Real Health(y) Care Reform: It's World Breastfeeding Awareness Week

While ideology and profit politics predominate discussions and inhibit momentum toward any meaningful and sweepingly effective health care reform in America, there are fundamental and effective options on the table for changing the health culture and health of Americans. Toward the top of that list is the subject of this week's World Breastfeeding Awareness Week.

While Americans still get caught up in discussions of breastfeeding as if it were strictly a life style decision of the mother and a matter of ordering her priorities, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization are adamant that babies are born to be breastfed and that human milk should be the main source of calories for human babies for at least the first year of life, and the exclusive source for the first six months. WHO goes further than AAP and recommends two years or more of access to human milk. Research on brain development and many aspects of health from allergies, to infections and diabetes, supports these recommendations.

The morbidity and mortality related to infant formula use around the world has been documented well for the past 25 or 30 years. Not as well documented is the obliteration of critical natural resources such as wood and water used in preparing formula, or the interruption of natural child spacing caused when long term breastfeeding is not practiced.

In our country, where water sterilization is not so much of a problem, the health issues related to not breastfeeding, for both mother and infant, are myriad and well established by research, but are not as immediately dramatic as the death by diarrhea seen in so-called third world countries. Both formula and human milk have some bio contamination issues that are complex, but despite issues of contamination in human milk, the research is still hands down unanimous in favoring human milk as the optimal nourishment for human babies, and research even shows that human milk helps babies handle wider contamination issues more effectively. It's astonishing to me that the superiority of human milk over formula should have to be proven to anyone. Human milk is alive, complex, immunologically active and impossible to reproduce commercially.

In recent years, when the Department of Health and Human Services tried to launch a big campaign based on the dangers of not breastfeeding, their efforts were effectively squelched by the great political strength of the lobbyist for the formula/pharmaceutical companies.

America's lack of adequate paid parental leave and its attendant encouragement of a healthy length of time at breast for newborns and older infants is a major part of the scandal of American health culture. I think most Americans would be astonished to find out what goes on in many other "advanced" societies in terms of long term parental leave, often for both parents, leave time which allows the establishment of firm family ties and an biologically appropriate length of access to human milk and consistent, present parenting. Human milk is by my assessment one of the most important seriously threatened natural resources on the planet.

With all the vast amount of media attention to the issue of obesity and its attendant health problems today, far too little attention is given to the fact that it is well known that access to breast milk in infancy and beyond is protective against later childhood and later life obesity.

The slogan of the now defunct Department of Health and Human Services campaign to promote breastfeeding was "Babies are Born to Be Breastfed". This is a simple human and biological fact. It is not made any less true by ardent discussions of the rights of woman to decide to not breastfeed.

The bottom line is that every woman who has a baby wants a healthy baby with a healthy brain. The best way to get that is good prenatal nutrition in a low stress, non- toxic environment and then long term breastfeeding with adequate workplace support for suckling and pumping. Even a few months at the breast is much better than none at all.

It's World Breastfeeding Week, and this week the Breastfeeding Bill of Rights, which has been passed by both houses of the New York State legislature is on Governor Patterson's desk waiting to be signed. Urging the Governor to sign this bill without delay would be one fundamental way that everyone can support one aspect of real health care reform while the politics of insurance goes on front and center.

"Babies are Born to Be Breastfed"!!

Comments

[mamacat]

The pressures and prejudices of our Western society result in many women breast feeding for the minimum amount of time that they can get away with. If this discussion results in women accepting that it is OK to breast feed, if they have the time, and that they do not have to switch to food sold by a corporation to ensure their baby's health, then it has accomplished something worthwhile.

[zkn0120]

I love the picture! I breastfed my son for 9 mos. It was hard at times and exhausting at night when he was just an infant but I stuck to it and it was the most wonderful feeling. He would look up at me his feet would go up you could see the joy in his face.! If I had another child I would do it again I loved the bonding that we had.

[Mother77]

Finally, a healthy blog about breastfeeding! I breastfed my daughter for two years, slowly tapering off after a year to just when she was ill or needed comfort. It was the most natural and healthy experience for the two of us. It forced me to take time out of my otherwise hectic schedule to stop and sit with my daughter. Today, she is a healthy woman with a beautiful dental arch, lovely bone structure, confidence, and most of all, great health. We are closely bonded by an experience intended for this purpose. So, to all new mothers, follow your heart and listen to what you and your baby feel is right. I hope your experience is as goos as ours.

[WeartheSunshine]

It's great if you can breast feed exclusively with no problems up to 6 months. I think what is underestimated though it is the under supply issue or complete lack of milk production. I think the stats seriously underestimate it.

In my dad's small village from the Balkans 60-70 years ago women who could not supply enough would hand their babies/toddlers over to the local wet nurse In my mother-in-law's village they would supplement with (wait for it) pre boiled cow's milk where there was no wet nurse. All her 5 children were given cow's milk as very young babies and none have ended up with any sort of allergies. I am not advocating giving cow's milk - merely pointing out how in my family's history women have got around the problem supply.

The current standard of BF exclusively up to 6 months is a very high bar (and in my opinion makes women feel they have failed some 'ideal', or may put some women off altogether). In my mother's group of 8, only 1 woman was able to achieve that. The rest of us did also BF (2 via pumping due to issues), but were topping up with formula by months 3-4 or much earlier. 7 of 8 were on solids before 6 months.

I think people idealise BF in history. I don't think it was all a Raphael painting of Madonna and child with drappled light softly streaming through the windows.

[motherofsons]

This will be unpopular but here goes. Breastfeeding is great if it works for you and your baby. But it's not for everyone.

Breastfeeding is a personal decision but for the breastfeeding nazis (and I don't use that word lightly.) it's their business what a woman decides is best for her and her baby.

I didn't breastfeed my kids and I was hounded, intimidated and made to feel less than human by women who thought they had a right to interfere in my life and tell me what to do. For many mothers breastfeeding is uncomfortable and difficult for many reasons. And it's not anyone's business--least of all the la leche police.

For the record, my babies were healthy and happy and today they are fine young adults who respect the privacy and choices of others.

[mamacat]

Breast feeding has never been for everyone. That is why wet-nurses, cows, and goats, have been so important throughout history. What we have seen in the last hundred years is a cultural acceptance of the idea that breast feeding is a bad idea, which may or may not have been pushed by the sellers of formula and cow's milk, but which is not factually accureate.

La leche police? Really? If someone is poking their nose in your business, whether it is the pushers of formula, or "la leche police", just tell them to take a flying leap off a short pier.

[sunnybunny]

I think that hounding and intimidation is in your head - the way an obese person who orders a big mac super sized value meal, or a pregnant women smoking a cigarrette might feel self concious when they notice someone staring at them. You're right, it's your choice and your privacy, but that doesn't make it above dispute.

[offred]

Beautiful photo accompanying the story. I'm surprised you haven't received any hate mail about how the picture is obscene.

[Meadoo]

I do not yet have children of my own but I was breastfed, my courageous and opinionated mother breastfed me for 4 years and then followed by breastfeeding my sister for 5.5 years. Even people that are pro breastfeeding recoil in disgust when I tell them this, they say that there is such a thing as to much of a good thing and that doing this would breed unhealthy attachments.

I can not even begin to tell you how wrong they are, my sister and I are both happy well adjusted young ladies, we have both excelled academically and in our careers. As teenagers we were closer with our parents then is normal, we had an open and honest relationship with them and because of this we made far fewer stupid decisions then our peers.

We are both on whole very healthy people, and I firmly believe that the length of time my mother breastfed us plays a large roll in the way our lives have gone. I will always thank her for making the unpopular decision to breastfeed us past the normal and expected age, I believe she got no end of flack from family and friends for it. But she was strong enough to stand by what she believed was best for her children.

she had a wonderful support group, no post about breastfeeding would be complete without mentioning La Leche League and how they can help women all over the world to successfully breastfeed.

[odyssey58]

It's not disgusting. It's beautiful and normal. I believe it's the way it's supposed to be. I breastfed my son for 4.5 years.

[suavecitomama]

Ditto...I'm past the 4 1/2 year mark of continuous breastfeeding. My daughter continued to nurse during my pregnancy and I tandem nursed up until about 4 months ago. My son is 2 1/2 now and is strong, healthy, TALL and will TALK YOUR EAR OFF. I don't attribute it ALL to nursing, but I do for most.

I don't fault those that choose not to or don't do it as long as I have. It's a personal choice, but it's what worked for us and I do believe my children are better off for it.

And when my daughter is sick with either fever or upset stomach, I let her nurse and she is better within 24 hours with little or no medication and no trip to the doctor.

I feel lucky that I have been able to do this and I wouldn't change a thing.

[suavecitomama]

I forgot to talk about how EASY it is!

REALLY, night feedings, on the run, tired after a long day...you name it. No bottles to wash (although I did pump for feedings when I wasn't with my babies)...just right from the tap. Baby's happy and you can be on your way! :)

[sunnybunny]

It really surprises me that anyone would want to not breastfeed knowing all the benefits. Why wouldn't women want to do something that is so much easier and better for their kid?

[ginanick]

HuffPost's Pick

Excellent Article. It is amazing to me that breastfeeding is not framed in this type of discussion more often. It is the best preventative healthcare and it should not be framed in a nice-to as so often is the case. Messages have been perpetuated for years that breastmilk and artificial baby milk are equal but this is a falsehood. The risks associated with not breastfeeding are vast and affect every aspect of society--it is not just an isolated issue of "perhaps" being better for a baby and the breastfeeding mother despite attempts by lay-people and non-scientists to refute the facts and the research to better their arguments.

When I was fortunate enough to work on the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign it was disheartening to have to change the ads and messages because of the pressure from the formula industry but I am happy that we were able to get anything out at all. It started discussions, it raised awareness and that is continuing on many levels with the new administration. As a society, we need to understand the far-reaching ramifications of breastfeeding and not and support moms and families so they can provide the best for their babies. I am a former breastfeed­ing/breast­pumping mom of two so it is feasible but it does take support, confidence, and commitment.

Happy world breastfeeding week!

Gina Ciagne, CLC
Director, Breastfeeding and Consumer Relations
Lansinoh Laboratories, Inc.
www.bymomsformoms.net
@GinaCiagn­eAtLansino­h

[mamacat]

Since the beginning of time, humans and their predecessors relied on the mother's milk for their infants. Only within the last 100 years or so, in some parts of the Western world, have we seen a move away from breast feeding. What possible reason would there be for thinking that a mother's milk is anything other than the best possible source of food for a baby?

[AppleJuiceJunkie316]

What possible reason? One word....Capitalism.

Breasts are obscene sexual objects that should be covered up. That lubricant coming out from them are anomalies to be cured by shots to dry up breast milk for $50 and for your baby's nourishment...$30 fomula. Now get to spending...unless your a breastfeeding commie

[cinemaven]

My mom was actually told by her doctor that only poor people breast feed and if she wanted to give her baby the nutrients she needed, she should give formula. That was in 1959 and she believed it so strongly that she was fearful for the entire year I was feeding my son and I had to actively stop her from feeding him "healthy milk". I finally took her to the prenatal classes for my second son and she was blown away by the fact that her doctor had lied. (of course, he probably believed what he was telling her.. just as he believed that making her drink two dark english beers a day so she could put more weight on during her pregnancy seemed like a good idea at the time... my mom never drank a drop except during her pregnancies for the health of the babies!!)

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

I am all for breastfeeding. I breastfed each of my children for a year. They had nothing but breastmilk for the first six months. However, it is not as easy as the organizations lead Mothers to believe and I think this makes many Mothers believe they are doing it wrong and they give up. As for the physical benefits of breast feeding, I am somewhat skeptical for babies in the developed world. I do believe the emotional benefits are irrefutable. I recommend breastfeeding for those who want to try but I really don't think formula is that big of a difference especially if you cuddle the baby while bottle feeding and don't force that last ounce of formula into an already full child.

[TheBlackCat]

may I ask Why you are skeptical? Have you done extensive research on the subject, or is this just a 'feeling" you have? Because I work in healthcare and I am not skeptical at all, because I have studied this subject pretty extensively.There is a slew of scientific evidence for the advantage of breast feeding in developed countries.

Breast feeding is the best way to give your baby both a healthy immune system, and to prevent them from developing allergies later in life.

Now in a developed country, it's true these things aren't AS important because we have better access to medicine to help treat those with weaker immune systems or with allergies. But surely it is better to PREVENT these things outright rather than make people have to spend their lives managing such conditions?

[rxvette]

Breast feeding has been proven to be the healthiest way to raise a newborn/infant. But we also need to look at our overall diet and lifestyle as adults to truly bring down overall long term costs in health care in this country. As a medical professional myself this would be the biggest key to my reforms along with some much needed policy changes. Here's my solutions - http://bit.ly/9QLV8.

[odyssey58]

Great article!

You can't want what's best for your child and then choose to not breastfeed. I realize that sometimes there are medical issues that prevent breastfeeding, but those are rare. If you give birth to child, you should make every effort to breastfeed him or her. In places where not breastfeeding isn't really an option, very few mothers have difficulty.

[Lionsden]

People were shocked when I told them I breastfed my child til he was 3 and a half. In those later months it was just once a day to put him to sleep at night.

I created a spiral notebook to wean him. When we nursed three times a day, we (me and my child) put three stars on one page. One under a drawing of the morning sun, one under the drawing of the sun at high noon, and one under the sun setting (with stars) in the evening.

Then I drew only two suns: morning and evening and we put a star under each every day.

Finally, there was only the sunset with stars and we put the sticker there at bed time.

I also read to him faithfully each and every night. Finally, we got to the end of the spiral notebook (with quite a few pages torn out of it!) And the nursing story was all over! He was weaned as peacefully and as softly as his sleepy tender cheek against my bosom.

There are times when breast-feeding is inconvenient or frustrating, but I can honestly say I now treasure every memory of it, and loved it far more than I ever was impatient with it. It gives mom time to rest too!

His bed time stories replaced our nursing, became a voracious and avid speed reader, and eventually went on to score in the 99th percentile in reading on his SAT test.

Taa Daa!!

[mamacat]

There have been scientific studies done to observe how long mothers in "primitive" societies breast feed their children, and from what I have read, breast feeding to some point in time between three and four years of age is normal in tribal environments, with, obviously, normal food introduced much earlier than that.

[Lionsden]

mamacat

Well, I'm not advocating primitive living but it all seemed quite natural to do it our way.

And I understand that in some primitive tribes food is more scarce and the milk provides vital protein and safe hydration.

I think the bible (old testament) recommends around two years of age for weaning. If I could have managed that, it would have been fine with me.

I didn't push potty training either (he was trained by about two). Again, I made a game of it. We made a small fuss about buying big boy underpants (his choice of characters). I washed them up and he got to sleep with a clean pair (more like a stuffed animal sort of thing). We joked about where they belonged on his body (me putting them on my head, my elbow, my knee (and him laughing hysterically) until he decided he had enough fun and got down to business wearing them correctly.

Another smooth transition. Phew!

[nippyfan]

That's because they couldn't afford food. Three years is outrageous. A grown potty-trained kid sucking on the teet is outrageous. And I think needy mother's do it more for their own sense of feeling wanted than for "health".

[getoffthecross]

Serious question: Did you have a period at all during those 3.5 years? I'm having an orthapological discussion with a friend of mine who insists that women can and should be having fewer menstral cycles if they breast fed more and for longer periods of time.

[Lionsden]

getoofthe:

After a while yes. I cannot remember how soon after. Just not right away.

:o)

[Lionsden]

getoff:

By the way. I was a high risk pregnancy from the get go and we decided it was too risky to have another child. So, there was no experimenting with whether or not I would have another baby or to see if the nursing delayed it in any way. We prevented another birth intentionally.

Feel free to ask any other questions.

Have a great day!

[odyssey58]

I got my period in a few months, after my son started sleeping through the night. It is my understanding that the frequency of breastfeeding is what determines when your cycles return. BTW, I was at home and exclusively breastfeeding at the time.

[Tamoomoo]

I am 20 weeks pregnant and plan on breastfeeding. There is no way I would put formula in my baby's body after I carried it for 9 months. Thankfully to IBCLC (lactation consultants) and sites like kellymom.com and http://community.livejournal.com/breastfeeding/ -- I know any question I have about supply, clogged ducts, thrush, etc can be worked through I won't feel pressured to just throw in the towel and give the baby formula.

I should also add that I have Fibromyalgia, and odds are against me for nursing due to pain issues, but I am going to give it all the effort I have.

[Lionsden]

Tamoom:

Formulas are not as bad as they used to be. Sometimes they are necessary (even health food stores carry good brands). Just relax, eat wholesome foods, be happy, be patient with your baby when you start out, and may you both be blessed.

[cinemaven]

Tamoomoo, I'm an enthusiastic breast feeding supporter and a mom who breastfed both sons for 8-9 months each but I should caution that while you're right about the support that's out there and that it's worth giving it all the effort you have, I have several friends who were just unable to feed despite heroic efforts. One had cracked nipples so badly despite every effort of her doctor and breast feeding support worker that she was feeding her son more blood than milk and after 6 weeks of pumping but feeding her son formula, she had to stop... it crushed and depressed her and made her feel like a failure (not because of the oft-mentioned breastfeeding nazis since her lactation consultant counselled her to stop earlier than she did but because of her own expectations).

Breastfeeding is just one link in the very long parenting chain and if you're unable to breastfeed, you can still raise a child as healthy and connected as a breastfed baby if the other links are strong :)

[nippyfan]

I don't understand how a woman can feel "failure" about breastfeeding after carrying and delivering a 'Human". I'm 13 weeks pregnant and have given it all over to my child. If I find I can't breastfeed after the child is born, I will look for healthy, organic alternatives and feel superior to all men who never had to carry a baby. It's extremely exhausting, emotionally taxing and wonderful all in one. These women are being far to hard on themselves and need to stop listening to other opinions.