The art of breastfeeding (The Breastfeeding Debate)

Member Name: mystic_flayme

Product:	The Breastfeeding Debate
Date:	12/02/06 (328 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: a massive ammount, please see below

Disadvantages: most can be overcome with help and guidance

Breastfeeding is a subject close to my heart and one which I am very well read on and have a fair amount of personal experience to boot. I am currently in the process of training as a breastfeeding counsellor with the ABM and have applied to become a student midwife for September 2006. I have two children, the first who I breastfed for 9 months. The second is 5 months old and still exclusively breastfed, which I intend to do so for at least his first year.

I hope to highlight the multiple advantages about breastfeeding, discuss the few disadvantages that come with it.

Advantages:

Breast milk is the ideal food for human babies. It is balanced perfectly and provides your baby with everything they need for at least the first six months of life. It offers fats that are more easily absorbed than in artificial milk and living cells that provide a level of protection against gastroenteritis, respiratory illness, urinary infections, and ear infections. These are not present at all in artificial milk.

These properties make it extremely important for premature babies. So much so, that donated breast milk is often used in cases where the mother is unable to express/produce enough milk. Due to its amazing properties it can save tiny lives. (I myself donate breast milk). A single fluid ounce of breast milk can feed a premature baby for an amazing 36 hours! There are several milk banks all over the country collecting milk from donating mums and distributing it to hospitals. Their slogan is ‘every drop counts’ and I think this applies to breastfeeding as a whole. Every feed that a mother can give is beneficial to her baby.

Breast milk is associated with higher childhood intelligence, as the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, that only breast milk contains, promotes good brain growth and development. The incidence of the following diseases and conditions are less in breastfed babies: sudden infant death syndrome, Coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease, diabetes mellitus, and childhood leukaemia. It can also help to prevent allergic conditions such as eczema and asthma. Lastly it helps the babies jaw develop leaving room for all the adult teeth and improves speech due to the movements of the tongue.

It also has health benefits for the mother. These include a reduced risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis. A fully breastfeeding mum can use this as a form of birth control (although not 100% reliable) and it can also suppress periods for many months, which helps the mother to regain her iron stores. Breastfeeding also helps with weight loss as the fat stores laid down during pregnancy are specifically intended for the making of milk. Not to mention the added bonus of bigger breasts! There is also much emotional and physical satisfaction to be gained.

The breastfeeding relationship helps promote mother and baby bonding. Mother and baby can develop an extra specially close relationship. Mum should feel very proud of herself for providing the very best nutrition for her child. Breastfeeding is more than just food for a baby, it is closeness and comfort which can be enjoyed and useful for many years, for example it can be very beneficial for a toddler who cannot express themselves in words. It is a time of much change and a confused, scared or hurt child can benefit from the closeness of breastfeeding to escape from the big bad world.

On top of all of these health and emotional benefits, breastfeeding is also convenient. Your body works on a supply and demand basis. The more a baby suckles the more milk will be produced, so you will always have enough milk for your baby. With artificial milk you have to mix up the feeds into bottles, remember to take them out with you, heat the feed, and then wash and sterilize the bottle after use. Breast milk is always there right when you need it, at the exact right temperature. You can’t forget to take your breast with you, and there is less to carry about with you when you’re out.

Disadvantages:

One of the main disadvantages is that most women will find breastfeeding initially difficult. Breastfeeding is an art, and a skill that must be learned by both mother and baby. This takes time, in most cases at least six weeks, to get the relationship working smoothly. With adequate support from family and professionals these hurdles can be overcome.

Some of the problems that can be encountered are: cracked nipples, engorgement, and mastitis but not all women get these and they are all treatable. Engorgement should settle down once breastfeeding is established. Sore nipples and mastitis are often caused by the baby being badly positioned at the breast and can, with help and advice, can hopefully be prevented or if not cured when they occur. One myth surrounding breastfeeding is that a baby cannot drink milk from a breast infected with mastitis. This is not true, the milk is perfectly ok for the baby to drink and a woman who stops feeding her child at this time will only make the condition worse. The best thing to do is keep feeding frequently to drain the infected duct which will stop further infection and lessen the pain. The breasts can tingle or burn for a few seconds when the milk let-down reflex is stimulated.

Two of the more annoying aspects of breastfeeding are leaking breasts in the early days before milk supply settles down and the frequent feeding. It is wise to wear breasts pads to stop milk coming through your clothes. A newborn baby who is breastfed will need to feed frequently because their stomach can only hold small amounts of milk and they must also stimulate the breasts to produce milk. Breastfed babies often continue to feed more frequently than their artificially fed peers, but feeds usually become very quick when a baby perfects the skill.

There is also the issue of being tied to your baby. This can be overcome by expressing and leaving baby to be fed bottles of expressed milk. However expressing does take practice and many mums find themselves not being able to express enough. This may also lead to the conclusion that they don’t have enough milk. This is very rare. Supply and demand ensures an adequate supply. Generally speaking it is not a good idea to give artificial milk for convenience over expressing or to ‘top up’ if you think you don’t have enough milk. Trust your body, giving other milk can interrupt the supply and demand cycle.

The last negative point is the ability to breastfeed in public. Although women have a legal right to be able to do so, many people still get negative comments, and some women do not feel comfortable feeding in public. I would like to say that in most cases there is very little if nothing of the breast on show. Under the layers of clothes and behind the baby’s head, the worst you might normally see is a tummy.

In conclusion breastfeeding is better for babies! Artificial milk is exactly what it says ARTIFICIAL, A non-natural, fake way of feeding our children. Breastfeeding should clearly be the preferred method of feeding, yet it is still more common to artificially feed babies. I think this is due to a lack of information and support. Women should be made more aware of the help that is out there for them and to give themselves and their babies longer to learn this skill. Although i appriciate that some women can't or don't want to breastfeed, i think a lot of mums stop before they want to, and this could be avoided with education. There is a place for artificial feeding but I think it should be left as a last resort for women who genuinely cannot breastfeed.

Summary: Breast is by far the best for mother and for baby