Newborns come out into the world ready to feed and grow. They are ready to use their primitive sucking reflex and, under conditions of natural childbirth, they are also ready to gradually crawl towards the breast and feed. The benefits of breastfeeding are so immense that many doctors and health professionals, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend exclusive breast feeding for the first six months of a baby's life. The AAP recommends a continuation of breastfeeding along with solids from six months until the baby is one year or older. WHO recommends breastfeeding to continue until at least age two. Indeed, the benefits go far beyond nurturing the physical growth of the baby. Breastfeeding also supports the baby's cognitive and social-emotional development, the nursing mother's health and the health of the environment.
Physical Growth Considerations
The AAP states that human milk is a unique and superior food for human babies. More specifically, each human mother makes the best food for her own baby. The quantities of nutrients in the milk vary depending on how frequent feedings are, the nutrition and physical health of the mother, and the duration of the feeding. For example, higher fat concentration in the milk is present towards the end of the feeding. If a baby is having a growth spurt and is suddenly nursing more frequently, the baby will receive this high caloric fat that is still stored in the breast from the previous feeding. It is important to note that according to the WHO growth charts, breastfed babies weigh less than formula fed babies. The implication is that people should not compare the rate of growth of breastfed babies and formula fed babies, as this comparison might lead to the wrong conclusion that the breastfed baby is not feeding enough.
Health Benefits
Breastfeeding newborns have the advantage of sharing some of the immunities of their mother through the breast milk. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explains that breastfeeding children can also avoid certain illnesses altogether. If they do become ill, the illness is shorter or less severe. On their list of such illnesses are bacterial meningitis, bacteremia, diarrhea, respiratory tract infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, ear infection, urinary tract infection and late onset sepsis in preterm infants. In addition, they state that breastfeeding provides other health benefits, such as a lower rate of sudden infant death syndrome, obesity, diabetes, certain cancers and asthma. The FDA further considers that in the U.S., infant mortality rates are reduced by 21 percent in infants who nurse. It is essential to note that the health benefits of breastfeeding last throughout the lifetime. For example, adult women who were breastfed as infants have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who were formula fed.
Emotional and Social Significance
Breastfeeding is an interaction that supports bonding and attachment. The natural ability to nourish baby's body and soul is a huge confidence booster for the mother. The frequent physical closeness promotes an intimate close-up study of emotional expressions and social responses between mother and baby. As mother learns to respond to baby's cues, and baby learns that his or her cues produce a response, they become more sensitive to each other. In essence, they develop a common language that is the foundation of communication. The immediacy of the response and the ability to anticipate that a response will occur supports the development of trust.
Cognitive effects
Breastfeeding promotes the cognitive development of infants. Dr. Sears shows that breastfeeding infants have higher IQs than those who are formula fed. Breastfed babies also grow to be children with higher grades in school. In addition, the longer a baby breastfeeds, the greater the IQ advantage is. The unique content of breast milk provides neurological advantages. Breast milk fats are essential building blocks of the brain. Breast milk sugars are significant for brain development. The activation of the senses during breastfeeding, as well as the many chances to closely examine facial expressions and reactions, provide ample opportunities for learning and stimulation.
Secondary Benefits
Breastfeeding supports many secondary benefits for the baby. Mothers who breastfeed are healthier. Studies show that women who breastfeed have lower risk for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, hip fractures and osteoporosis. With decreased infant illnesses, fewer of the family's resources are spent on doctor visits and medications. With a perfectly prepared, warmed and delivered human milk, the family spends less time and money on shopping and preparing food. Breastfeeding is also good for the environment. It decreases the use of cans of formula and plastic bottles, so that the environmental burden of producing, packaging, transporting, and disposing of baby feeding supplies is reduced.
Potential
Since potential benefits of breastfeeding are so immense, it is important to educate, encourage and support breastfeeding mothers throughout the process. Some mothers begin nursing with ease. However, in the highly medicated reality of births in the U.S., which includes routine epidurals, Pitocin, analgesics and narcotics, many women lack the physical capacity to advocate for themselves and their babies following childbirth. Some babies might experience difficulties being alert during nursing from the medications they were exposed to during childbirth. Therefore, education regarding the benefits of breastfeeding should include fathers and other family members who are involved in the care of the baby. They can be breastfeeding helpers and advocates right from the start.
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