| 1. The American Academy of
Pediatrics recommends it " Human milk is the
preferred feeding for all infants, including premature
and sick newborns...It is recommended that breastfeeding
continue for at least the first 12 months, and thereafter
for as long as mutually desired.
(See A.A.P. Breastfeeding
Policy Statement:
Breastfeeding and the
Use of Human Milk (RE2729)
2. Breastfeeding promotes
bonding between mother and baby
Breastfeeding stimulates
the release of the hormone oxytocin in the mother's body.
"It is now well established that oxytocin, as well
as stimulating uterine contractions and milk ejection,
promotes the development of maternal behavior and also
bonding between mother and offspring."Uvnas-Moberg,
Eriksson: Breastfeeding: physiological, endocrine and
behavioral adaptations caused by oxytocin and local
neurogenic activity in the nipple and mammary gland.: Acta
Paediatrica, 1996 May, 85(5):525-30
3. Breastfeeding satisfies
baby's emotional needs
All babies need to be held.
Studies have shown that premature babies are more likely
to die if they are not held or stroked. There is no more
comforting feeling for an infant of any age than being
held close and cuddled while breastfeeding. While many
bottle-feeding parents are aware of the importance of
cradling their babies while offering the bottle, some are
not. Even for parents with good intentions, there is
always the temptation to prop up a bottle next to the
child, or, when the baby is a little older, to let the
child hold his/her own bottle and sit alone. This is
emotionally unsatisfying to baby, and can be dangerous
physically. An unsupervised child can choke. Also,
propping up bottles over night leads to tooth decay.
4. Breast milk provides
perfect infant nutrition
"Human milk is
uniquely superior for infant feeding and is species-specific;
all substitute feeding options differ markedly from it.
The breastfed infant is the reference or normative model
against which all alternative feeding methods must be
measured with regard to growth, health, development, and
all other short and long-term benefits."
(See A.A.P. Breastfeeding
Policy Statement:
Breastfeeding and the
Use of Human Milk (RE2729)
5. Not breastfeeding
increases mother's risk of breast cancer
"If all women who do
not breastfeed or who breastfeed for less than 3 months
were to do so for 4 to 12 months, breast cancer among
parous premenopausal women could be reduced by 11 percent,
judging from current rates. If all women with children
lactated for 24 months or longer, however, then the
incidence might be reduced by nearly 25 percent. This
reduction would be even greater among women who first
lactate at an early age."
Newcomb PA, Storer BE,
Longnecker MP, et al. Lactation and a reduced risk of
premenopausal breast cancer.
N Engl J Med. 1994;330:81-87
6. Formula feeding increases
baby girls' risk of developing breast cancer in later
life
Women who were formula-fed
as infants have higher rates of breast cancer as adults.
For both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer,
women who were breastfed as children, even if only for a
short time, had a 25% lower risk of developing breast
cancer than women who were bottle-fed as infants.
Freudenheim, J. et al.
1994 "Exposure to breast milk in infancy and the
risk of breast cancer". Epidemiology 5:324-331
7. Formula Feeding is
associated with lower I.Q.
The latest study to
support this statement was done in New Zealand. Here an
18 year longitudinal study of over 1,000 children found
that those who were breastfed as infants had both better
intelligence and greater academic achievement than
children who were infant-formula fed. Horwood and
Fergusson, "Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and
Academic Outcomes", Jan 1998 Pediatrics Vol.
101, No. 1
Morrow-Tlucak M, Haude RH,
Ernhart CB. Breastfeeding and cognitive development in
the first 2 years of life. Soc Sci Med. 1988:26;635-639
Lucas A., "Breast
Milk and Subsequent Intelligence Quotient in Children
Born Preterm". Lancet 1992;339:261-62
Wang YS, Wu SY. The effect
of exclusive breastfeeding on development and incidence
of infection in infants. J Hum Lactation. 1996; 12:27-30
8. Breast milk is always
ready and comes in a nicer package than formula does
Need we say more?
9. Breast milk helps pass
meconium
Babies are born with a
sticky tar-like substance called meconium in their
intestines. Colostrum, or early milk, is uniquely
designed to help move this substance through the infant's
body.
10. Breast milk contains
immunities to diseases and aids in the development of
baby's immune system.
Formula provides neither
of these benefits
Koutras, A.K., "Fecal
Secretory Immunoglobulin A in Breast Milk vs. Formula
Feeding in Early Infancy". J. Ped Gastro Nutr
1989.
11. Breast milk is more
digestible than formula
"Babies can digest
human milk more easily than the milk of other animals,
probably because human milk contains an enzyme that aids
in this process. Breast milk forms softer curds in the
infant's stomach than cow's milk (the basis for most
formulas) and is more quickly assimilated into the body
system. While it contains less protein than does cow's
milk, virtually all the protein in breast milk is
available to the baby. By contrast, about half the
protein in cow's milk passes through the baby's body as a
waste product. Similarly, iron and zinc are absorbed
better by breastfed babies."
The Complete Book Of
Breastfeeding M.S. Eiger. MD, S. Wendkos Olds
Copyright 1972, 1987
Comstock, Inc., Workman Publishing Co., Inc.
708 Broadway, New York, NY
10003
12. Suckling helps shrink
mother's uterus after childbirth
"Nursing will help
you to regain your figure more quickly, since the process
of lactation causes the uterus (which has increased
during pregnancy to about 20 times its normal size) to
shrink more quickly to its prepregnancy size. "
The Complete Book Of
Breastfeeding M.S. Eiger. MD, S. Wendkos Olds
Copyright 1972, 1987
Comstock, Inc., Workman Publishing Co., Inc.
708 Broadway, New York, NY
10003
The uterus of the non-breastfeeding
mother will never shrink back to its pre-pregnant size.
It will always remain slightly enlarged.
Chua S, Arulkumaran S, Lim
I et al. "Influence of breastfeeding and nipple
stimulation on postpartum uterine activity."
Br J Obstet Gynaecol
1994; 101:804-805
13. Suckling helps prevent
post-partum hemorrhage
Nursing her baby causes
the mother's body to release oxytocin, which stimulates
contractions which help shrink the uterus back to
prepregnancy size while expelling the placenta. These
contractions also shut off the maternal blood vessels
that formerly fed the baby and discourage excessive
bleeding. Women who choose not to breastfeed must be
given synthetic oxytocin to insure against hemorrhaging.
Chua S, Arulkumaran S, Lim
I et al. "Influence of breastfeeding and nipple
stimulation on postpartum uterine activity."
Br J Ovstet Gynaecol
1994; 101:804-805
14. Nursing helps mom lose
weight after baby is born
Breastfeeding requires an
average of 500 extra calories per day. Dewey KG, Heinig
MJ, Nommwen LA. Maternal weight-loss patterns during
prolonged lactation.
Am J Clin Nutr 1993;58:162-166
Mothers who breastfed
exclusively or partially had significantly larger
reductions in hip circumference and were less above their
prepregnancy weights at 1 month post partum than mothers
who fed formula exclusively." Kramer, F., "Breastfeeding
reduces maternal lower body fat." J. Am Diet
Assoc 1993; 93(4):429-33
15. Pre-term milk is
specially designed for premature infants
"Milk produced by
women who deliver prematurely differs from that produced
after a full-term pregnancy. Specifically, during the
first month after parturition, preterm milk maintains a
composition similar to that of colostrum." Hamosh,
Margit, PhD, Georgetown University Medical Center "Breast-feeding:
Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother's Milk".
16. The World Health
Organization and UNICEF recommend it
"...breastfeeding is
an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the
healthy growth and development of infants; ... it forms a
unique biological and emotional basis for the health of
both mother and child; ...the anti-infective properties
of breast milk help to protect infants against disease;
and ... there is an important relationship between
breastfeeding and child spacing".(Emphasis added)
(See The WHO/UNICEF
International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes).
17. Breastfeeding protects
against Crohn's disease (intestinal disorder)
Koletzko S, Sherman P,
Corey M, et al. "Role of infant feeding practices in
development of Crohn;s disease in childhood."
Br Med J. 1989;298:1617-1618
Rigas A, Rigas B, Blassman
M, et al. "Breast-feeding and maternal smoking in
the etiology of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in
childhood." Ann Epidemiol. 1993;3387-392
18. Formula feeding
increases risk of baby developing type I (juvenile,
insulin-dependent) diabetes.
The results of a study in
Finland suggest that young age at introduction of dairy
products and high milk consumption during childhood
increase the level of cow's milk antibodies in the
children's systems. This factor is independently
associated with increased risk of insulin dependent
diabetes. Virtanen et al: "Diet, Cow's milk protein
antibodies and the risk of IDDM in Finnish children."
Childhood Diabetes in Finland Study Group. Diabetologia,
Apr 1994, 37(4):381-7
Mayer, EJ, Hamman RF, Gay
EC, et al. "Reduced risk of IDDM among breast-fed
children". Diabetes, 1988;37:1625-1632
Virtanen SM, Rasanen L,
Aro A, et al. "Infant feeding in Finnish children
<7 yr of age with newly diagnosed IDDM".
Diabetes Care, 1991;14:415-417
Gerstein HC. "Cow's
milk exposure and type 1 diabetes mellitus". Diabetes
Care. 1994;17:13-19
Borch-Johnson, K., et al.,
"Relation between breastfeeding and incidence of
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus". Lancet
2:1083-86 (1984)
19. Breastfeeding
decreases insulin requirements for breastfeeding mothers
Reduction in insulin dose
postpartum was significantly greater in those who were
breastfeeding than those who were bottle feeding. Davies,
H.A., "Insulin Requirements of Diabetic Women who
Breast Feed." British Medical Journal, 1989
20. Breastfeeding
stabilizes progress of maternal endometriosis
21. Not breastfeeding
increases mother's risk of developing ovarian cancer
Rosenblatt KA, Thomas DB,
"WHO Collaborative Study of Neoplasia and Steroid
Contraceptives". Int J Epidemiol. 1993;22:192-197
Schneider, A.P. "Risk
Factor for Ovarian Cancer". New England Journal
of Medicine, 1987.
22. Not breastfeeding
increases mother's risk of developing endometrial cancer
Petterson B, et al. "Menstruation
span- a time limited risk factor for endometrial
carcinoma". Acta Obstst Gyneocol Scand 1986;65:247-55
23. Formula feeding
increases chances of baby developing allergies
Lucas A, Brooke OG, Morley
R, et al. "Early diet of preterm infants and
development of allergic ar atopic disease: randomized
prospective study". Br Med J. 1990:300:837-840
Halken S, Host A, Hansen
LG, et al. "Effect of an allergy prevention
programme on incidence of atopic symptoms in infancy".
Ann Allergy. 1992;47:545-553
Saarinen UM, Kajossari M.
"Breastfeeding as prophylaxis against atopic disease:
prospective follow-up study until 17 years old."
Lancet. 1995;346:1065-1069
24. Breast milk lowers
risk of baby developing asthma
Breastfed babies have
lower risk for developing recurrent wheezing when they
are older (age 6 or more). Archives of Pediatric and
Adolescent Med., July 1995
25. Formula feeding
increases baby's risk of otitis media (ear infections)
"Otitis media is up
to 3-4 times more prevalent in formula-fed infants".
Aniansson G, Alm B,
Andersson B, et al. "A prospective cohort study on
breast-feeding and otitis media in Swedish infants".
Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1994; 13:183-188
Kovar MG, Serdula MK,
Marks JS, et al. "Review of the epidemiologic
evidence for an association between infant feeding and
infant health." Pediatrics. 1984:74:S615-S638
Saarinen UM. "Prolonged
Breast Feeding as prophylaxis for recurrent otitis media."
Acta Paediatr Scand. 1982;71:567-571
26. Formula feeding may
increase risk of sudden infant death syndrome (S.I.D.S.)
Ford RPK, Taylor BJ,
Mitchell EA, et al. "Breastfeeding and the risk of
sudden infant death syndrome. Int J. Epidemiol.
1993;22:885-890
Mitchell EA, Taylor BJ,
Ford RPK, et al. "Four modifiable and other major
risk factors for cot death: the New Zealand Study".
J Paediatr Child Health.
1992;28:S3-S8
Scragg LK, Mitchell EA,
Tonkin SL, et al. Evaluation of the cot death prevention
programme in South Auckland.
NZ Med J. 1993;106:8-10
27. Breastfeeding protects
baby against diarrheal infections
Kovar MG, Serdula MK,
Marks JS, et al. "Review of the epidemiologic
evidence for an association between infant feeding and
infant health." Pediatrics. 1984:74:S615-S638
Dewey KG, Heinig MJ,
Nommsen-Rivers LA. Differences in morbidity between
breast-fed. "Differences in morbidity between breast-fed
and formula-fed infants." Pediatr. 1995;126:696-702
Howie PW, Forsyth JS,
Ogston SA, et al. "Protective effect of breast
feeding against infection." Br Med J. 1990;300:11-16
Popkin BM, Adair L, Akin
JS, et al. "Breast-feeding and diarrheal morbidity."
Pediatrics. 1990;86:874-882
Beaudry M, Dufour R,
Marcoux S. "Relation Between infant feeding and
infections during the first six months of life." J
Pediatr. 1995; 126:191-197
28. Breastfeeding protects
baby against bacterial meningitis
Cochi SL, Fleming DW,
Hightower AW, et al. "Primary invasive Haemophilus
influenzae type b disease: a population-based assessment
of risk factors." J Pediatr. 1986;108:997-896
Istre GR, Conner JS,
Broome CV, et al. "Risk factors for primary invasive
Haemophilus influenzae disease: increased risk from day
care attendance and school-aged household members."
J Pediatr. 1985;106:190-198
29. Breastfeeding protects
baby against respiratory infections
Frank Al, Taber LH, Glezen
WP, et al. "Breast-feeding and respiratory virus
infection." Pediatrics 1982;70:239-245
Wright AI, Holberg DJ,
Martinez FD, et al. " Breast feeding and lower
respiratory tract illness in the first year of life."
Br Med J. 1989;299:935-949
Chen Y. "Synergistic
effect of passive smoking and artificial feeding on
hospitalization for respiratory illness in early
childhood." Chest. 1989;95:1004-1007
Wright AL, Holberg CH,
Taussig LM, et al. "Relationship of infant feeding
to recurrent wheezing at age 6 years."
Arch Pediatr Adolesc
Med. 1995;149:758-763
30. Formula fed babies
have a higher risk of developing certain childhood
lymphomas
Davis MK, Savitz DA,
Graubard BI. "Infant feeding and childhood cancer."
Lancet. 1988;2:365-368
Shu X-O, Clemens H, Zheng
W, et al. "Infant breastfeeding and the risk of
childhood lymphoma and leukaemia". Int J
Epidemiol. 1995;24:27-32
31. Breastfeeding
decreases chances of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Preliminary data from U.
of North Carolina/Duke University researchers indicates
breastfed children were only 40% as likely to develop JA.
"Mother's Milk: An Ounce of Prevention?" Arthritis
Today May-June 1994
32. Breastfeeding
decreases child's chances of contracting Hodgkins disease
"An Exploratory Study
of Environmental and Medical Factors Potentially Related
to Childhood Cancer." Medical & Pediatric
Oncology, 1991; 19(2):115-21
33. Breastfeeding protects
baby against vision defects
Birch E, et al. "Breastfeeding
and optimal visual development." J Pediatr
Ophthalmol Strabismus 1993;30:33-8
In a study in Bangladesh,
breastfeeding was a protective factor for night blindness
among preschool-aged children in both rural and urban
areas. Breast milk is generally the main, if not the only
source, of vitamin A during a child's first 24 months of
life (or for the duration of breastfeeding). Bloem, M. et
al. "The role of universal distribution of vitamin A
capsules in combatting vitamin A deficiency in Bangladesh.:
Am J Epidemiol 1995; 142(8): 843-55
34. Breastfeeding
decreases chances of maternal osteoporosis in later life
The odds that a woman with
osteoporosis did not breastfeed her baby was 4 times
higher than for a control woman. Blaauw, R. et al. "Risk
factors for development of osteoporosis in a South
African population." SAMJ 1994; 84:328-32
Dr. Alan Lucas, MRC
Childhood Nutrition Research Center of London, found that
8-year-olds who were fed formula rather than breast fed
as infants, had less developed bone mineralization than
those fed breast milk.
Melton LJ, Bryant SC,
Wahner HW, et al. "Influence of breastfeeding and
other reproductive factors on bone mass later in life."
Osteoporos Int. 1993;22:684-691
Cumming RG, Klineberg RJ.
"Breastfeeding and other reproductive factors and
the risk of hip fractures in elderly woman."
Int J Epidemiol
1993;22:684-691
35. Breast milk is an
intestinal soother
36. Cows milk is an
intestinal irritant
37. Formula-fed babies are
more at risk for obesity in later life
38. Breastfed babies have
less chance of cardiopulmonary distress while feeding
Bottle-fed babies are at
increased risk of cardiopulmonary disturbances, including
prolonged airway closure and obstructed respiratory
breaths due to repeated swallowing. Koenig HS, Davies Am,
Thach BT. "Coordination of breathing, sucking and
swallowing during bottle feedings in human infants."
J Appl Physiol 69: 1629: 1623-1629, 1990.
Infants can experience
oxygen saturation below 90% when bottlefeeding. Nine of
50 healthy term infants in one study experienced
bradycardia during bottlefeeding. Six of these episodes
were preceded by apnea, three showed hypopnea (marked
reduction in ventilation) and one had certral apnea (no
respiratory efforts).
Matthew O, Clark ML,
Ponske MH. Apnea, bradycardia, and cyanosis during oral
feeding in term neonates." J Pediatr 106:857,
1985
39. Breastfed babies have
less chance of developing ulcerative colitis
Rigas A, Rigas B, Blassman
M, et al. "Breast-feeding and maternal smoking in
the etiology of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in
childhood." Ann Epidemiol. 1993;3387-392
40. Breast milk protects
against hemophilus b. virus
Cochi SL, Fleming DW,
Hightower AW, et al. "Primary invasive Haemophilus
influenzae type b disease: a population-based assessment
of risk factors." J Pediatr. 1986;108:997-896
Takala AK, Eskola J,
Palmgren J, et al. "Risk factors of invasive
Haemophilus influenzae type b disease among children in
Finland.
J Pediatr. 1980;115:695-701
Istre GR, Conner JS,
Broome CV, et al. "Risk factors for primary invasive
Haemophilus influenzae disease: increased risk from day
care attendance and school-aged household members."
J Pediatr. 1985;106:190-198
41. Breastfed babies
require shorter pre and post-surgical fasting
Breastfeeding may continue
until three hours before arrival time at the hospital in
healthy children having elective surgery.
Schreiner, M.S. "Preoperative
and Postoperative fasting in children." Ped
Clinics N Amer 41 (1); 111-20 (1994)
42. Breastfeeding results
in less sick days for parents
Since breastfed babies are
statistically healthier than their formula fed peers, the
parents of breastfed babies spend less time out of work
taking care of sick children.
43. Breastfeeding enhances
vaccine effectiveness
Breastfed infants showed
better serum and secretory responses to peroral and
parenteral vaccines than those formula-fed.
Han-Zoric, M., "Antibody
responses to parenteral and oral vaccines are impaired by
conventional and low protein formulas as compared to
breastfeeding." Acta Paediatr Scand 1990; 79:1137-42
44. Breastfed babies have
less chance of developing necrotizing enterocolitis
Lucas A, Cole TJ. "Breast
milk and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis." Lancet.
1990; 336:519-1523
Convert RF, Barman N,
Comanico RS, et al. "Prior enteral nutrition with
human milk protects against intestinal perforation in
infants who develop necrotizing enterocolitis."
Pediatr Res. 1995;
37:305A. Abstract
45. Breastfeeding is a
natural contraceptive
This is true only if you
are exclusively breastfeeding, and have not yet gotten
your period back following childbirth. Night nursing
encourages longer amenorrhoea (periodlessness). If you
really don't want to get pregnant again, use some back up
birth control even if you haven't gotten your period
again. You will have no way of knowing when your first
ovulation will occur, and by the time you figure it out
you may be expecting! Still, generally speaking,
breastfeeding contributes to optimum child spacing.
Kennedy KI, Visness CM.
"Contraceptive efficacy of lactational amenorrhoea."
Lancet. 1992; 339:227-230
Gray RH, Campbell OM,
Apelo R, et al. "Risk of ovulation during lactation."
Lancet. 1990; 335:25-29
Labbock MH, Colie C.
"Puerperium and breast-feeding." Curr Opin
Obstet Gynecol. 1992; 4:818-825
46. Breastfeeding is
easier than using formula
After the initial start up
period, breastfeeding is very easy. All you have to do is
lift up your shirt and let the little one latch on. No
shopping for formula, bottles, and other supplies. No
mixing, heating, refrigerating and cleaning up of formula.
If you sleep with your baby, or sleep the baby next to
your bed, you can forget about all the disturbing night
time rituals associated with formula use. All you have to
do is roll over, let the baby latch on, and go back to
sleep!
47. Breast milk is free
The added calories a
mother must take in are a negligible expense, and nursing
clothes are optional. If you need to pump, excellent
pumps are available for between $100 and $225. They can
be used for more than one child, so they are really an
investment. Any way you look at it, you'll spend a lot
more money if you choose to formula feed.
48. Formula is expensive
The cost of feeding a baby
on formula for one year was estimated to be around $1000
in 1990. It has certainly gotten more expensive since.
Batten W. Hirschman J.
Thomas C. Impact of the special supplemental food program
on infants. J Pediatr 117 II:SIOI-109, 1990
49. Formula costs the
government (and taxpayers) millions of dollars
The U.S. government spends
over $500 million a year to provide formula for its WIC
supplemental food program.
Batten W. Hirschman J.
Thomas C. Impact of the special supplemental food program
on infants. J Pediatr 117 II:SIOI-109, 1990
50. Breast milk is always
the right temperature
Severe burns to babies'
mouths have occurred due to improper heating of
artificial milks. Even when it's done correctly, it's
never fun to try to warm a bottle for a fussing baby.
51. Breast milk always has
the right proportions of fat, carbohydrates and protein
Formula companies are
constantly adjusting these proportions looking for the
best composition. The reality is that a mother's milk
composition changes from feeding to feeding depending on
the needs of her child.
52. Breast milk acts like
a natural tranquilizer for baby
Mother's milk contains
chemicals that seem to work like "knock-out drops"
for tired babies. Even if baby doesn't fall asleep, he/she
will certainly calm down and become more agreeable. If
you choose to breastfeed into toddlerhood, you may find
that the "terrible twos" never materialize!
53. Breastfeeding acts
like a natural tranquilizer for mom
Nursing mothers often joke
about falling asleep on the job. The sleep inducing
qualities of nursing a baby are remarkable. In fact, new
mothers have to be careful to hold a nursing baby in such
a way that they will not drop the child when they
inevitably nod off. Nursing in bed is a great solution.
Even pumping at work can be a great way to calm down and
get refocused on a stressful day.
54. Breast milk tastes
better than formula
Human breastmilk is
remarkably sweet and light. Formula is pasty and bland.
Which would you rather eat?
55. Breastfed babies are
healthier over-all
(Kaiser Permanente:
Internal research to determine benefits of sponsoring an
official lactation program)
56. Breastfed babies are
less likely to die before their third birthday
Van Den Bogaard, C. "Relationship
Between Breast Feeding in Early Childhood and Morbidity
in a general Population."
Fan Med, 1991; 23:510-515
57. Breastfed babies
require fewer doctor visits
Since breastfed babies are
statistically healthier, they see the doctor less often.
(Kaiser Permanente:
Internal research to determine benefits of sponsoring an
official lactation program)
58. Breastfeeding mothers
spend less time and money on doctor visits
In 1995 Kaiser-Permanente
Health Maintenance Organization in North Carolina found
that formula-fed babies averaged over $1,400 more per
year in additional health care costs than breastfed
infants.
(Kaiser Permanente:
Internal research to determine benefits of sponsoring an
official lactation program)
59. Fewer waste packaging
products
No wrappers, canisters,
disposable bottles etc...
"If every child in
America were bottle-fed, almost 86,000 tons of tin would
be needed to produce 550 million cans for one year's
worth of formula. If every mother in Great Britain
breastfed, 3000 tons of paper (used for formula labels)
would be saved in a year. But formula is not the only
problem. Bottles and nipples require plastic, glass,
rubber, and silicon; production of these materials can be
resource-intensive and often leads to end-products that
are not-recyclable. All these products use natural
resources, cause pollution in their manufacture and
distribution and create trash in their packaging,
promotion, and disposal."
"Mother Nature Loves
Breastmilk" D. Michels, Pub. various periodicals.
60. No bottles to tote
Unless you're pumping and
transporting the milk for later. Even then there are
fewer bottles to deal with.
61. Less cow induced
global greenhouse gasses
Ridiculous as it may sound,
bovine flatulence is a huge contributor to the greenhouse
gas problem. Aside from producing vast quantities of
methane, cows also contribute their manure and urine to
our rivers and ground water.
62. No need to refrigerate
Of course, breast milk
stays fresh because it's made on demand.
Even pumped breast milk
keeps for a long time outside of the fridge.
(See guidelines for
storing breast milk).
63. Cows milk is designed
for baby cows
Human milk contains
completely different proportions of protein, fat,
carbohydrates. Cows milk is designed to help put on
weight quickly, grow amazingly fast, and develop only as
much brain power as a cow needs. The hormones in cows
milk are geared toward cows, not humans. The fact that
human beings can even drink the milk of another species
in sort of amazing when you stop to think about it.
64. Human milk is designed
for baby humans
Baby cows probably wouldn't
do very well on it. It's designed to build brains, and to
foster gradual physical growth.
65. Natural pain relief
for baby
Breast milk actually
contains chemicals that suppress pain (endorphins). Aside
from this, the comfort a baby derives from being held
close and suckling is remarkable. Many a bruise or scrape
has been soothed away almost instantly by a few moments
of nursing. If you choose to have your child vaccinated,
it is a good idea to nurse immediately after he/she
receives a vaccination. This soothes the hurt, as well as
enhancing the vaccine's effectiveness.
66. Perfect food for sick
baby
When a formula fed baby
gets a gastrointestinal ailment they are usually put on
an artificial electrolyte solution because formula is too
hard for them to digest. Breast milk, however, is easily
digested, and soothing to the intestines, so there is no
need for artificial and expensive electrolyte solutions.
If a baby gets a respiratory illness, formula may cause
even more mucus. In contrast, breast milk contains
antibodies to these ailments, as well as being highly
digestible and not contributing to excess mucous
formation.
67. More sleep for mom
Especially if she sleeps
with baby, but even if she doesn't. No bottles to prepare
and warm.
68. More sleep for baby
A baby that gets its night
time needs met quickly is more likely to get right back
to sleep than a baby who has to wait for a bottle while
crying and swallowing air.
69. More sleep for dad
Again, even if he helps
with baby burping, diapering, and toting, there are no
bottles to deal with. Also, breastfed babies tend to need
much less burping after the first few months.
70. Less equipment to
maintain and store
Those bottles, measuring
devices, sterilizing equipment and other gadgets take up
a lot of shelf space and need a lot of cleaning.
71. Less equipment to buy
Unless you pump. Even if
you do have to buy a pump and the basic bottle kit, the
savings in cost of formula and additional medical
attention make breastfeeding financially well worth
trying.
72. Breast milk has never
been recalled
Formula has been,
sometimes after causing injury or death.
73. Fresh breast milk is
never contaminated with bacteria
In fact, it has
antibacterial properties.
74. No need to worry about
which brand is better
Each artificial breastmilk
formula is different from all its competitors, but none
of them come close to duplicating the real thing. It can
be very stressful for formula feeding mothers to try to
determine which brand is the best of the lot. No matter
which formula is used "it is increasingly apparent
that infant formula can never duplicate human milk. Human
milk contains living cells, hormones, active enzymes,
immunoglobulins and compounds with unique structures that
cannot be replicated in infant formula."
(Quoted from FDA pediatric-nutrition
researchers at Abbott Laboratories, writing in March,
1994 issue of Endocrine Regulations.)
75. No need to worry about
adding contaminated water
Even in the U.S. our water
can contain dangerous elements like lead and aluminum.
These contaminants can become concentrated if water is
boiled to sterilize it before being added to formula.
76. Breastfeeding helps
reduce cruelty to farm animals
Less use of cow's milk
equals fewer cows equals less opportunity for animal
abuse.
77. Facilitates proper
dental and jaw development
"Suckling at the
breast is good for a baby's tooth and jaw development.
Babies at the breast have to use as much as 60 times more
energy to get food than do those drinking from a bottle...As
[the babies jaw] muscles are strenuously exercised in
suckling, their constant pulling encourages the growth of
well-formed jaws and straight, healthy teeth."
The Complete Book Of
Breastfeeding M.S. Eiger. MD, S. Wendkos Olds
Copyright 1972, 1987
Comstock, Inc., Workman Publishing Co., Inc.
708 Broadway, New York, NY
10003
"Among breastfed
infants, the longer the duration of nursing the lower the
incidents of malocclusion."
Labbok, M.H. "Does
Breastfeeding Protect against Malocclusion? An Analysis
of the 1981 Child Health Supplement to the National
Health Interview Survey".
American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 1987
78. Breastfed babies get
fewer cavities
Bottle-fed babies "are
at increased risk for baby bottle caries, a destructive
dental condition which occurs when a baby is put to bed
with a bottle containing formula, milk, juice or other
fluids high in carbohydrates. Extensive dental repair may
be required at a cost of thousands of dollars."
Loesche WJ/ "Nutrition
and dental decay in infants." Am J Clin Nutr
41; 423-435, 1985
79. Less money spent on
corrective orthodontia
If the teeth come in
straight, there's no need to fix them.
80. Better speech
development
Tongue thrust problems
often develop among bottle-fed babies as they try to slow
down the flow of milk coming from the artificial nipple.
This can lead to speech problems, as well as "mouth
breathing, lip biting, gum disease, and a generally
unattractive appearance."
The Complete Book Of
Breastfeeding M.S. Eiger. MD, S. Wendkos Olds
Copyright 1972, 1987
Comstock, Inc., Workman Publishing Co., Inc.
708 Broadway, New York, NY
10003
81. Less chance of baby
getting eczema
"We conclude that
breastfeeding is prophylactic against atopic disease, the
effect extending into early adulthood. Breastfeeding for
longer than 1 month without other milk supplements offers
significant prophylaxis against food allergy at 3 years
of age, and also against respiratory allergy at 17 years
of age. Six months of breastfeeding is required to
prevent eczema during the first 3 years, and possibly
also to prevent substantial atopy in adolescence."
The differences by infant feeding method were so
pronounced that they "suggested an influence of
early milk feeding that may exceed the heredity burden.
Saarinen UM, Kajosaari M.
"Breastfeeding as prophylaxis against atopic disease:
prospective follow-up study until 17 years of age." Lancet.
1995; 346:1065-69.
Eczema was less common and
milder in babies who were breast fed (22%) and whose
Mothers were on a restricted diet (48%). In infants fed
casein hydrolysate, soymilk, or cows milk, 21%, 63% and
70% respectively, developed atopic eczema.
Chandra R.K., "Influence
of Maternal Diet During Lactation and the Use of Formula
Feed an Development of Atopic Eczema in the High Risk
Infants". Br Med J. 1989
82. Breastfed babies have
great skin
This is not based on a
formal study. Check out the skin of a breastfed baby and
see what you think.
83. Less gastrointestinal
reflux (Spit-up)
Breastfed neonates
demonstrate gastroesophageal reflux episodes of
significantly shorter duration that formula fed neonates.
Heacock, H.J. "Influence
of Breast vs Formula Milk in Physiologic Gastroesophageal
Reflux in Healthy Newborn Infants".
Jour. Pediatr
Gastroenterol Nutr, 1992 January; 14(1): 41-6
84. Easier to clean spit-up
stains
O.K. This is only based on
a casual survey of a lot of breastfeeding mothers. We
notice that the hand-me-down clothes we receive from
bottle-fed babies have nasty brown staining all over the
collars and fronts. Our breastfed babies never created
these sorts of spit-up stains. How many newborn breastfed
babies do you see wearing bibs all the time?
85. Breast milk contains
no genetically engineered materials
Most consumers are
completely unaware of how much genetically engineered
food they are consuming because the U.S. government does
not require this food to be labeled as such. Genetic ID,
a company in Fairfield, Iowa, tested four soy-based baby
formulas for genetically engineered ingredients. All four,
Carnation Alsoy, Similac Neocare, Isomil and Enfamil
Prosobee, tested positive.
(See "Biotechnology's
Bounty", M.Burros, N.Y. Times 05/21/97
86. Contains no synthetic
growth hormones
Since many cows in the U.S.
are now routinely ingesting synthetic growth hormones to
artificially increase their milk production, it stands to
reason that these hormones are also getting into the U.S.
formulas.
87. Lack of breastfeeding
associated with multiple sclerosis
Although thought to be
multifactorial in origin, and without a clearly defined
etiology, lack of breastfeeding does appear to be
associated with an increased incidence of multiple
sclerosis.
Dick, G. "The
Etiology of Multiple Sclerosis." Proc Roy Soc Med
1989;69;611-5
88. Less chance of
inguinal hernia
The inguinal canal brings
down the spermatic cord and certain vessels to the groin
area . A hernia is a defect in the opening where these
things pass through from the abdomen to the groin because
the canal opening gets too big or tears off. The hernia
allows abdominal contents to get down into the groin area.
Breastfeeding is
protective against inguinal hernias. For unknown reasons
breastfed babies experience significantly fewer of them.
Human milk contains gonadotropin releasing hormone, which
may affect the maturation of neonatal testicular function.
One recent case control study showed breastfed infants
had a significant dose response reduction in inguinal
hernia. Pisacane, A. "Breast-feeding and inguinal
hernia" Journal of Pediatrics 1995:
Vol 127, No. 1, pp 109-111
89. Better cognitive
development
In 771 low birth weight
infants, babies whose mothers chose to provide breast
milk had an 8 point advantage in mean Bayley's mental
developmental index over infants of mothers choosing not
to do so.
Morley, R., "Mothers
Choice to provide Breast Milk and Developmental Outcome".
Arch Dis Child,
1988
90. Better social
development
The psychomotor and social
development of breastfed babies clearly differs from that
of bottlefed ones and leads at the age of 12 months to
significant advantages of the psychomotor and social
capabilities.
Baumgartner, C.,"Psychomotor
and Social Development of Breast Fed and Bottle Fed
babies During their First year of Life".
Acta Paediatrica
Hungarica, 1984
91. Decreased risk of baby
developing urinary tract infections
(Kaiser Permanente:
Internal research to determine benefits of sponsoring an
official lactation program)
92. Suckling optimizes
hand-to-eye coordination
Baumgartner, C., "Psychomotor
and Social Development of Breast Fed and Bottle Fed
babies During their First year of Life". Acta
Paediatrica Hungarica 1984; 25(4): 409-17
93. Protects mothers
against anemia (iron deficiency)
Since many exclusively
breastfeeding mothers do not begin to menstruate for a
year or longer their iron stores are not depleted by
monthly bleeding.
94. Less money spent on
menstrual supplies
Many breastfeeding moms do
not begin to menstruate again until 14 or more months
after giving birth. " Multiply this by the four
million US births each year to see that over one billion
sanitary products annually could be kept out of our
nation's landfills and sewers. To compound the scenario,
because breastmilk is absorbed by babies more efficiently,
breastfed babies excrete less and thus require fewer
diaper changes than formula-fed babies."
"Mother Nature Loves
Breastmilk" D. Michels, Pub. various periodicals.
95. Self confidence
booster for mom
There is nothing more
amazing than looking at a plump six month old baby and
knowing that the only nutrition this happy little
creature has received has come from your own body.
96. Breast milk is good
for combatting eye infections
Breast milk contains
natural antibiotic qualities, and many mothers swear that
a squirt in the irritated eye of their baby has cleared
up the problem in short order.
97. Breast milk is a good
natural antibiotic for wounds
98. No worry about latest
ingredient discovered to be missing from formula
"Formula" is
really a formula for synthetic human milk. There is no
real formula that can duplicate human milk because, as
the FDA said recognized in a recent statement "...the
exact chemical makeup of breast milk is still unknown."
"Formula-fed infants
depend on products which can be quite different from each
other, but which are continually being found deficient in
essential nutrients... These nutrients are then added,
usually after damage has occurred in infants or
overwhelming market pressure forces the issue." M.
Walker, R.N., International Board Certified Lactation
Consultant, The Journal Of Human Lactation, Sept
1993
99. Much nicer diaper
changes
The bowel movements of
breastfed babies smell mild and inoffensive. The same can
not be said about those of formula fed babies. Try
changing a few formula fed babies if you are uncertain
about wanting to try breastfeeding!
100. Breastfed babies
smell fantastic
Again, this is not a
scientific study. Their is something almost magical about
the scent of your own breastfed baby, whether you're the
mother or father involved. Try it, you'll like it!
101. It's what breasts
were designed for!
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