The Nutritional Advantages of Breastfeeding Essays

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

incidences of diabetes and cancer. Furthermore, it can lessen the risk of childhood obesity; which

Very few experts disagree with the fact that breastfeeding is the optimal choice for the infant. However, decreasing breastfeeding rates raise many questions as to why mothers are not choosing the best nutritional choice for their children. Despite breast milk being the obvious choice for infant feeding due to the health, psychological, and economic benefits, many mothers still decide to feed their infants formula due to lack of knowledge and support, difficulties with breastfeeding, and social embarrassment. Changes need to be made with formula companies, medical professionals, and the public opinion of breastfeeding in order to give nursing mothers the support they deserve.

Breastfeeding protects babies against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as well as sepsis in pre-term babies. Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight off infections like otitis media and respiratory problems like meningitis and bronchitis. It has been found to reduce the incidence and intensity of atopic diseases. Babies who breastfeed tend to suffer from colds less frequently and have fewer incidents of colic. (Davis)

You might be wondering why you can’t receive the same benefits from formula and here’s why. It’s impossible for formula to compare to the complexity of breast milk. Your milk is custom-made just for your baby. Your body responds to pathogens that you are exposed to, and actually creates a substance in your milk to protect your baby from exposure. Pretty amazing huh? In one study, The National Institute of Environmental Sciences determined your baby will have a 20 percent less chance of dying in the first year of life if breastfed. Not only does breastfeeding protect your baby from developing illnesses in the early stages of life, but it will also help avoid diseases in the future. Breastfed babies are less likely to have diabetes, high cholesterol, and inflammatory bowel disease in their adult life. I know, as a parent, you want to do everything you can to protect your children from harm. After all, it doesn’t matter how old they get, they’ll always be your babies.

Breast milk is widely acknowledged as the complete form of nutrition for infants with a range of benefits for infants’ health, growth, immunity and development (Breastfeeding- Natural Is Best). All these factors can decrease Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) and mortality. In serval meta-analyses babies that are breastfeed have a 36% decrease in the risk of SIDS. According to The Lives Saved Tool, an estimated 823,000 yearly deaths would be saved if breastfeeding was scaled up to universal levels. Disorders like necrotizing enterocolitis, that has a high case-fatality, showed a 58% decrease with breastfeeding (Victoria, Cesar G, et all.).

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

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

They will let you know the benefits of breastfeeding as opposed to formula feeding. For instance, breastfeeding strengthens your baby's immune system, helps create a bond between you and your baby, and aids in returning you to your pre-pregnancy weight faster. You will also be advised that if possible, you should solely breastfeed for the first six months of your baby's life with no introduction of water, other fluids, or food and then continue to breastfeed until your baby reaches one year in addition to food. This will give your baby the best chance at optimal health and development throughout those important first few months. These advantages make breastfeeding sound more appealing. However, if you're still wondering if breastfeeding is right for you, you might want to consider these other five advantages that aren't as widely publicized before you make your final decision. These additional advantages to breastfeeding were discovered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) during a study they conducted in 2008. 1. Breastfeeding promotes better brain development and intelligence. Breastfed children seem to score higher in IQ and cognitive tests than children who were fed formula. 2. Children who are breastfed are less likely to become overweight than formula fed children. 3. Breastfed children have a

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

So what are some of the short-term effects associated with breastfeeding an infant? Well, there are many. Breastfed infants are known to have fewer cases of ear infections, gastrointestinal infections, urinary infections, and more. Infant mortality rates have also been seen to significantly decrease when infants are breastfed. In the article, "A New Look at Care in Pregnancy: Simple, Effective Interventions for Neglected Populations" Hodgins et al. (2016) claimed, "They calculated that neonates not exclusively breastfed have almost 4 times higher risk of infection-related mortality than exclusively breastfed neonates (pooled OR 3.81, 95%CI: 2.19-6.64)" (p.1). This could be because they are getting all of the essential nutrients from the mother’s breast milk, whereas formula feeding does not contain all of the essential nutrients. It is important that infants get these essential nutrients in their

Breastfeeding provides many health benefits even beyond the immense emotional satisfaction that is often felt, mothers will recover from childbirth quickly and with less postpartum bleeding, have reduced chances of having breast cancer later in life, reduced chances of type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disease and problems. Breastfeeding can also delay the return of the menstrual cycle, which can extend the time between pregnancies, and prevent

Nutritionally, breastfeeding provides specific antibodies which help to prevent infant and childhood diseases. Diseases such as RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection) and Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus are serious diseases in infants which can lead to death (Riordan 1997). Breastfeeding is a natural immunization for infants and mothers, decreasing risks such as pneumonia, SIDS, and childhood obesity in infants. Mothers decrease their risk for breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and weight gain (Stuebe 2009). Just as diseases can be immune from breast milk, breastmilk also aids in brain development. In “Breastfeeding benefits babies’ brains”, Stacey states, “babies who had

An infant who is breastfed receives added health benefits compared to a child who is formula fed. In the first few days after birth, the breast milk is comprised of protein, vitamins A and E, and antibodies which help protect the infant from infection. After the first few days, the mature breast milk contains fats and cholesterol, which are essential for the growth and development of the infant’s nervous system, eyes, and brain. It also contains micronutrients calcium and magnesium, which are beneficial to the infant’s growth (Thompson et al., 2010).

“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.