I have been asked SO MUCH "Why did you choose to breastfeed?" It is hard to cite all of the reasons. The short answer is that I did my own research. The long answer?? Read below!
Benefits of Breastfeeding
Why is breastfeeding best?
With the upcoming arrival of your new baby, there are many decisions to be made. None more important than deciding which form of nutrition is best for you and your baby. Numerous government and private industry associations today recognize and promote the importance of exclusively providing breastmilk to babies in the first twelve months of life.
Following are compelling, research-based facts about the importance of breastmilk that may help you to make an informed choice:
Best for Baby:
- Research shows that breastfed infants have fewer and shorter episodes of illness.
- Breastfeeding is the most natural and nutritious way to encourage your baby’s optimal development.
- Colostrum (the first milk) is a gentle, natural laxative that helps clear baby’s intestine, decreasing the chance for jaundice to occur.
- The superior nutrition provided by breastmilk benefits your baby’s IQ.
- Breastfeeding is a gentle way for newborns to transition to the world outside the womb.
- The skin-to-skin contact encouraged by breastfeeding offers babies greater emotional security and enhances bonding.
- The activity of sucking at the breast enhances development of baby’s oral muscles, facial bones, and aids in optimal dental development.
- Breastfeeding appears to reduce the risk of obesity and hypertension.
- Breastfeeding delays the onset of hereditary allergic disease, and lowers the risk of developing allergic disease.
- Breastfeeding helps the baby’s immune system mature, protecting the baby in the meantime from viral, bacteria, and parasitic infections.
- Breastfeeding increases the effectiveness of immunizations, increasing the protection against polio, tetanus, and diptheria vaccines.
- Breastfeeding protects against developing chronic diseases such as: celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and childhood cancers.
The benefits of breastfeeding appear to last even after the baby has been weaned.
Lack of Breastfeeding Increases the Risk to the Infant of:
- Ear infections
- Childhood diabetes
- Obesity
- Gastrointestinal and diarrheal infections
- Childhood cancers
- SIDS
- Respiratory infections
- Allergies
- NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis)
Best for Mother:
- Research shows that breastfeeding benefits the health of mothers.
- Breastmilk is always fresh, perfectly clean, just the right temperature, and is the healthy choice at the least cost!
- Increased levels of oxytocin stimulate postpartum uterine contractions, minimizing blood loss and encouraging rapid uterine toning.
- From 3 months to 12 months postpartum, breastfeeding increases the rate of weight loss in most nursing mothers.
- Breastfeeding offers some protection against the early return of fertility.
- Because breastfed babies are healthier, their mothers miss less work and spend less time and money on pediatric care.
- Breastfeeding women report psychological benefits such as increased self-confidence and a stronger sense of connection with their babies.
Lack of Breastfeeding Increases the Risk to the Mother of:
- Urinary tract infection
- Pre-and post-menopausal breast cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Osteoporosis
Infant Health References:
Amin S, Merle K, Orlando M, Dalzell L, Guillet R: Brainstem Maturation in Premature Infants as a Function of Enteral Feeding Type, Pediatrics 2000; 106(2):318-322.
Beaudry M, Dufour R, Marcoux S: Relation between infant feeding and infections during the first six months of life. J Pediatrics 1995; 126:191-197.
Burr M, Limb E, Maguire M, et al: Infant feeding, wheezing, and allergy: a prospective study. Arch Dis Child 1993; 68:724-728.
Cushing A, Samet J, Lambert W, Skipper B, et al: Breastfeeding Reduces Risk of Respiratory Illness in Infants, American J Epidemiology 1998; 147(9):863-70.
Davis M: Review of the evidence for an association between infant feeding and childhood cancer, International J Cancer (Suppl.) 1998; 11:29-33.
Dewey K, Heinig MJ, Nommsen-Rivers L: Differences in morbidity between breast-fed and formula-fed infants, J Pediatrics 1995; 126(5):696-702.
Duncan B, Ey J, Holberg C, Wright A, Martinez F, Taussig L: Exclusive breast-feeding for at least 4 months protects against otitis media, Pediatrics 1993; 91(5):867-872.
Ford R, Taylor B, Mitchell E: Breastfeeding and the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Internat J Epidemiology 1993; Vol 22, pp 885-890.
Gerstein H: Cow’s milk exposure and type I diabetes mellitus, Diabetes Care 1994; 17(1):13-19.
Goldman A: The immune system of human milk: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties, Pediatric Infect Dis J 1993; 12(8):664-672.
Greco L, Auricchio S, Mayer M, Grimaldi M: Case control study on nutritional risk factors in celiac disease, J Pediatric Gastro & Nutr 1997; 7(3):395-399.
Hahn-Zoric M, Fulconis F, Minoli I, et al: Antibody responses to parenteral and oral vaccines are impaired by conventional and low protein formulas as compared to breast-feeding, Acta Paediatr Scand 1990; 79:1137-1142.
Hanson L: Non-breastfeeding – The Most Common Immunodeficiency, HK J Paediatrics 1998; 3:5-8.
Heinig MJ, Dewey K: Health advantages of breastfeeding for infants: a critical review, Nutrition Research Reviews 1996; 9:89-110.
Jacobson S, Chiodo L, Jacobson J: Breastfeeding effects on intelligence quotient in 4- and 11-year-old children, Pediatrics 1999; 103(5):71.
Koletzko S, Sherman P, Corey M et al: Role of infant feeding practices in development of Crohn’s disease in childhood, Brit Med J 1989; 298:1617-1618.
Kramer M: Do breast-feeding and delayed introduction of solid foods protect against subsequent obesity? J Pediatrics 1981; 98(6):883-887.
Kramer M, Chalmers B, Hodnett E, Zinaida S et al: Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT): A Randomized Trial in the Republic of Belarus, JAMA 2001; 285:413-420.M Labbok, G Hendershot. Does breastfeeding protect against malocclusion? An analysis of the 1981 child health supplement to the national health interview survey. American J Preventative Medicine 1987; 3(4):227-232.
DK Lambert, RD Christensen, E Henry, GE Besner, VL Baer, SE Wiedmeier, RA Stoddard, CA Miner, and J Burnett: Necrotizing enterocolitis in term neonates: data froma multihospital health-care system, Journal of Perinatology 2007; 27: 437-443.
Lucas A, Cole T: Breast milk and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, Lancet 1990; 336:1519-1523.
Lucas A, Morley R, Cole T, et al: Breast milk and subsequent intelligence quotient in children born preterm, Lancet 1992; 339:261-264.
Perez-Bravo F, Garrasco E, Gutierrez-Lopez M et al: Genetic predisposition and environmental factors leading to the development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Chilean children. J Mol Med 1996; 74:105-109.
Popkin B, Adair L, Akin J, Black R, Briscoe J, Fleger W: Breast-feeding and diarrheal morbidity, Pediatrics 1990; 86(6):874-882.
Provisional Committee for Quality Improvement, Sub-Committee on Hyperbilirubinemia, American Academy of Pediatrics: Practice parameters: management of hyperbilirubinemia in the healthy term newborn, Pediatrics 1994; 94:558-561.
Saarinen U, Kajosaari M: Breastfeeding as prophylaxis against atopic disease: prospective follow-up study until 17 years old, Lancet 1995; 346:1065-1069.
Singhal A, Cole T, Lucas A: Early nutrition in preterm infants and later blood pressure cohorts after randomized trials, Lancet 2001; 357:413-19.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010: Conference Edition- Vols I and II. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. Health and Human Service, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Jan. 2000. pp. 2, 47-48.
Von Kries R, Koletzko B, Sauerwald T, et al: Breast feeding and obesity: cross sectional study. Brit Med Journal 1999; 319:147-150.
Maternal Health References:
Chua S, Arulkumaran S, Lin I, Selamat N, Ratnam S: Influence of breastfeeding and nipple stimulation on postpartum uterine activity, British J Obstet Gynecol 1994; 101:804-805.
Cohen R, Mrtek M, Mrtek R: Comparison of maternal absenteeism and infant illness rates among breast-feeding and formula-feeding women in two corporations, American J Health Promot 1995; 10(2):148-153.
Dewey K, Heinig MJ, Nommsen L: Maternal weight-loss patterns during prolonged lactation. American J Clin Nutrition 1993; 58:162-166.
Enger S, Ross R, Paganini-Hill A, Bernstein L: Breastfeeding experience and breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1998; 7(5):365-369.
Heinig MJ: Health effects of breast feeding for mothers: a critical review, Nutrition Research Reviews 1997; 10:35-56.
Kalkwarf HJ, Specker BL: Bone mineral loss during lactation and recovery after weaning, Obstet Gynecol 86:25, 1995
Kalkwarf HJ, Specker BL, Heubi JE et al: Intestinal calcium absorption of women during lactation and after weaning, Am J Clin Nutr 63:526, 1996
Kuzela A, Stifter C, Worobey J: Breastfeeding and mother-infant interactions, J Reproductive Psychol 1990; 8:185-194
Newcomb P, Storer B, Longnecker M, et al: Lactation and a reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer, N Engl J Med 1994; 330(2):81-87.
McNeilly A: Lactational amenorrhea, Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 1993; 22(1): 59-73.
Pisacane A, Graziano L, Mazzarella G, Scarpellino B, Zona G: Breastfeeding and urinary tract infection, J Pediatrics 1992; 120(1):87-89.
Whittemore A, Harris R, Itnyre J, and the Collaborative Ovarian Cancer Group: Characteristics relating to ovarian cancer risk: collaborative analysis of 12 US case-control studies. II Invasive epithelial ovarian cancers in white women. American J Epidemiology 1992; 136(10):1184-1203.
Zheng T et al: Long-Term Breastfeeding Lowers Mother’s Breast Cancer Risk, American J Epidemiology 2001, 152:1129-1135
