How much exactly are the formula companies paying you to to be their token medical expert Barb?
Shame on you for representing your profession in this way. Nurses and doctors should put health before their pocketbooks.
By Megan
I
just want to add in another societal/emotional issue that is sometimes
a barrier to breastfeeding that we rarely talk about... for women who
have been abused in any way such as physical abuse, domestic violence,
authroitarian control by parents and particularly sexually abused ( all
power/control issues) breastfeeding can bring up a lot of issues.
Having a baby sucking on a part of the body and one that in our society
is deemed as sexual, can bring up a lot of issues. And again, we are
socialized to avoid strong feeling, instead of allowing ourselves to
feel our feelings/ honor them, use them to work through our pain. There
is more literature on this subject in recent years. Pam
By Pam
Benefits
of Breastfeeding
Alicia Dermer, M.D., I.B.C.L.C.
Anne Montgomery, M.D.
Human Milk's Nutritional Benefits
Human milk, the best food for babies, contains the right amount of
nutrients, in the right proportions, for the growing baby. A living,
biological fluid, it contains many unique components. For example,
lactoferrin provides optimal absorption of iron and protects the gut
from harmful bacteria; lipases assist in digestion of fats; and special
growth factors and hormones contribute to optimal growth and
development. Mother's own milk changes during a feeding from
thirst-quenching to hunger-satisfying, and comes in a variety of
flavors as mother's diet varies. Its composition changes as the baby
grows to meet baby's changing nutritional needs. It serves as the
nutritional model for artificial baby milks, but none of these can
match it.
While most people are aware that human milk provides excellent
nutrition, many people are unaware of breastfeeding's other health
benefits for babies.
Breastfeeding and the Immune System
Human milk is baby's first immunization. It provides antibodies which
protect baby from many common respiratory and intestinal diseases, and
also contains living immune cells. First milk, colostrum, is packed
with components which increase immunity and protect the newborn's
intestines. Artificially fed babies have higher rates of middle ear
infections, pneumonia, and cases of gastroenteritis (stomach flu).
Breastfeeding as an infant also provides protection from developing
immune system cancers such as lymphoma, bowel diseases such as Crohn's
disease and celiac sprue, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, all of
which are related to immune system function. And breastfed babies
generally mount a more effective response to childhood immunizations.
In all these cases, benefits begin immediately, and increase with
increasing duration of breastfeeding.
Babies from families with a tendency to allergic diseases particularly
benefit from breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding, especially if it
continues for at least six months, provides protection against
allergies, asthma, and eczema.
Infant Growth and Development
New growth charts from the World Health Organization confirm that
breastfed infants grow differently from formula fed babies. Breastfed
infants grow faster initially, then slow down as they approach their
first birthday.(This can sometimes be interpreted as "dropping off the
growth curve," but really represents normal growth.) People
artificially fed as infants go on to have a higher risk of obesity as
adults.
More and more research is showing that breastfeeding leads to optimal
brain development. While there are behavioral aspects to this, the milk
is important, too. One study of premature babies who were tube-fed
breast milk or artificial milk, but were never breastfed directly,
showed that the babies who received no breast milk had IQS 8 points
lower on average than those who received breast milk. Human milk has
special ingredients like DHA (docosohexaenoic acid) and AA (arachidonic
acid) which contribute to brain and retinal development. And all
breastfed babies tend to spend a lot of their time in the "quiet alert"
state which is most conducive to learning.
Breastfeeding in Special Circumstances
Breastfeeding has other special benefits for premature infants.
Premature breastmilk contains different amounts of some nutrients than
term breastmilk, more suited to the needs of premature babies.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis, a serious bowel inflammation, is very rare
for breastfed infants. And of course they get the same immune
protection, which may be even more critical for prematures, and has
been shown to reduce the risk of sepsis in these babies. Suckling at
the breast, and digesting breast milk, cause less stress for the
premature infant than bottle-feeding does; so most prematures can go to
breast as soon as they are able to suckle. Because of the reduction in
infections and the shorter time to full feeding, breastfed premature
infants can usually leave the NICU sooner. For some babies,
breastfeeding is a life-and-death matter. In addition to its known
benefit where water supplies are unsafe or food supplies erratic,
breastfeeding lowers the risk of SIDS in all populations.
There are very few reasons, particularly from the baby's point of view,
to avoid breastfeeding. Most authorities recommend that USA mothers who
are HIV positive not breastfeed; however, in many areas of the world
breastfeeding's known benefits outweigh the small risk of transmission
from breast milk. Few other medical conditions preclude breastfeeding,
as there are many appropriate medications that are suitable for use in
breastfeeding moms.
Breastfeeding's immunologic and developmental benefits may be
particularly important for babies with medical problems such as
congenital heart disease, cleft palate, Down's syndrome, etc. In cases
where the baby has a problem which affects ability to suckle at the
breast, expressed breast milk from mother is still the best choice.
Banked human milk, the availability of which is unfortunately limited,
would be the second choice. Commercial artificial baby milks are
preferable to other alternatives, but far from perfect substitutes for
human milk. For every "new" component that is added to commercial baby
milks to make them closer to human milk, several more components of
human milk are discovered.
It's not JUST the milk, either!
In addition to all the known benefits of human milk, it's also clear
that the act of breastfeeding is beneficial. Breastfeeding's
contribution to optimal oral development means less risk of
malocclusion -- and perhaps lower orthodontist bills! Bottle-fed babies
have a higher risk of baby bottle tooth decay, as well. Close
skin-to-skin contact with mother provides optimal nurturing and an
almost automatic close emotional attachment. Suckling at breast
optimizes hand-to-eye coordination, especially with regular
"side-switching." Even in the rare cases when mother can't produce
enough milk, or for adopted babies, supplemental systems can allow
mother and baby to enjoy a breastfeeding relationship.
Breastfeeding and Women's Health
The extent to which breastfeeding affects mothers' health is rarely
emphasized. Much of the lay literature about breastfeeding makes it
sound like a rather time-consuming, difficult and even painful
experience that women must endure for the sake of their babies' health.
No wonder some mothers are left with the impression that they must
"martyr" themselves and breastfeed for their baby's sake.
Surprise: Breastfeeding is good for mothers, too! Not only that, but it
is a joyful, relaxing experience. Although breastfeeding advocates have
been criticized for oversimplifying and not informing mothers of
potential problems of breastfeeding, the truth of the matter is that
when practiced optimally breastfeeding is an enjoyable experience, pure
and simple. We must remember that many of the problems and
inconveniences so commonly described in the lay literature and passed
around by word of mouth as "horror stories" are due to the fact that we
live in a bottle-feeding society, with little family or social support
and little understanding of breastfeeding by many health care
professionals. Thus, problems such as "insufficient milk syndrome,"
engorgement, cracked and bleeding nipples, all of which would be rare
in a breastfeeding society, have become commonplace.
Physical Health Benefits for Mothers
First of all, it almost goes without saying, but what's good for babies
is good for mothers. In other words, healthier babies are less
stressful to care for, and the decreased medical costs are a boon to
the family. Furthermore, the optimal neurological and intellectual
development provide potential long-term benefits to the family.
In addition, there are many direct health benefits to breastfeeding
mothers. Immediately after birth, repeated bursts of oxytocin released
in response to the baby's sucking cause contraction of the uterus. This
protects mothers from postpartum hemorrhage (bottle-feeding mothers get
oxytocin intravenously immediately after birth, but for the next 24-48
hours during which risk of hemorrhage is highest, they're on their
own). Continued exclusive nursing (i.e., breastfeeding without added
bottles of formula or solids) tends to delay the return of ovulation
and menstruation. In fact, the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) is a
well-studied method of child spacing which is 99% effective in
preventing pregnancy in the first six months as long as exclusive
nursing is practiced. For mothers who don't practice exclusive
breastfeeding, there is still some relative protection; and most
contraceptives including barrier methods, IUD's and even
progesterone-only hormonal contraceptives such as the "mini-pill" or
injectable "depo" progesterone, are all compatible with breastfeeding.
So there's no need to stop breastfeeding in order to use effective
birth control.
In addition to the child-spacing advantage, the delayed menses also
decrease the mother's iron losses. When combined with improved iron
absorption from the gut, the net effect (despite some iron use for
breastmilk production) is decreased risk of iron deficiency anemia.
Another well-documented benefit of breastfeeding is more rapid and
sustained weight loss. Milk production uses up 200-500 calories a day.
To burn off an equivalent number of calories, a bottle-feeding mother
would need to swim 30 laps or ride a bicycle for over an hour. In our
opinion, breastfeeding is definitely easier! Mothers who have had
gestational diabetes benefit particularly from the efficient use of
calories during breastfeeding, since a return to optimal weight may
prevent subsequent development of diabetes. Furthermore, diabetic
mothers who breastfeed tend to need less insulin or medication for
their diabetes.
The prolonged suppression of ovulatory cycles appears to be associated
with significant long-term health advantages as well. Mothers who
breastfeed for at least 6 months throughout their lifetime have a
decreased risk of breast cancer, and similar reduced rates have been
shown for ovarian and uterine cancers. Even being breastfed has been
associated with decreased risk of breast cancer, over and above the
fact that women who were breastfed themselves are more likely to
breastfeed their own children.
For some time, there was concern about calcium loss during lactation
and potential for osteoporosis. In fact, some literature actually lists
breastfeeding as a risk factor for osteoporosis. Current medical
literature demonstrates that not only is the loss in bone density
during breastfeeding temporary, reverting to normal after weaning, but
that bones may actually be stronger after prolonged breastfeeding. Far
from a risk factor for osteoporosis, breastfeeding may actually protect
against it.
The impact of breastfeeding on other women's illnesses needs further
study. One example is the connection between breastfeeding and
cholesterol levels. Breastfeeding mothers tend to have high total
cholesterol levels, made up largely of the HDL ("good") fraction. This
may prove to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease.
Are there any known harmful effects of breastfeeding on women's health?
A couple of studies have demonstrated an increased risk of rheumatoid
arthritis flare-ups and increased severity of arthritis in nursing
mothers. Whether it is breastfeeding or some other confounding factor
which causes this increase remains to be determined.
Psychosocial Issues in Breastfeeding and Women's Health
What about the emotional aspect of women's health? Where does
breastfeeding fit in? Let's talk about mother-infant bonding, a
somewhat controversial subject. Much is made about the way that
breastfeeding facilitates this bonding, while at the same time it is
clear that bottle-feeding mothers usually establish deep emotional
bonds with their babies. This issue is difficult to study
scientifically, but there is evidence of hormonal effects of
breastfeeding which may predispose a mother to closer bonding with her
infant. Combined with the automatic skin-to-skin contact and closeness
afforded by breastfeeding (something which bottle-feeding mothers have
to work to duplicate), this could result in improved bonding. An
interesting sideline from a study in a developing country found that
when breastfeeding rates were increased among mothers with a
significant abandonment rate, fewer of these mothers abandoned their
babies. Other studies have suggested that there may be a lower rate of
child abuse in breastfeeding families considered to be at risk.
Another common psychological issue after birth is postpartum
depression(PPD). The role of breastfeeding in this area is not clear,
with some studies showing increased rates of PPD among breastfeeding
mothers, others lower rates. The cause of PPD is unknown, and is
probably due to a number of factors, including hormonal changes and
lack of support in the new overwhelming role of motherhood. For some
depressed mothers, their breastfeeding relationship takes on special
importance. Sometimes, when antidepressant medications are deemed
necessary, doctors are concerned about prescribing them for a
breastfeeding mother. Antidepressants have been studied, and some have
been demonstrated not to get to the baby or cause any symptoms. The
small potential risk of the medication to the baby has to be weighed
against the potential emotional devastation to an already depressed
mother of having to wean her baby, as well as the known detrimental
effects on infant emotional development when mother suffers from
persistent depression.
Let's consider the situation of mothers who need to return to work. Is
it worth it to breastfeed at all? Is it necessary to wean the baby when
returning to work? Is pumping and storing mother's milk worth the
effort? The answer to these questions is: yes, no and definitely. Even
if a mother needs to return to work within weeks and will be unable to
pump while at work, the baby benefits from the colostrum and early milk
and mother gets the experience of the closeness and bonding. On return
to work, a breastfeeding mother has three options: continue to
breastfeed exclusively by nursing while at home and pumping her milk
while at work; continue
to nurse while at home and feed formula while at work; wean completely
to formula. Clearly, any amount of continued breastfeeding would be
preferable to weaning. Studies have shown that babies in day care whose
mothers provide their milk have the fewest days out of day care and
their mothers have the fewest missed days from work, while those who
were breastfed and got some formula were sick more often. The mothers
of completely formula-fed babies had the most days out of work to care
for their sick babies.
Although pumping and storing may sound daunting and time-consuming,
most mothers whose employers give breastfeeding support find that they
work into an easy routine, and the work of pumping is worth it for the
peace of mind of a healthier child and the continued bonding from
breastfeeding on returning home. Increasing numbers of companies, in
response to studies showing economic benefits, are instituting policies
supportive of continued breastfeeding for their employees.
Additionally, the cost of renting or even purchasing a pump is much
lower than the cost of formula.
Breastfeeding and Fathers
So what's in it for Dad? Breastfeeding benefits fathers, too. First,
and most straightforward, breastfed babies have less offensive dirty
diapers. There are no bottles to prepare and warm in the middle of the
night. Fathers benefit from having a healthy baby, and can play with,
snuggle, and bathe the baby as their relationship develops. If
participating in feeding is important, he can be the main solid-food
feeder later. Dads generally also appreciate the impact on the family
budget of lower health care costs, fewer sick days, and lack of need to
buy formula. And all of the health benefits for mothers make it likely
that his partner will be healthier.
Breastfeeding and The Environment
Another important issue related to infant feeding and health is the
interaction between infant feeding method and the environment.
Breastfeeding is a completely natural, efficient use of resources. In
contrast, artificial feeding involves overgrazing of land by cattle;
use of chemical fertilizers to grow the soy; use of valuable
environmental resources for formula production; packaging and
transportation of the product; use of water and fuel for mixing the
product and heating it, for sterilizing bottles and nipples; waste
disposal of the cans, bottles, accessories, cartons, etc.
Despite this, the media and some environmental groups tend to play up
issues of environmental contaminants in mother's milk. In fact, except
in situations of toxic spills or occupational exposure to hazardous
levels, breastfeeding has caused no ill effects in babies. To the
contrary, studies comparing breastfed and bottle-fed babies in the same
environment have shown better development and less cancer in the
breastfed babies.
Furthermore, despite concerns about PCBs in breastmilk potentially
producing infertility in the offspring, the major burden of PCBs gets
to babies during pregnancy. (Note: cows get exposed to PCBs, too, so
artificial milks are not necessarily "pure," either.) A lesser known
and less publicized issue is the fact that soy formulas contain
phytoestrogens, which may have just as serious long-term effects.
Rather than calling for women to avoid breastfeeding, the call needs to
be to continue to clean up the environment to safeguard everyone's
health. Breastfeeding will contribute to this clean-up effort.
Conclusion
In light of the overwhelming evidence of breastfeeding benefits not
only for babies but also for mothers and the planet, it seems fair to
say that the choice of an infant feeding method is far more than the
choice between two relatively similar methods with only convenience as
the deciding factor. When a mother chooses not to breastfeed or decides
to wean early from the breast, she is not merely substituting an
inferior artificial substance without any disease-protection properties
for her child and feeding her child with an unnatural implement. She is
also potentially affecting her own immediate and long-term health in
many ways. Artificial feeding increases personal and societal health
care costs, and detrimentally affects the environment.
Breastfeeding in a society where bottle-feeding is the norm clearly
requires a significant commitment, especially when relatives and
friends do not support breastfeeding. However, women making the
decision about infant feeding should know that breastfeeding is clearly
more than a lifestyle choice: it is a significant health decision with
life-long consequences. And, speaking from personal experience, it's
also fun!
By A Friend
The
World Health Organization says BREAST IS BEST!
http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/infantfeeding/en/index.html
Promoting proper feeding for infants and young children The challenge
Nutrition and nurturing during the first three years are both crucial
for lifelong health and well-being. In infancy, no gift is more
precious than breastfeeding; yet barely one in three infants is
exclusively breastfed during the first four months of life.
Faulty feeding practices begin with giving any other nourishment but
breast milk before complementary feeding is nutritionally required – or
with substituting entirely for breast milk, which places babies at risk
of illness, even death. When complementary feeding begins, uninformed
decisions can also interfere with good nutrition in terms of which
foods are given, how much and how often and whether breastfeeding
continues, as it should. Nutritionally inadequate or contaminated food,
and starting complementary feeding too early or too late are major
causes of malnutrition in infants and young children.
By Chris
This
site is so biased and so audacious in its bias, it's almost like what a
pro-breastfeeding mom would make as a parody. the problem is that the
formula industry leads moms to believe formula is "fine." It's a
choice, but give moms all the facts. Of course, pharma lobbyists are
trying to disprove the "facts" about breastfeeding. That's okay. I love
nursing my baby, and if he turns out to be smarter, healthier and
normal weight, all the better. In the meantime, he's got access to the
best food in the world, and a mom that connects with him at every meal
(and snack...)
By Kelly
I
think many times when a mother doesn't want to breastfeed despite being
"well-educated," it is a societal thing. Mothers can have all the info
and still feel that breastfeeding is "gross" or subhuman," or they can
still feel extremely modest and the worry of nursing in public makes
them decide to not nurse at all, or they really think bottlefeeding is
more convenient (society makes us feel as if everything in our lives
should be convenient). Since the reasons this woman didn't want to
nurse were not mentioned in the blog entry, we don't know if one of the
above was her reason. But since most of the reasons are societal (and
then become personal - "society says my breasts are sexual, so I feel
that it's gross to feed a baby with them"), it would be helpful to try
to make some changes within societal attitudes regarding breastfeeding.
If more people saw moms breastfeeding in public often, and if breasts
were regarded for their natural function and not simply as sex objects,
then the outlook on breastfeeding in our society could change, and more
moms would not feel the need to not breastfeed due to some social
issue. now, I do not know what this particular mom's issue was with
nursing, but many I know of who decide early on to not nurse are doing
so for these type of reasons. And yes, it is their right to choose so,
but is it really their "free choice" when the subliminal pressures of
societal attitudes are there beneath the surface? It is still their
choice, but it is being influenced by something outside the mothers
themselves.
Oh, and it is not about "being a good mom." There are so many different
ways to be a good mom - good at discipline, good at patience, good at
nutrition, good at communication, good at sympathy... we aren't all
perfect moms on all kinds of different levels. If somebody says, "I'm
not going to nurse because I think it's gross," then I am not going to
think she is a bad mother, but I am going to think she is making a bad
choice, since it is a choice influenced by society and not from within
herself. Of course, if she can't get past the issue and just has this
resentment each time she nurses the baby because of her feelings of
"grossness," well, in that case it may be better for her to not
breastfeed. But with time and education on society's views and why they
are what they are, then I think women can become empowered to do what
is best, despite what society may think.
I also wonder how well-educated this mother was because of who she was
talking to, based on previous info when Barb didn't seem to fully
educate another mom. If somebody who is not entirely up on
breastfeeding knowledge listens to another mother's knowledge on
breastfeeding, then how will she know whether or not this mom really
has all the facts?
By Erin
I have 2 and I work part time. They are 6 months and 3 years old. Healthy and Happy little sweetie pies.
By Kristen
How many children do you have Kristen?
By kate
Thanks Kate, it's nice to feel accepted and not feel that you are judging me.
By kristen
I breastfeed all 4 of my children! I loved it, and wouldn't trade that
experience for anything, but I would never force my views on
anyone.Breast is best for sure, but not in every circumstance and not
for every woman at all times. Acceptance and support of all women is
what is needed.
By kate
Finally!
I didn't make the same choices that my friends did, and I'm still a
good mom! Thanks for making it ok to at least talk about all this
stuff. When people take any extreme position, then those of us in the
middle feel alienated.
By kristen
