Lactation & Breastfeeding
Milk is well adapted to the special needs of each species. Human milk is ideally suited to the needs of human infant. A recent study of more than 10,000 new born babies published in the American Journal “Paediatrics” has shown that if all babies start breast feeding within one hour, pre-natal deaths will be reduced by 22%. Babies have been dependent on his mother’s milk for survival. Although, the cow’s milk began to be used as a domestic animal 5000 years ago, less than 100 years since the baby food industry started to manufacture refined milk-based products as alternatives to breast milk.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that “breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants”. Breastfeeding is recommended as the exclusive source of nutrition for infants’ up to 6 months of age. After 6 months, iron-fortified complementary foods should be added to the basic diet of breast milk. The Healthy People 2010 goals for breastfeeding are as follows–
* 75% of mothers initiate breastfeeding in the early postpartum period.
* 50% of mothers continue to breastfeed at 6 months.
* 25% of mothers continue to breastfeed at 1 year.
Milk is produced by the vast number of cells that make up the mammary gland. The cells are formed into billions of pear shaped, hollow structure called alveolus discharges its milk into human which is the hollow part of the structure. When the alveolus is full, its
Brent’s article takes a hard look at the pros and cons of donor human milk over informal milk-sharing options, and the ethical concerns parents or mothers may have concerning donor human milk versus infant-formula. It further looks at and explains the pros and cons of infant-formula and the increasing advantages of breastfeeding.
Having a baby and being flexible is really important when it comes to bottle feeding and breastfeeding. Bottle feeding makes this a little harder because of heating to the bottle, measuring, and sometimes trying to find a bottle. Breastfeeding make this a little easier because if you pump milk the night before, you can have up to three bottles for in the refrigerator. Sometimes if you do not have any milk in a bottle, one can also just let the baby breastfeed by sucking on the nipple. Serena Meyer and Ryan Teglene explain in their article
Very few experts disagree with the fact that breastfeeding is the optimal choice for the infant. However, decreasing breastfeeding rates raise many questions as to why mothers are not choosing the best nutritional choice for their children. Despite breast milk being the obvious choice for infant feeding due to the health, psychological, and economic benefits, many mothers still decide to feed their infants formula due to lack of knowledge and support, difficulties with breastfeeding, and social embarrassment. Changes need to be made with formula companies, medical professionals, and the public opinion of breastfeeding in order to give nursing mothers the support they deserve.
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
Breast milk provides all the necessary proteins, vitamins, sugar and fats essential for an infant’s growth
When you think of feeding your baby, you have two options: breast milk or formula. I’m sure when you think of breastfeeding, you think it’s hard and painful, but in
Breast feeding has been in practice for a very long time, as early as 2000 BC. Before the invention of formula, bottles, and pumps this was the safest most common way for a mother to feed their infants. In fact, for 99% of human history breast milk was the sole source of nutrition for children until the age of two. In today’s society there are many different and opposing personal stand points on where or not a mother should breast feed their children. It is a very controversial topic with many variables. In breast feeding there are several benefits, reasons, and cultural effects that go into making the decision to engage or stay away from breast feeding. There is also historical causes and cultural differences that lead influence a mothers
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.).
Studies have shown that breastfeeding has numerous benefits for mother and baby, including reducing the risk of common childhood infection such as ear, respiratory and urinary tract infections in infants. The protective antibodies found in breast milk helps to combat common infections that often leads to missed days at 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 reduce the risk of certain types of cancers and osteoporosis in women that breastfeed. The current recommendation from the American Academy of
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
An infant who is breastfed receives added health benefits compared to a child who is formula fed. In the first few days after birth, the breast milk is comprised of protein, vitamins A and E, and antibodies which help protect the infant from infection. After the first few days, the mature breast milk contains fats and cholesterol, which are essential for the growth and development of the infant’s nervous system, eyes, and brain. It also contains micronutrients calcium and magnesium, which are beneficial to the infant’s growth (Thompson et al., 2010).
Thesis: Humans are designed to drink human milk, not cow’s milk. Humans should really old drink milk during infancy and that’s because all of the hormones in cow’s milk can cause many health issues.
“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.
Before delving into the origins of lactation, one must understand the basic progression of mammalian evolution from our last common ancestor with reptiles to the modern placental mammal. The last common ancestors diverged into two groups: synapsids and sauropsids. Synapsids are the ancestors of mammals and their extinct relatives (often called mammal-like reptiles) while sauropsids went on to become reptiles and birds (Oftedal 2002). The two clades were distinguished by characteristics of their skulls. Synapsids branched out into many different types,
Throughout our lives we have been told that milk is good for our body and helps to toughen our bones. Drinking milk started when people domesticated animals for food, which happened around 7500 years ago in the central Balkans and central Europe. By that time consuming milk was not as common as it is today. It was only farmers in some specific regions that were using cow’s milk. Milk’s market grew the mass production of meat in the 15th century. Afterwards in the 17th century, the idea of eating out and going to restaurants was born and fast food industries, started using animal’s meat for producing their meals. The rate of milk users grew with the rate of meat users and milk’s market got bigger and bigger every day. Mothers