Dear Naomi,
Some of my favorite & little known breastfeeding facts would be....

1. CCK (the gut hormone cholecystokinin) is released simultaneously in both
mother's and baby's GI tracts in response to suckling.  It enhances digestion
and absorption of food and makes them both feel relaxed and satiated.  If
mother and baby relax together after a feed, the baby stays warm and saves
energy for growing, and the mother conserves energy for making milk.

2. When new pathogens enter the mother's body, her lymphatic system designs
new germ-fighters and sends them to her breasts to provide protection for the
baby.  The practical application of this fact is that a nursing mother with a
child in day care should thoroughly explore the place where her baby spends
time, eat a snack, visit the diapering area, and hug all the caregivers, in
order to meet the widest possible selection of the germs that her baby
encounters every day.

3. The average fully-nursing mother produces a little over three cupfuls of
milk a day---and her baby thrives.

I hope these are what you're looking for.
Chris Mulford

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