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Benefits
Starting Problems What's wrong with formula? What about soy formula? My personal experience |
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Breastfeeding is the natural option.
* Nourishment...the most natural source.
* Security...for the baby's comfort.
* Love...Your baby is gaining a foundation of your love.
* Sex education...give the older children a healthy view of what breasts are for.
* Happy baby...babies LOVE to breastfeed. One reason for this is the natural 'drug'
in breast milk, caseomorphine. Related to morphine, it makes baby relaxed and feel
good from breastfeeding. One of the few natural and healthy addictions one could list.
Breastfeeding is the practical option.
* Easier--no bottles to wash, sterilise, no formula to mix.
* Faster--no waiting for the formula to reach the right temperature.
* Cheaper--no formula to buy.
* Automatic--milk is stored in breasts, so is always 'on tap.'
* Accurate--milk adjusts quantity to the needs of the baby.
* Temperature--always ideal.
* Practically unlimited--breasts will continually make more as long as is needed.
* Ecological--Read here
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Caseomorphines (casein) The mention of caseomorphines (casein) could cause some concern to some. This hormone is implicated in problems with autism spectrum disorders. * Caseomorphine (casein) is present in all mammalian milks. However... Infantile autism has many possible connections/causes including: * shortened or absent breastfeeding, preventing the full development of transferred cellular immunity. * Early use of cow's milk or casein based formulas. (Allergenic and altered) reference I think it is safe to point out that one feeding method is as mother nature intended and the other is not. Therefore, the presence of caseomorphine in mother's milk is a good thing whereas its presence in cow's milk formula fed to babies may not be a good thing. |
* Complete--contains all the nutrients your newborn needs for his/her first 6 months of life.
* Digestible--more so than any other infant food, reducing risk of constipation.
* Exercise--Promotes proper development of jaw and facial structure.
* Weight Gain--Encourages normal weight gain for your baby.
* Protects against infections including ear infections, immunological disorders, gastrointestinal and respiratory illness and infection including otitis media.
* Pure--no harmful bacteria to contaminate milk.
* Antibodies--Your baby continues to benefit as long as breastfeeding continues.
* Lines the stomach and intestines to protect your baby's health.
* Bedsharing further benefits infants in that they feed twice as often and 39% longer each episode resulting in feeding three times as long as babies who sleep separately.
* 'New research [from the National Deaf Children's Society (UK)] shows that mothers who breastfeed reduce the chances of their children developing glue ear or deafness in the first two years by between 30 and 50 per cent. It is thought the milk has special proteins with anti-flammatory properties.' from the March 1999 issue of "Baby Magazine."
Breastfeeding has immediate benefits.
"Born into a world teeming with germs and infections, a newborn's* Colostrum, the first milk produced, is a concentrated form of nutrition specifically suited to a newborn's needs.
strongest defense comes from colostrum, the substance produced
in the first few days after birth, which provides the baby's first immunization." (UNICEF, 1992)
* Colostrum protects a newborn against infection with immunoglobulins, leukocytes, and anti-inflammatory factors.
* Immunoglobulin A (IgA) has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of acute gastrointestinal illnesses.
* The presence of IgA in human milk has been found to stimulate the infant's own immunologic development, allowing the baby to protect itself.
* Mother/baby bonding - The oxytocin released during breastfeeding helps the mother/baby bond to develop normally.
Breastfeeding has long-term benefits.
* Allergies--Safeguards against the onset of allergies.
* Intelligence--Some evidence points to greater intelligence the longer breastfeeding continues.
* Diseases--reduces frequency of certain diseases later in life, including breast cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease.
* Immunizations--breastfed babies show a better response to vaccines with significantly higher antibody levels than formula-fed babies.
* Eye drops--the antibiotic quality of breast milk can treat a child's conjunctivitis much faster than going to the doctor for a prescription. Though not yet scientifically proven, it certainly worked quickly with my children.
Breastfeeding is officially recommended by:
The American Academy of Pediatrics for the entire first year of life.
The World Health Organization for the first TWO years of life!
Breastfeeding benefits YOU.
* Relaxing--Sit or lie down and read or even sleep while feeding.* Contracts the uterus and
* Reduces the flow of blood to get the uterus back to its non-pregnant shape.
* Natural family planning--mothers who exclusively breastfeed the first six months are unlikely to get pregnant in that time. (Though no one should rely on it as contraception.)
* Lose weight--Uses extra calories to help you lose weight faster.
* Less risk of cancer--In one study, breastfeeding for at least 16 months substantially reduced the premenopausal breast cancer risk in women not treated for nausea or vomiting during pregnancy.
* I read somewhere that risk of breast cancer drops by 7% per pregnancy and a further 4% per year of breastfeeding. (I'll add a reference here if I can find it again.)
Ok, I'm convinced, breastfeeding is the best choice for my baby...now what?
* #1...Don't give up!!!! Almost all women are capable of breastfeeding.* A baby has to learn to suckle as much as you have to learn how to nurse it.
* Put your baby to the breast as soon after the birth as possible.
* Avoid giving your baby a bottle before 6 weeks of age as it is easier to suck (and who wants to work any more than they have to?!)
* Try to avoid giving your baby a pacifier/dummy especially during this early period.
* Even if you must give your baby a bottle, it is not the end of breastfeeding.
* Even if you started using formula, the breast actually continues to make a tiny quantity of milk for 4-6 weeks (or more?) after birth, so keep trying!
* I've even heard of adoptive mothers who manage to create a milk supply to feed their adopted babies.
* Get help from a lactation consultant (this may be a representative from La Leche League International, National Childbirth Trust or similar organisation.)
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Night feeds and teeth Something which is occasionally mentioned by various people is the supposed risk of tooth decay in co-sleeping babies who are allowed to nurse during the night. This is reportedly "caused" by the sugars in breastmilk. I even believed this briefly when my daughter began developing tooth decay despite not having very much in the way of sugary drinks and such. So, what caused the decay? There are two causes talked about in several sites including Kellymom.com are: 1. The strep mutans bacteria and 2. Stress during pregnancy. 1. The strep bacteria is common, apparently in 20% of the population, causing high levels of the acids which decay the teeth. It is easily transferred from one person to another through saliva (in your loving kisses!) However, there is also evidence that this same saliva contact can increase the baby's immunity from the same bacteria... 2. Stress is a common factor, obviously. In my own case, I was dealing with difficult emotional situations regarding one of my children and his father AND had another child knocked down by a car (not injured, I hastily add)... I had often commented about the fact that my blood pressure was still normal! Interestingly, another of my children had this same problem. I'd blamed my lack of proper brushing... but perhaps it wasn't my fault after all. |
Many of the problems associated with breastfeeding are related to not latching on properly. Please don't give up before seeking help from a lactation specialist or someone else from a breastfeeding support group such as La Leche League International, or National Childbirth Trust (UK).
*Though usually any pain is associated with incorrect latch-on, I must also point out that a baby clenched like vice grips onto a tender nipple is not the most comfortable experience. I find it takes a few weeks (getting past those first couple of growth spurts) for breastfeeding to become the wonderful experience I know that it is. Perseverance at this time is well worth it as the benefits far outweigh this brief time of discomfort.
* For me, the hardest time was when my milk came in the first time, and I was so engorged that Ian couldn't get latched on properly. This was solved by a trip to a lactation consultant who helped us over that first hurdle.
* With Gavin, we had some trouble to begin with. He was rather a lazy feeder. He would suck just enough to get the drips coming. Then he simply sat there gulping when necessary until the drips stopped and he didn't realise that he actually had to work for more food. When I was engorged my first few days after the milk came in, my nipple was so flat that it was difficult for Gavin to latch on. This infuriated him (with his quick temper) so that it took 15 minutes to get him settled down enough to eat. One feeding, it actually took a whole hour! Frustrating, but we got there in the end. During this time, I found relief by pumping enough milk in the evening to be comfortable (freezing the milk in preparation for my first night out without Baby) which had the added bonus of drawing my nipple out making it easier to Gavin to latch on. Oh, how I wish I'd thought of that with Ian!
* Believe it or not, my fourth baby, Colin, was my most difficult to get breastfeeding successfully. He tended to bite down really hard only a hairsbreadth off from latching on. This led to him drawing blood and me not wanting to feed this horrible creature! We suffered through that bit by slightly rotating the nipple, working on the "football hold" which helped align his mouth properly, and not a small amount of divine intervention. Honestly, if he'd been my first and I'd not been determined, I would have given up, certain that the pain wasn't worth it.
* Mastitis in babies. Yes, it is possible! Gavin developed this problem after 3 weeks. Basically, from what little I have been told, a baby often produces a few drops of colostrum as a result of the hormones received in breastmilk. This normally drains from the nipple (sometimes called witch's milk). However, as with lactating women, sometimes a duct gets blocked preventing drainage. The backed up colostrum then is prone to infection. Gavin's little 'breast' grew big, red, and hard. He was treated first with a course of oral antibiotics (Amoxicillin) which failed to bring about the desired result. At the age of 4 weeks, he was admitted into hospital with IV antibiotics (Flucoxacillin) which after 24 hours helped the 'breast' to begin draining. After 72 hours, Gavin was sent home with another 10-day course of oral antibiotics (more Flucoxacillin). This is a rare condition about which there is very little information available to the parent. Indeed my LLL leader had never heard of it.
* Believe me, the hardest period of breastfeeding is that first fortnight or so, then it DOES get easier! If it doesn't, seek advice and help!!
* The most common periods for a woman to give up breastfeeding is at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. These windows just happen to coincide with growth spurts. Mother says 'I don't have enough milk!' She's right. However, give yourself 24-48 hours and you will have enough again.
*Another comment here, is that breastfed babies do not generally adhere to the 3-4 hour schedule that bottlefed babies are encouraged to maintain. They should nurse (and enjoy your closeness) when they want for the most part. (During the school run doesn't work, of course.) My babies often gorge themselves in the evening as if stocking up for the night. My new baby feeds frequently for a few hours and then has a nice long nap for a few hours. Why force them to live by an adult schedule?
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More Formula Info * Ecologist's shocking article 'Suck on This' * Hot Milk: The Unbottled Truth About Formula * Risks of Feeding Formula * What Every Parent Should Know About Infant Formula |
* In a study, American bottle-fed infants were 14 times more likely to be hospitalized than breast-fed infants.
* A group of chemicals called phthalates which are present in formulae reduces sperm counts.
* Formula feeding accounts for up to 26% of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in children.
* Otitis media (middle ear infection) is up to 3-4 times as prevalent in formula-fed infants.
* US Formula fed infants have a 10 fold risk of being hospitalized for any bacterial infection.
* One sudden infant death for every 1000 live birth occurs as a result of failure to breastfeed in western industrialized nations.
* For every 1000 babies born in the U.Ss each year, four die because they are not breastfed.
* Scores on the Bayley Mental Development Index were lower in formula-fed children at 1-2 years of age. Scores were directly correlated with the duration of breastfeeding.
* Formula fed preterm infants had lower IQ scores (8 points) at age 7-8 years than breastfed premies, even after adjustment for mother's education and social class.
* Due to an excessive phosphate load in formula, formula fed infants face a 30 fold risk of neonatal hypocalcemic tetany (convulsions, seizures, twitching) during the first 10 days of life.
* Formula fed infants are at a high risk of exposure to life-threatening bacterial contamination. Enterobacter sakazakii is a frequent contaminant in powdered formula and can cause sepsis and meningitis in newborns.
* Forumla-fed infants are between 2 and 5 times (depending on the study) more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (cot death) than breast-fed babies.
* It is estimated that in 1999 over 9000 babies could have been saved in the US had they been breastfed. (Read more in this article.)
* Infant formula is full of pollutants as you can read here
* Even ONE bottle is hazardous. Read more at the National Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy
or at Breastfeeding.org
Isn't soy better?
Not according to the research of the Weston A Price Foundation. Among the problems with soy are:
* Soy formula can cause vitamin deficiencies.
* Soy formula contains high amounts of aluminium which may cause Alzheimer's disease in later life.
* Soy formula contains phytoestrogens in the amounts equivalent to feeding a baby five birth control pills per day and can depress thyroid function.
Personal Experience
My five children have had no formula and were breastfed for 14, 13, 17 and 18 (baby born 12/06 is still feeding) months respectively.
Some of the personal benefits I have enjoyed are:
* No periods for five years (between first and fourth babies)! This time, including pregnancy itself, I had no periods for two years.
* Middle of the night feedings were conducted in bed with me mostly asleep!
* I got lots of reading done!
* I wasn't tempted to do too much housework, etc, too quickly as frequent feedings prevented this possibility.
* My weight almost fell off after #2 (combined with moderate exercise.)
* No fussing with birth control (as we planned to have more and were happy to allow breastfeeding to naturally space our children--18 mos, 21 mos, and 25 mos apart)
* NONE of my children have EVER had an ear infection or glue ear! (touch wood)
to the top!
Contacts:
* La Leche League International
* National Childbirth Trust
* Breastfeeding Task Force of greater Los Angeles
Information on this page is gleaned from various sources including:
* La Leche League International
* my mother (dietitian)
* personal experience
* things that other people have taught me.
Please send me relevant additions to this page.
