Is Breast Best? From the moment that a child is born, the parents need to make difficult decisions, but the one choice that should be clear is to breastfeed. The controversy issue between breastfeeding and formula feeding is causing parents to question themselves and really have to decide what the best choice is for the child. Breastfeeding has been shown to be superior over formula feeding for many reasons. Breastfeeding is the preferred choice physically, nutritionally and economically for the mother and child. Nutritionally, breastfeeding provides specific antibodies which help to prevent infant and childhood diseases. Diseases such as RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection) and Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus are serious diseases in infants which can lead to death (Riordan 1997). Breastfeeding is a natural immunization for infants and mothers, decreasing risks such as pneumonia, SIDS, and childhood obesity in infants. Mothers decrease their risk for breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and weight gain (Stuebe 2009). Just as diseases can be immune from breast milk, breastmilk also aids in brain development. In “Breastfeeding benefits babies’ brains”, Stacey states, “babies who had …show more content…
When a mother breastfeeds they will burn more calories and lose the baby weight quickly. Breastfeeding can burn around 200-500 calories a day (Dermer 2001), that’s the production of milk in the mother’s body for an active metabolism. Along with the increased metabolism, breastfeeding acts as a natural birth control. It is found to be about 98-99 percent effective in the first 6 months (Dermer 2001). Having the absence of periods essentially creates the “natural spacing” (Dermer 2001) between pregnancies. Breastfeeding provides more than just short-term benefits for the mother and
breastfeed agree that they feel a closer bond with their children after breastfeeding and are able to better understand their child’s wants (Newman and Pitman 14). In The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that breastfeeding can reduce risk of postpartum depression, a condition that affects 13 percent of mothers, causing them to be upset and even angry at their child for crying, as well as other serious symptoms that can affect the mother’s mental state (3). They also found that a
Breast-feeding is nutritionally, emotionally and physically superior for a mother and her child. “Human breast milk is not standard nor is it interchangeable with cow’s milk. It is a dynamic fluid that changes in composition to meet the needs of the baby as it grows” (“Giving your Baby... Diet.” par. #10). Breast milk contains growth factors and antibodies which stimulate the growing baby and protect it from illness such as diarrhea, ear infections, rashes, allergies, asthma, skin problems, pneumonia, respiratory illness and other serious illnesses. Breast-feeding also improves a baby’s chance of remaining healthy. These antibodies are not found in formula. They can not be sustained. Breast-fed babies are also neurodevelopmentally more
Deciding between breastfeeding and formula nutrition is purely a personal choice. But as a mother you must remain aware of a few facts about both the feeding methods. Read on to know more about breastfeeding vs. formula nutrition.
It is hard to understand the social and medical impact of breastfeeding; however it raises IQ by up to ten points and it decreases chances of cancers and obesity later in life that has the potential to save billions of dollars in health care. It is better and makes more sense to focus on the larger issues that needs attention and public outcry than to waste money, resources, newspaper and media time and legislative actions on the issue of breastfeeding in
Studies have shown that breastfeeding has numerous benefits for mother and baby, including reducing the risk of common childhood infections. The protective antibodies found in breast milk helps to combat common infections that often leads to missed days from work and translates into lost productivity. In addition, breastfeeding has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of obesity in breastfed children verse children that were not breastfed. Breastfeeding also helps to
Every year, approximately 4 million babies are born in the United States. This means that every year, approximately 8 million breasts are swollen with Mother Nature's own ambrosia, ready to start our children down the path to a healthy and well-adjusted life. Having a child is the most natural thing in the world to most women. Breast feeding is the the most healthy food for a newborn child. It prevents a wide range of illnesses as well as helps the mother feel better after birth. So why not breastfeed your new born? Although many people believe that breast feeding puts undue stress on a new mother, ultimately, as a mother, you will be responsible for every single feeding that your child experiences. Sure, it is true that you can pump the
Breast milk is widely acknowledged as the complete form of nutrition for infants with a range of benefits for infants’ health, growth, immunity and development (Breastfeeding- Natural Is Best). All these factors can decrease Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) and mortality. In serval meta-analyses babies that are breastfeed have a 36% decrease in the risk of SIDS. According to The Lives Saved Tool, an estimated 823,000 yearly deaths would be saved if breastfeeding was scaled up to universal levels. Disorders like necrotizing enterocolitis, that has a high case-fatality, showed a 58% decrease with breastfeeding (Victoria, Cesar G, et all.).
Also a major issue in women 's health is osteoporosis. Again, breastfeeding can make a substantial impact for women in this area. Our bodies stop storing calcium in the bones at around age 18. So if you don 't get plenty of this important bone builder in the early years of your life, you will already be deficient. (Sadly, more and more young children are showing symptoms of osteoporosis, because they are not consuming the amount of calcium necessary to build their bones in the first place.) After this age, your bones don 't get any more calcium, and for every day your body does not get its daily value of it, it will take it from your bones, making them weaker and weaker over the years. Here 's where breastfeeding can help. While a woman is breastfeeding, her bones are given a second opportunity to absorb calcium. It 's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to prevent old-age spine fractures that often lead to death. And it 's a great opportunity to make sure you eat the three servings of dairy a day you are supposed to get and which really do help you lose weight. Women who breastfeed have half the risk of bone fracture later in life than women who don 't breastfeed. For the first six weeks of lactation at least, breastfeeding will help restore a woman 's figure. It burns around 500 calories a day (so make sure that you do not eat more than 500 extra calories each day while nursing!). That is like running at least a mile each day from the time your baby is born.
Whether to breastfeed or to formula feed is one of the many decisions parents have to make when caring for a newborn baby. The decision may seem simple in which parents base there decision on comfort, convenience and finance but little do most parents know the decision being made can have damaging long term effects than that of the present. There is plenty of research that state the significance of breastfeeding that go far beyond the extent of bonding between mother and newborn. Although, that too is important. Breast milk is known to contain antibodies which can help the newborn in developing a strong immune system which influence all the body systems. Research has shown that breast-milk can help prevent long term diseases such as
Breastfeeding in public is one of the most controversial issues in society today. Breastfeeding has been around since before the 15th century. It is a bond shared between a mother and a child. Research shows that breastfeeding is the best choice over formula because breastfeeding provides the infant with essential nutrients, helps with recovery from childbirth, and protects the infant against a number of chronic conditions. Breastfeeding is abnormal, healthy, natural and need not be disguised, explained, or apologized. You should be able to breastfeed your baby wherever or whenever your child is hungry. Breastfeeding is not a choice it’s a responsibility. It may not be the right choice for some parents, but it’s the best choice for every baby.
A plethora of questions and concerns arise upon confirmation of pregnancy; however, the decision on whether to breastfeed or formula feed an infant seems to be one of the more crucial decisions. Moms new to nursing a baby need all the information that they can get in order to help choose which method of feeding is more suitable, because every mother wants what is best for their child. Unlike formula feeding, the benefits of breastfeeding are substantial for both mother and baby. Moreover, choosing to breastfeed will lead to brighter, happier, and healthier lives.
Researched Evidence that Identifies Benefits of Breastfeeding to the Child, the Mother, and the Entire Family
“Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers” Statement taken from the world health organization publication on the nutrition of exclusive breastfeeding.
There are many reasons to breast-feed, but the most important reasons have to do with the health of you and your child. Did you know that breast-feeding is possibly linked to reducing the risk of breast cancer that occurs before menopause (Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway 5) ? Nursing also helps a women recover after child birth. It is part of a natural cycle and will help your uterus go back to pre-pregnancy size.
Looking at Women’s Health.gov, when breastfeeding, a hormone called oxytocin is released. Oxytocin aids in shrinking down the uterus to pre pregnancy size and it also reduces uterine bleeding after birth. Breastfeeding also lowers a woman’s risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. It can even reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and it lessens the severity of postpartum depression.