Breast-Feeding: Just Do It!
Who is to say that breast-feeding is the best for your baby. For years, breast-feeding tactics have been used as the best way to feed your infant. There was never any debate as to how you should feed your child, until a few years ago when artificial baby formulas were made. Now, researches have set out to figure out which way is the best for your baby. Studies upon studies have been done in search of the answer. Finally it was proven that breast-feeding, the natural way, was superior over artificial formulas.
Breast-feeding is the all-natural process in which young infants get the nutritional intake that they need to survive, grow, and develop. Researchers have established that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish infants and protect them from illness. Breast fed infants have lower rates of hospital admissions, ear infections, diarrhea, rashes, allergies, and other medical problems than bottle-fed babies (Williams).
Human mothers produce many nutrients that cannot be found in formulas. The female body was made by Mother Nature to ensure the survival of mankind. "There are 4,000 species of mammals, and they all make different milk. Human milk is made for human infants and it meets all their specific nutrient needs," said Ruth Lawrence, M.D.,professor of pediatrics and obstetrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine in Rochester, N.Y., and spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics(Williams,p.1). Breast milk is one of the few substances that is completely sterile. It is made from inside the body and no environmental factors play a role in this process(Correa,1999).
From the beginning of nursing, the infant receives and important body element called colostrum(Maher,1998). The word colostrum was derived from the bacteria know as Colostridium difficile. This microbe produces a toxin that bind to walls of the body causing diarrhea or swelling of the colon. Immunoglobulins, found in colostrum, coat the exterior walls and resist the binding of the microbes(Travis,322). Colostrum also stimulates substances in the body to promote gut maturation, facilitate digestion, and stimulate passage of meconium. Colostrum is extremely concentrated with the proteins that make up immunoglobulins and secretory IgA. IgA is the maternal-specific immunogobulins that are needed for protection against environmental antigens. These substances produced by the human breast can easily be absorbed by the human infant. Complete development of the brain and nerve tissue rely on these substances(Maher,1998). Human milk contains at least 100 ingredients that are not found in formula(Williams). Saturated and unsaturated fats produced in breast milk dissolve at rates needed for the optimal usage of nutrients(Maher,1998). Everything produced in a mother's milk is completely utilized by the infant.
Another quality that human milk possesses is the ability to provide an infant with passive cellular and hormonal immunity. Studies have verified that breast fed infants have a lower incidence of bacterial and viral illnesses than do bottle fed babies. Diabetes mellitus, cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, and heart disease all may be protected against by human milk immunities (Maher,1998). Approximately eighty percent of cells in breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Furthermore, a mothers milk is designed to fight diseases present in their particular environment(Williams). Babies that were breast fed also have protection against allergic diseases including eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis(Maher,1998).
Leukemia, a form of childhood cancer, has concerned parents around the world for decades. There are two forms of childhood leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the leading medical cause of death in children and the second cause of death in children, behind accidents. While Doctors have made significant advances in curing leukemia, they haven't been able to understand it or prevent it. Children who were breast fed for at least one month had a twenty-one percent lower risk of developing the disease. Human milk has natural agents in it that initially enable the child to become immune to leukemia.
Another problem that a person might not necessarily face as a child, but possibly as an adult, is heart disease. Heart disease is a cardiovascular disease that becomes more prominent with age. It deals with the amount of cholesterol that is being manufactured and sent throughout the body. It is indicated that the fats produced in breast milk contribute to the amount of cholesterol produced in the body. These fats allow the body to properly regulate the levels of cholesterol and hormonal agents that are produced (Breast fed,1998).
Obesity is the most frequent nutritional disorder among children, and it is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Overweight is defined as having a body mass index above the 90th centile and obesity is defines as having a body mass index above the 97th centile. Overweight children have an extremely high chance of being over as adults(Kries,1999). Breast milk provides the proper proportion of fats and proteins for the baby. The longer the baby is breast fed, the longer the infant is able to utilize these nutrients efficiently. Thus, the baby deposits the proper amount of fat that it requires(Ross,1999). Breast fed children were found to have a considerably lower amount of plasma concentrations of insulin in their blood than in bottle fed infants. This insulin excess triggers the body to deposit fats that aren't necessary for early development. Also, the amount of energy metabolized and the protein intake of breast fed children were much lower than formula fed children. This affects the distribution of body fat as an adult(Kries,1999).
Not only is breast milk better for babies, it is better for the environment. Every day more of our natural resources are being used up. Breast feeding is one of the most overlooked methods in conserving these resources. Production of artificial baby milk causes inefficient use of land, deforestaion, and also soil erosion. Forests all around the world are being cleared to allow cattle to feed on soya plantations. Valueable materials are being used in order to package artificial formulas. For every 3 million bottle fed babies, 450 million tins of formula are consumed. The resulting 70,000 tons of metal in the form of discarded tin is not recycled. Cows and fertilizer, used to make artificial formulas, contaminate the earth's water by seeping or leaching through the land. The distribution of run-off soil, pesticides, and manure, is far more harmful than all municipal and industrial souces combined. Furthermore, Third World countries have been known to dilute the formula, depriving the child of needed nutrients and resulting in death. The production of artificial milk requires large quantities of energy and money. It is estimated that 429 million dollars could be saved annually if women would breast feed for just one month. This money could be spent on various unfunded yet important projects. All of these factors link our environment to breast feeding. It is important that we do what is best for our babies as well as our environment(Correa,1999).
Breast feeding was the intended feeding process established for mankind. It provides infants with the correct nutritional value and it is all natural. Not only does a mother's milk provide her child with immunity toward diseases, but it is better for the environment as well. The evidence supporting breast milk as the preferred source of infant nutrition is so strong, the United States Public Health Service has established a goal for year, having 75% of new mothers breast feed their infants at the time of hospital discharge (Maher,1998). The development of children all around the world rely on having the best start on life as possible. Breast feeding is only the beginning of an extraordinary end.
References
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Correa, W. (July, 1999). ECO-MAMA [online]. Available:http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0838/1999_July/59116012/print.jhtml. (March 21, 2001)
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Kries, R.V. (July 17, 1999). Breast feeding and obesity: cross sectional study [online]. Available:http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0 999/7203/55396989/print.jhtml. (March 20, 2001)
Maher, L., Klish, W., Kleinman, R., Barness, L., (1998). Advise Parenting on Feeding Healthy Babies [online]. Available:http://webmd. lycos.com/content/dmk/dmk_ article_5461840. (March 21,2001)
Majeski, T. (October 20,1999). Study finds breast-fed babies less prone to child lukemia [online]. Available: http://archives.seattletimes. nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web /vortex/display?slug=leuk&date=1999 1020&query=child+leukemia.html. (March 20, 2001)
Ross, E. (July 16, 1999). Breast-Fed babies grow leaner [online]. Available:http://www.freep.com/news/health/emilk16.htm. (March 20,2001)
Starr, D. (November, 1996). Nursing My Breastfed Miracle [online]. Available:http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBNovDec96.adopt.html. (March 21, 2001)
Travis, J. (May 24, 1997). The benefits of Mother's milk. Science News, Volume 151, pages 313 - 328.
Williams, R.D. Breast-Feeding Best Bet for Babies [online]. Available:http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/895_brstfeed.html. (March 20, 2001)Partner sites: Bulldog, Study Spanish in Mexico, and The Great Gatsby