Take a good look at any baby announcement, baby shower gift wrapping, or even a children's book including a baby and you are sure to find a baby bottle. We are told over and over by the World Health Organization WHO, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, and pretty much any parenting organization that breast feeding is best for mother and baby, yet are we truly sending that message? Many of these organizations focus on the benefits of breast feeding but do not address the many roadblocks a mother might face when making the decision to breastfeed. Aside from focusing on how to get the baby to breastfeed effectively, rarely are the issues of how to publicly breastfeed, how to breastfeed if you are a working mother, or the mental and physical challenges a breastfeeding ever addressed. Are the benefits of breast feeding that much greater that we as a society need to change our entire approach to the subject?
Breast feeding is the best way for babies to get antibodies that helps prevent them from contracting viruses or bacterial infections. (CDC) There is no way to chemically engineer these antibodies there for the only way for a baby to get them other then developing them themselves is to ingest them through their mothers breast milk.(Newman, Pitman 5) While the WHO recommends breastfeeding for 2 years they are showing significant benefits to breastfeeding for any period of time. Studies have shown that breastfeeding has helped protect children from developing gastrointestinal infection which can lead to various health problems including death. Breastfeeding can also be essential in the development of the babies jaw and facial muscles. (Newman, Pitman 5) As the baby breast feeds they also introduce germs into the breast at which point the mother produces antibodies for the newly introduced germs. The introduction of antibodies that the mother has previously developed in her lifetime and the antibodies "designed" from the babies own germs have shown a significant difference in a baby's health. Babies who were breastfed for 3 months were nine times less likely to hospitalized for infection. (Simkin .423)
Cognitive and mental development has also shown to be significant benefits of breastfeeding. Breast milk is designed for a baby's brain development which is creating new cells and neural connections up until the age for 3. After age 3 there are now new cells or connections being made yet these connections and cells can die. We have not been able to pinpoint the exact properties available in breast milk that are essential to help the brain make the connections therefore we are unable to manufacture them for formulas. The many components of breast milk have shown to reduce child death rates of babies who were breast fed by up to 38%. (Barrett 547)
The benefits of breast feeding extend beyond the babies health, studies have shown important benefits for the nursing mothers also. Breastfeeding immediately after childbirth has shown to reduce postpartum bleeding and assist in helping the uterus contract back to normal size. (Simkin 425) In a study done in 2002 over 30 counties it was concluded that for every year a mother breastfed her chance of getting breast cancer was reduced by 4%. In addition for each subsequent birth a women's chance of getting breast are reduced by 7%. This research is based on observations that the rate of breast cancer is much lower in developing countries which seems to be due to their higher rates of nursing for longer periods of time. (Hollander 228) Many experts in this field also agree there is a greater opportunity for mother child bonding during breastfeeding.
There is no doubt that there a many benefits to breast feeding, but if it is so beneficial why are so many women choosing to formula feed? The largest obstacle mother's may face while breast feeding is their ability to physically produce the milk needed to breastfeed. It is often assumed women are just naturally able to produce the milk and to the extent that their babies need, this is not always the truth. There can be many complications with breastfeeding. Mother's can have inadequate milk supply, develop sores and sensitivity to breastfeeding or even develop infections which make breastfeeding impossible. While many mother's will try to push through the sickness and exhaustion associated with these infections it often makes them very irritable and they may have a harder time adjusting to motherhood. (Simkin 425) Babies also may not be able to digest mother's breast milk appropriately. If a babies has certain food allergies that cannot be identified these foods can be passed to the child and cause intestinal problems. It is not uncommon for babies to have galactosemia which is the inability to digest milk sugar therefore making it impossible to breastfeed. (Simkin 425)
There are also social and economic concerns that can make breast feeding very uncomfortable or impossible. Many mothers or families are uncomfortable with breastfeeding in public. There is often little consideration taken for nursing mothers to be provided with appropriate private areas in which to nurse while in public. Most families now are two income families and mothers are returning to work sooner due to financial issues or personal choices. Working mothers often find it very hard if not impossible to breast feed while working. Mothers must either nurse or pump their breast milk regularly and depending on the woman this can be anywhere from every 30 minutes to every few hours. Many nursing mothers find this very difficult to do while maintaining their career.
While many mothers are not receiving the proper information concerning the benefits of breastfeeding many mothers are being looked down upon for their decision to formula feed. It is often said that we should give our children a head start in any way possible yet our public facilities do not provide proper areas for nursing mothers, and it is many say that "well I just don't want to see it." This can make mothers very uncomfortable. We are sending mother's formula in the mail before their baby is even born and they have had the opportunity to choose whether breast feeding works for them. This is a very confusing message we are sending. A very poignant thought to consider is from the WHO, while their first recommendation is to breast feed, second to that is that a mother pumps her breast milk and it is given to the baby through a bottle. If this is still not possible thirdly the WHO recommends using breast milk form a milk bank in which other nursing mothers provide their milk for those babies who's mother's can not. And finally fourth to this option formula is recommended.
Breast feeding is the best way for babies to get antibodies that helps prevent them from contracting viruses or bacterial infections. (CDC) There is no way to chemically engineer these antibodies there for the only way for a baby to get them other then developing them themselves is to ingest them through their mothers breast milk.(Newman, Pitman 5) While the WHO recommends breastfeeding for 2 years they are showing significant benefits to breastfeeding for any period of time. Studies have shown that breastfeeding has helped protect children from developing gastrointestinal infection which can lead to various health problems including death. Breastfeeding can also be essential in the development of the babies jaw and facial muscles. (Newman, Pitman 5) As the baby breast feeds they also introduce germs into the breast at which point the mother produces antibodies for the newly introduced germs. The introduction of antibodies that the mother has previously developed in her lifetime and the antibodies "designed" from the babies own germs have shown a significant difference in a baby's health. Babies who were breastfed for 3 months were nine times less likely to hospitalized for infection. (Simkin .423)
Cognitive and mental development has also shown to be significant benefits of breastfeeding. Breast milk is designed for a baby's brain development which is creating new cells and neural connections up until the age for 3. After age 3 there are now new cells or connections being made yet these connections and cells can die. We have not been able to pinpoint the exact properties available in breast milk that are essential to help the brain make the connections therefore we are unable to manufacture them for formulas. The many components of breast milk have shown to reduce child death rates of babies who were breast fed by up to 38%. (Barrett 547)
The benefits of breast feeding extend beyond the babies health, studies have shown important benefits for the nursing mothers also. Breastfeeding immediately after childbirth has shown to reduce postpartum bleeding and assist in helping the uterus contract back to normal size. (Simkin 425) In a study done in 2002 over 30 counties it was concluded that for every year a mother breastfed her chance of getting breast cancer was reduced by 4%. In addition for each subsequent birth a women's chance of getting breast are reduced by 7%. This research is based on observations that the rate of breast cancer is much lower in developing countries which seems to be due to their higher rates of nursing for longer periods of time. (Hollander 228) Many experts in this field also agree there is a greater opportunity for mother child bonding during breastfeeding.
There is no doubt that there a many benefits to breast feeding, but if it is so beneficial why are so many women choosing to formula feed? The largest obstacle mother's may face while breast feeding is their ability to physically produce the milk needed to breastfeed. It is often assumed women are just naturally able to produce the milk and to the extent that their babies need, this is not always the truth. There can be many complications with breastfeeding. Mother's can have inadequate milk supply, develop sores and sensitivity to breastfeeding or even develop infections which make breastfeeding impossible. While many mother's will try to push through the sickness and exhaustion associated with these infections it often makes them very irritable and they may have a harder time adjusting to motherhood. (Simkin 425) Babies also may not be able to digest mother's breast milk appropriately. If a babies has certain food allergies that cannot be identified these foods can be passed to the child and cause intestinal problems. It is not uncommon for babies to have galactosemia which is the inability to digest milk sugar therefore making it impossible to breastfeed. (Simkin 425)
There are also social and economic concerns that can make breast feeding very uncomfortable or impossible. Many mothers or families are uncomfortable with breastfeeding in public. There is often little consideration taken for nursing mothers to be provided with appropriate private areas in which to nurse while in public. Most families now are two income families and mothers are returning to work sooner due to financial issues or personal choices. Working mothers often find it very hard if not impossible to breast feed while working. Mothers must either nurse or pump their breast milk regularly and depending on the woman this can be anywhere from every 30 minutes to every few hours. Many nursing mothers find this very difficult to do while maintaining their career.
While many mothers are not receiving the proper information concerning the benefits of breastfeeding many mothers are being looked down upon for their decision to formula feed. It is often said that we should give our children a head start in any way possible yet our public facilities do not provide proper areas for nursing mothers, and it is many say that "well I just don't want to see it." This can make mothers very uncomfortable. We are sending mother's formula in the mail before their baby is even born and they have had the opportunity to choose whether breast feeding works for them. This is a very confusing message we are sending. A very poignant thought to consider is from the WHO, while their first recommendation is to breast feed, second to that is that a mother pumps her breast milk and it is given to the baby through a bottle. If this is still not possible thirdly the WHO recommends using breast milk form a milk bank in which other nursing mothers provide their milk for those babies who's mother's can not. And finally fourth to this option formula is recommended.
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