Breast is Best - ESSAY PDF

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Breast is Best

Rhianna Dix Western Governors University WGU Student ID#: 000713382

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Breast is Best Women spend nine months growing, nurturing, and loving the human that they are creating when pregnant. Some women choose not to continue to use their powerful, amazing human-growing body to breast feeding. The main purpose of breasts are to make milk for offspring, that is their evolutionary purpose. Evolution has made breast milk the perfect combination of nutrients to completely support a baby for at least its first six months of life. . Breastfeeding is the most inexpensive way to feed an infant, and breastfeeding has some amazing benefits to it for both the mother and the child. Research suggests that mothers should breastfeed their babies because breastfeeding helps babies build up natural antibodies to fight illness and lowers the risk of allergies, breast milk is more easily digested than formula, breastfeeding can develop a stronger connection between mother and child, and breastfeeding can help mothers lower the risk of many different types of cancers and diseases as well as help mothers in many other ways. Breastfeeding helps protect an infant from diseases and illnesses because breastfeeding helps babies build up natural antibodies to fight illness. When mothers breastfeed, they pass their antibodies that they have spent a lifetime producing, onto their babies. Even if a mother develops an illness like a cold while breastfeeding, that mother is likely to pass that cold on to the child but she will also pass on the antibodies she created to fight off the illness. This will lessen the severity of the cold. If a mother were to pass a cold on to a baby that was being formula-fed, she would not be able to pass on antibodies and the child would have to fight off the cold all by itself, which could take a lot longer than a grow up because babies have weaker immune systems (Breastfeeding Benefits, 2006). Arthur I. Eidelman, MD (2012), a board certified doctor in both Pediatrics and Perinatal and Neonatal Medicine with an emphasis on infant nutrition and

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breastfeeding state that studies have shown that infants that are breast fed rather than formula fed are often healthier in the long run and have a lower chance of developing diseases such as childhood leukemia by 15 percent, diabetes by 30 percent, inflammatory bowel disease by 31 percent, celiac disease by 52 percent, and respiratory tract infections by 72 percent (2012) Not only does breastfeeding protect against many diseases, breastfeeding also lowers the chance a child will have allergies later in life. Karen Zeretzke, a long time health professional seminar administrator, said that the protection from allergies through adolescence is one of the most important benefits of breastfeeding, especially in today's world where 1 in 5 children have allergies (1998). Allergies come from being exposed to food. When women breastfeed, they aren't being over exposed to formula which has cow based milk and/or soy products. The less children are exposed to these products in the first months of life, the less likely chance they will develop an allergy. Babies immune systems are not fully built up with all the antibodies they need to protect themselves until about six months of age, so being exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life is especially important because mothers are giving them antibodies. Before six months, “a baby depends on mother's milk for protection. Fed from his mother's breast, a baby first receives colostrum, the first milk, which is especially rich in antibodies, including sIgA. The sIgA "paints" a protective coating on the inside of a baby's intestines to prevent penetration by potential allergens” (Zeretzke, 1998). Breastfeeding is also more easily digested than formula and other substitutes. A mother's milk is the perfect combination of nutrients, making it easier to digest than other substances. When a mother chooses to use formula instead of breastmilk they are giving their baby something that is given to all babies, and not custom made, making it harder to digest. When a mother breastfeeds, the baby's saliva is pumped back into the mother's body, and lets the mother's

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body know what the baby is lacking or has to much of. The mother's body then adjusts to become the perfect combinations again for the baby (Breastfeeding vs. Bottle-feeding, 2014). In Dr. Mercola's article, “The Amazing Benefits of Breastfeeding”, he describes how a mother's milk is especially made to be low in but high in carbohydrates and protein which makes it easier to digest. Breast milk helps support the growth of good bacteria in the digestive system, making breast milk easily digestible. “ Breast milk really "primes" your baby's gut and promotes the colonization of a healthy microbiome” which is key to short and long term health (Mercola, 2016). Breastmilk is easier to digest than formula and other dairy products because when dairy breaks down it curds, which is hard for babies to digest. Breast milk contains more whey than curd. Whey is much more softer and breaks down faster and easier (Perkins & Vannais, 2004). Breastfeeding is not only healthier than other alternatives, it can help mother and child develop a stronger bond. Bonnie Rochman, a health and science journalist for TIME Magazine, analyzes a study done by researchers at the Child Study Center at Yale University in her article “Is Breast Milk the Key to Mother Baby Bonding?” and says that “breastfeeding mothers are more likely than formula-feeding moms to bond with their infants in the months after they’re born. They also demonstrate stronger brain responses when they hear their baby cry.” The study done at Yale include a small number of breastfeeding moms and a small number of formula feeding moms. Mothers laid in a brain scanner while listening to babies cry, their own included. All mothers brain activity was higher when listening to their own child cy, but breastfeeding mothers brain activity was much higher than those of formula feeding mothers. Mothers who breastfeed also have higher levels of oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. The let-down of breastmilk (when a baby sucks on the breast) sends a message to the brain to release oxytocin.

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Mothers who don’t breastfeed do not have as much oxytocin because there is not that let down (Rochman, 2011). Breastfeeding allows for an intimate time between mother and child. Breastfeeding can promote bonding because breastfeeding is often done skin to skin. When a child breastfeeds, two hormones are released: oxytocin and prolactin. Prolactin in the milk-making hormone in mothers. Prolactin does not only allow for more milk to produce, it creates a special calming mood for mothers. This helps both the mother and baby relax and enjoy breastfeeding even more (Dermer, 2001). Breastfeeding does not exclusively allow only the mother to bond with the baby. When mothers breastfeed, they typically need to pump, as they produce far too much milk per day for their child. Fathers can feed their child breast milk from bottles and bond with the baby just like mothers (Hayward, 2017). Although breastfeeding is very beneficial to the baby, breastfeeding can help protect mothers against many cancers and diseases. Breastfeeding can protect mothers from developing cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer. “Non-breastfeeding mothers have been shown in numerous studies to have a higher risk of reproductive cancers. Ovarian and uterine cancers have been found to be more common in women who did not breastfeed. This may be due to the repeated ovulatory cycles and exposure to higher levels of estrogen from not breastfeeding” (Dermer, 2001). When mothers breastfeed longer than 12 months, there is a 28% decrease in breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Each year of breastfeeding has been calculated to result in a 4.3% reduction in breast cancer (Eidelman, 2011). Breastfeeding can help women lose pregnancy weight quicker as the production of milk is a metabolic process that requires energy. Breastfeeding mothers, on average, lost 2 kg of weight more than non breastfeeding mothers (Eidelman, 2011). This can help a mother

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psychologically. If a mother is self-conscious, weight loss can help the mother a mother feel better. Breastfeeding can help mothers save money and save time. Breastfeeding is a free way to nourish a baby for at least the first six months of their life. There is no reason to spend extra money when there is so many other expensive things babies need such as diapers and clothing. Breastfeeding can also save so much time for a mother. Mixing bottles and heating them to the right temperature for a baby is very time consuming. Breastfeeding allows for a mother to feed a baby at any moment in time without having to worry about measuring scoops of formula and heating it up. Breast milk is already the perfect temperature and the perfect combination of nutrients (Hand, 2017). Breastfeeding has so many amazing benefits. First of all breastfeeding helps babies build up antibodies so babies who are breastfed get sick less and develop less diseases. Next, breastfed babies have a lower chance of developing allergies later in life due to not being exposed to certain things too early in life. Also, breast milk is more easily digestible than formula due to the lack of dairy, and more a presence of whey. Breastfeeding also helps a mother and baby bond quicker and develop a stronger bond. Breastfeeding can aid in mothers weight loss as well as lessen the chance that a mother will develop cancers such as breast or ovarian cancer. Lastly, breastfeeding can aid mothers in saving money and time, as babies are already expensive and time consuming. All in all, breastfeeding is much better for a baby and mother than substitutes such as bottle feeding with formula or other substances.

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References Breastfeeding Benefits Your Baby's Immune System. (2006, January 01). Retrieved October 17, 2017, from https://www.healthychildren.org/English/agesstages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/Breastfeeding-Benefits-Your-Babys-ImmuneSystem.aspx Breastfeeding vs. Bottle-feeding: A Heated Debate (Infographic). (2014, September 10). Retrieved October 17, 2017, from https://www.unitypoint.org/livewell/article.aspx? id=612f9d6d-99f7-49cc-8e3b-acdfebfab371 Dermer, A., MD. (2001, July & aug.). A Well-Kept Secret Breastfeeding's Benefits to Mothers. Retrieved October 17, 2017, from http://www.llli.org/nb/nbjulaug01p124.html Eidelman, A. I., MD, & Schanler, R. J., MD. (2012, March 01). Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. Retrieved October 16, 2017, from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/e827 Hand, B. (n.d.). Breastfeeding: The Best Choice. Retrieved October 16, 2017, from http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/pregnancy_articles.asp?ID=214 Hayward, J. (2017, June 29). 6 Bonus Benefits of Breastfeeding. Retrieved October 17, 2017, from http://www.activebeat.com/your-health/children/6-bonus-benefits-of-breastfeeding/? utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_campaign=AB_BNG_US_DESKSearchMarketing&utm_content=o_c_73873489214799&cus_widget=kwd73873452062282%3Aloc-190&utm_term=breastfeeding benefits&cus_teaser= Mercola, D. (2016, January 2). The Amazing Benefits of Breastfeeding. Retrieved October 17, 2017, from https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/01/02/amazingbenefits-breastfeeding.aspx

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Perkins, S., & Vannais, C. (2004, April 02). Comparing Formula and Breast Milk. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from http://www.dummies.com/health/comparing-formula-and-breastmilk/ Rochman, B. (2011, May 20). Is Breast Milk the Key to Mother-Baby Bonding? Retrieved October 17, 2017, from http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/20/is-breast-milk-the-key-tomother-baby-bonding/ Zeretzke, K. (1998, July & aug.). Allergies and the Breastfeeding Family. Retrieved October 22, 2017, from http://www.lalecheleague.org/nb/nbjulaug98p100.html...