World Breastfeeding Week--Benefits to Babies

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I plan to do a series of blog entries about breastfeeding. I want to make it clear that my intention is not to make anyone feel guilty about choices they have made. I believe the vast majority of mothers want to do the best for their children and make the best possible choices given their specific circumstances and the information they have available. No one should feel guilty for doing what they thought was best. That said, I also believe some mothers might choose differently if they had access to better information and/or better support in their circumstances. That is my goal: to get the best information out there and offer support to women who need it.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children be breastfed for a minimum one year with continued breastfeeding for as long as is mutually desired by mother and child. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for a minimum two years with continued breastfeeding for as long as is mutually desired. A few generations ago, infant formula was invented. Our grandmothers were told this was superior to human milk because science had developed it. A whole generation of children was formula fed. But the more we study breast milk, the more we realize how vastly superior it is to formula. There are so many components in human milk that simply cannot be recreated. These components offer many benefits to children.

Human milk is easier to digest.
It's always available and doesn't need to be prepared.
It has the perfect balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to meet the baby's needs.
It has growth factors that ensure the proper development of the baby's organs.
It helps protect against diseases. In fact, breastfed babies have lower incidences of ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, and meningitis.
It lowers the risk of SIDS.

The benefits of breastfeeding are not limited to the infancy period. Adults who were breastfed have lower incidences of obesity, diabetes, and even some cancers. The longer a child is breastfed, the greater the benefits. But even a short time of breastfeeding is worthwhile.

Source: AAP