeeding either. Here the effects are especially noticible because of the high rates of infant/child mortality. It's really too bad more women don't breastfeed for long because of all the awesome benefits. Eden breastfed until she was 18 months old when she decided she was done, Isaaq is still going strong. I love breastfeeding and here's some reasons why we do it.

- Studies show breastfed babies have a higher IQ, and that studies show that the longer the baby breastfeeds the higher his/her IQ becomes.
-The World Health Organization recommends that mothers breastfeed their babies until the age of three (!)
-Extended breastfeeding lowers the mommy's risk of breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers
-Mommy baby bonding. My friend here has had somewhere around 8 children, she says the children she breastfed like her more:)
-lower incidents of ear infections
-great calorie burner (not that I watch that, I actively try to put plenty of fat in or diets because we are in need of it here where we live:) I know, strange place.
-Awesome for the babies' health and their immune systems.
-It's convenient!!! I'm really lame and mostly lazy, but this is probably the biggest reason why we breastfeed (though the other reasons certainly warrent themselves as well). Hungry Isaaq crawls over to mommy and gets a snack. Finishes and he goes back to doing whatever he was doing and I do the same. No bottles to wash, no formula to mix, and its instant food. Perfect, and great for moms whose -ahem- strength is not cleaning.

And, I know breastfeeding doesn't work for everybody. I'm certainly not assuming that. But if you know someone who is breastfeeding encourage them (and make them a tasty snack or something), because society/culture already does plenty to discourage. And, it's not exactly ideal to feel like you smell like milk all the time, and it really is quite uncomfortable when you leak all over your shirt, or you spray milk everywhere because your little peanut is suddenly quite distracted by the random person walking by and cannot possibly focus on feeding- leaving your breast exposed which apparently is offensive to some (even though women can wear shirts that basically expose their 'ladies'- and that's ok- as long as there's no baby attached to that breast-that's fine Madame Shirt Barely There wear whatever you want) that's probably getting off topic, a rant for another time. I digress.

Yes, breastfeed your babies. It's good for them. And for you.
(Because I'm a citation nerd, most of these reasons were found at "Ask Dr. Sears" dot com)