Breastfeeding
Sara Scheffler
English Composition I
Tristan Benson
July 1st 2015
McCann School of Business and Technology
If you’re religious, breastfeeding has been around since Adam and Eve; it has been around since our ape ancestors if you’re into evolution. Any way that you look at it, any mammalian species simply cannot and would not have survived without breastfeeding. In modern US culture there seems to be a stigma around breastfeeding. I personally cannot understand this. We, as mammals, were made to feed our children from our breasts, for that is their specific purpose. For centuries, breastfeeding was the only means of feeding a child whether from the mother’s own breast or from a wet nurse. Breastfeeding has many
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Around day three to five after baby is born, the mature milk comes in. This milk has the perfect amount of nutrients to help baby grow and thrive. The difference between colostrum and the mature milk is that the colostrum is meant to boost the baby’s immune system since a child’s immune system does not ‘kick in’ until at least two months of age. This immune system boosting factor is true in any mammal. Colostrum is essential for providing immunity until the baby’s immune system gets mature enough to protect itself. Sometimes in nature, such as with cows, if a calf does not get colostrum then the calf is more likely to die.
Other than immunity, there are many other benefits of breastfeeding a baby. Womenshealth.gov says that research suggests that breastfed babies have lower risks of asthma, childhood obesity, ear infections, eczema, diarrhea, vomiting, SIDS and many more illnesses (2014). Human milk is the most perfect food for human babies and no other food is needed for at least 6 months, if not longer than that. As I said earlier, the AAP recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months at least. There is something called “baby-led eating” that I myself have practiced with my breastfed son. Baby led eating is when a mother does not start solids before 6 months, and also doesn’t start until their baby is showing interest in food. In my case, I offered my son from about 6 months of age, but he did not eat meals until he was 9 months old. It is important
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
Breastfeeding is a great way to ensure babies have a healthy head start to life! For optimal growth and development, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies be breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life and with complementary foods until age two or until both mother and baby are ready to wean (1).
Breastfeeding is not only a lifestyle choice but also an important health care choice. Any amount of time that a mother can do it will help both her and the baby. Many benefits of breast milk are noted for mothers, babies, and others. Breast milk has disease-fighting cells called antibodies that help protect infants from germs, illness, and even SIDS. Infant formula cannot match the perfect chemical composition of human milk, specifically the cells, hormones, and antibodies that fight disease. The private practice of lactation
Globally, less than 40% of infants under six months of age are exclusively breastfed. Breast milk not only has disease fighting substances to protect your baby from illnesses, but it also is pack full of all the vitamins and nutrients your baby needs. This is why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months of life, and to continue for as long as the mother and baby are willing and able. Breastfeeding is not only beneficial to your baby, but also yourself. Breastfeeding is by far the best feeding option for your baby.
Studies have shown that breastfeeding has numerous benefits for mother and baby, including reducing the risk of common childhood infections. The protective antibodies found in breast milk helps to combat common infections that often leads to missed days from 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
Breastfeeding is extremely beneficial to both mother and baby and the environment as well. Breastfed children are less likely to have ear infections, allergies, vomiting, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, chronic digestive disease, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, bacterial meningitis, research also indicates that breastfeeding may help protect against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), women who were breastfed as infants have a lower rate of breast cancer, and
Since the beginning of time women have breast fed their infants. Although modern science has developed infant formula, doctors and nurses still recommend women feed their infants breast milk. Breastfeeding increases bonding time between mother and baby and decreases cancer in women. It is hypothesized that breast milk significantly improves babies health and cognitive functioning. Breast feeding is frequently researched and there are multiple sources that cite its benefits.
Every year, approximately 4 million babies are born in the United States. This means that every year, approximately 8 million breasts are swollen with Mother Nature's own ambrosia, ready to start our children down the path to a healthy and well-adjusted life. Having a child is the most natural thing in the world to most women. Breast feeding is the the most healthy food for a newborn child. It prevents a wide range of illnesses as well as helps the mother feel better after birth. So why not breastfeed your new born? Although many people believe that breast feeding puts undue stress on a new mother, ultimately, as a mother, you will be responsible for every single feeding that your child experiences. Sure, it is true that you can pump the
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
Breastfeeding provides unique nutrients for the baby, protects from disease, has health benefits for the mother, and provides a unique bond between mother and baby.
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
There is a wide array of benefits as a result of breastfeeding that specifically help a child survive and develop from the time they are born and throughout all stages of life. The more recognized and examined benefits during infancy and toddlerhood include, but are not limited to, increased intelligence, decreased risk of getting ear infections, lowered risk of Sudden Infant Death syndrome, better resistance to common illnesses and allergies (stronger immune system), lower risk for childhood onset diabetes, lower risk for asthma and eczema, increased cognitive development, higher IQ, and increased social maturity.
Throughout most of human history, breast milk has been the one food that infants have thrived on. Breastfeeding is recognized throughout the world as the preferred method of feeding infants due to its health benefits and nutritional quality. Recommendations by leading health organizations echo the importance of breastfeeding by setting forth guidelines.
“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.
Colostrum is the pre milk substance produced in all mammals during the time of childbirth. Colostrum, which has many benefits, has been the subject of research for many years. Over the last two decades alone, more than 2000 research papers have been published hailing the role played by colostrum in curing various diseases.