Congratulations! You’re expecting a baby. Of course, you want only what’s best for this new child. So how will you feed him or her? Clearly, the best you can provide for your new baby is your own milk. And breastfeeding will also benefit you. Why would you choose anything else?
Breast milk gives a baby its first immunization against a multitude of infectious diseases. These include common things like ear infections and stomach viruses as well as serious conditions like pneumonia and meningitis. But is this true in industrialized nations or only in the developing world? Numerous studies have shown that breastfed babies worldwide suffer from fewer infectious diseases, hospitalizations, allergic conditions and some long term illnesses such as diabetes and some forms of childhood cancer. So no matter where you live, you can give your new baby the best start in life.
What about conditions other than infections? Breastfed babies also have fewer problems with allergic diseases, such as eczema and asthma. This is especially important for families with a strong allergic history. Feeding your baby only breast milk for the first six months of life and then introducing solids slowly can reduce his or her risk of allergy, eczema and asthma.
There are also a group of chronic diseases whose cause is not well known. These include diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis as well as some forms of cancer. These conditions are connected in several ways to the immune system, which is strengthened by breastfeeding.
Human milk is the gold standard for all artificial infant formulas. It has provided the perfect nutrition of the human race for millennia. Infant formulas do a good job at imitating human milk, and are important in many situations where either the mother or the baby is unable to breastfeed. It should never, however, be considered equivalent to or as good as breast milk. Although infant formula keeps improving, this is because scientists continue to discover new things in breast milk and are able to copy them. We have no idea what they will be able to discover in the future that formula is lacking now.
One very nice aspect of breastfeeding is that a breastfed baby cannot be overfed. The infant regulates his or her own intake, taking milk in when sucking strongly but not when sucking for comfort. Bottle fed babies, on the other hand, will take in milk whenever the bottle is in their mouths, whether they just want to suck or are actually hungry. There is a significantly decreased incidence of obesity in toddlers who were breastfed as babies. And obese toddlers tend to become obese children and then adults. In the national fight against obesity, you can give your child a head start.
Another critical area of research has shown that breastfed infants and children have a higher IQ and success in school than formula fed infants. One study from Australia followed children from birth until they were eighteen years old. They found that this effect continued throughout school. This was true even when other important factors such as the parents’ educational level, socio-economic level and home environment were taken into account.
And what about you? Are there any advantages to you? Yes, there are several. First, your pregnancy weight will come off more quickly if you breastfeed. Breastfeeding uses an additional 500-600 calories a day, so you get back into shape more quickly. It also helps your uterus return to its normal size, and this reduces postpartum bleeding. It also helps with contraception. If you are exclusively breastfeeding your baby, the return of your menstrual period will be delayed. You will also have a lower incidence of pre-menopausal breast cancer and post-menopausal osteoporosis, a common bone disease leading to fractures and bone collapse.
Perhaps the most important benefit of all is the closeness you and your baby will develop through breastfeeding. After all, how would you feel about the only person who is able to satisfy your hunger? Although bottle fed babies and their mothers can have very close and loving relationships, the closeness coming from breastfeeding cannot be paralleled.
But isn't breastfeeding hard? Doesn't it hurt? The answer is no. Breastfeeding is a natural, learned art between mother and baby. With attention to a few general guidelines, you will be successful.
The first is that breast milk is made on a supply and demand basis. The more your baby nurses, the more milk your body makes. Therefore, to get off to a good start, nurse your baby frequently (8-12 times a day) and give him or her nothing but breast milk for the first 3-4 weeks of life. If your baby is sucking from a bottle instead of your breast, your body is not getting the signal to make more milk, and you might not have enough for your baby. Later on, after breastfeeding is well established, it’s fine to give a relief bottle without compromising your milk supply. So remember, no bottles for the first 3-4 weeks and your milk will come in with plenty to satisfy your baby.
The second principle to remember is that proper breastfeeding doesn’t hurt. Pain is a signal that something is wrong. Usually pain is due to a mistake in how the baby is held and latched onto the nipple. If the baby is latched onto the breast deeply, and not sucking just on the nipple, it won’t hurt. If you’re having pain, take the babe off and re-latch him or her until it feels right. You will feel a tugging sensation, but it won’t be uncomfortable.
The last thing to remember is to ask for help. Breastfeeding is a learned art, so you will need some guidance at the beginning. If you can take a breastfeeding class before the baby is born, that is ideal. However, whether or not you’ve taken a class, ask the nurses and doctors in the hospital for help in putting the baby to breast. Many hospitals now have lactation consultants to help you and make sure you get off to a good start. After you get home, make sure to ask for help when you have questions. You can turn to the nurses or lactation consultants in the hospital you delivered at, your baby’s doctor or other health care provider, or a support group such as La Leche League. Everyone needs help; nobody can do this by themselves.
Last and most important of all, remember to enjoy your baby! Nursing your baby can be the best part of your day. You snuggle together and have a quiet, relaxing time in which you and your baby get closer to each other while you are fulfilling his or her most basic needs. It’s a unique opportunity which will never come again. So take advantage of what nature has provided you and enjoy all the benefits of providing the very best nutrition for your new infant.
Editorial provided by Nancy Brent, MD, Pediatrician and Lactation Consultant at the Southwest Division of Pediatric Alliance.