Is the Breast Really Better?

By Tracy Jahn
Preparing to become a mother is
one of the single most overwhelming
duties any responsible woman can take
on. With only two months to go until I
will officially adopt the title of mom,
I have read book after book and article
after article on how to be an adequate
mother. Often times it seems that the
more I read, the more confused I become, but there is one topic on which
I am overwhelmingly convinced I know
the correct road to take, and that is the
issue of breastfeeding. The more I have
researched, the more undoubtedly clear
it has become that the common belief
of breast milk is best holds true.
Breastfeeding provides incredible nutritional value, savings and convenience,
as well as both emotional and physical
benefits for the mother and child.
One of the most convincing
reasons for new mothers to breastfeed
is that the nutritional value of breast
milk is superior to that of formula.
Decades of research make it evident
that a mothers breast milk is specially
formulated to be exactly what their
baby needs in order to be nourished
and protected from disease. Ruth
Lawrence is a MD and a professor of
pediatrics and obstetrics at the University of Rochester, School of Medicine in
Rochester, N.Y. and is also a spokeswoman for the American Academy of
Pediatrics. She states There are 4,000
species of mammals, and they all make
different milk. Human milk is made
for human infants and it meets all their
specific nutrient needs9. There is no
formula on the market that is designed
for each specific babys needs. Formu-

las are generic and a one-size fits all

philosophy for feeding. According to
Rebecca D. Williams, a writer for the
FDA Consumer Magazine, Human milk
contains at least 100 ingredients that
are not found in formula. No babies are
allergic to their mothers milk although
they may have a reaction to something
the mother eats. [However], if she
eliminates [that food] from her diet,
the problem resolves itself 9.
Williams also points out that
breastfed infants have lower rates of
hospital admissions, ear infections,
diarrhea, rashes, allergies, and other
medical problems than bottle-fed
babies. This is likely because human breast milk contains cells called
macrophages, which kill bacteria,
fungi and viruses, protecting breastfed
babies from illnesses. Another remarkable component of breast milk is that
it contains customized antibodies and
white blood cells that are designed to
fight any diseases found in the mothers
environment, this is incredibly valuable
considering an infants immune system
is not fully developed until they are two
years old3. On top of that, when a baby
is breastfed, their digestive tract will
contain large amounts of Lactobacillus
Bifidus which is beneficial bacteria that
prevents the growth of harmful organisms. Ironically however, human milk
straight from the breast never contains
harmful organisms because it is always
sterile, it cannot be contaminated by
polluted water or unclean bottles as
formula sometimes is9.
Unclean water and bottles are not
the only way babies can be harmed by

formula feeding. Formula powder itself

can also be contaminated. Between
1982 and 1994 the FDA issued 22 significant recalls of infant formula in the
United States. Seven of the recalls were
classified as Class 1 or potentially life
threatening1. Since 1994 there have
been numerous recalls on baby formula, with the most recent occurring in
September of 2008 8. As a soon-to-be
mother, I cannot find any justification
for voluntarily allowing a newborn
baby to ingest a substance that has the
potential to be life threatening. There
has never, and will never be a recall on
breast milk, it is 100% guaranteed to
be safe and healthy.
The Coalition for Improving
Maternity Services released a fact
sheet in March 20093; in it they listed
numerous health benefits of breastfeeding for children. The following are the
benefits that I have not yet covered in
this paper:
After the first month of life, rates
of infant mortality in the U.S. are
reduced by 21% in breastfed infants.
Breastfed infants are at lower risk
for sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS).
Exclusive breastfeeding for a minimum of four months decreases the
risk of Type 1 diabetes for children
with a family history of diabetes,
and may reduce the incidence of
Type 2 diabetes later in life.
Breastfed children are less likely to
suffer from some forms of childhood
cancer such as Hodgkins disease,
and leukemia.
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Is the Breast Really Better?

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Breastfeeding reduces the risk for
obesity, high blood pressure, and
high cholesterol levels later in life.
Human milk contains anti-inflammatory factors that lower the
incidence of bowel diseases such
as Crohns disease and ulcerative
colitis.
The incidence of asthma and
eczema are lower for infants who
are exclusively breastfed for at least
four months, especially in families at
high risk for allergies.
Even without needing to worry
about the potential health risks of
formula feeding, new mothers still
have plenty on their plate. With the
suffering economy and ever increasing responsibilities weighing on most
women today, there are very few new
moms who wouldnt be thrilled to
learn that breastfeeding is far more
cost effective and convenient than
formula feeding. The Breastfeeding
Task Force of Greater Los Angeles put
out a report on the Cost Effectiveness
of Breastfeeding in the United States.
The report shows that if breastfeeding
was the only form of nutrition for the
first 12 weeks of all American infants
lives, our country would save $2.16
billion annually due to fewer illnesses
and disease. Along with that, families
would save $3.02 billion annually on
household expenses such as formula,
contraceptives and health care expenditures. Individual families who decide
to breastfeed for the first year of their
childs life would save $683 that would
otherwise be spent on Formula6. Many
working mothers argue that they cannot afford to breastfeed because if they
do they will not be able to work, yet in
America today businesses are becoming

more and more breastfeeding friendly.

Not only is it every womans right to
provide her child with the absolute best
nutrition possible, but businesses also
benefit from their employees choosing to breastfeed. Rear Admiral Steven
K. Galson, the Acting US Surgeon
General, makes it utterly clear that it
is to an employers advantage to accommodate breastfeeding employees
by stating, The Office on Womens
Health in the US Department of Health
and Human Services notes that the
health benefits to mother and baby
conveyed by breastfeeding translate
into reduced cost to employers due
to lower health care costs, decreased
absenteeism, enhanced productivity,
improved employee satisfaction, and a
better corporate image2.
In addition to financial and
corporate benefits, breastfeeding has
the added benefit of convenience. New
mothers dont need the added stress
of making sure there is always enough
formula, that the bottles are sterile and
the extra chore of needing to heat the
bottles up. Some would argue that not
all bottle feeding mothers have to mix
their formula because they purchase
ready-mix quarts or six-packs, however
these are very pricey alternatives and
still do not compare to the convenience of breastfeeding. A breastfeeding mother always has the milk she
needs on hand. Its always the perfect
temperature and there is never a need
to lug around extra formula (pre-mixed
or not) and bottles. There is also the
eliminated risk of souring formula or
contaminated water; breast milk is always fresh and always healthy. Not only
is breastfeeding convenient for daily
activities, but it comes in especially

14 | International Journal of Childbirth Education | Volume 24 Number 2 June 2009

handy for late-night feedings as most

women can doze off while their baby
feeds in bed with them. Feeding while
sleeping seems a superior alternative to
fumbling around in the fridge at
2 AM, getting the bottle out, heating
the bottle up and then possibly cooling
the bottle back down if it was overheated: all while listening to the cries
of an increasingly hungry infant7.
Another argument for bottle feeding is that breastfeeding is offensive
to those around the feeding mother;
however there are many ways for moms
to breastfeed their child in a discrete
manner. Most malls and offices offer
breastfeeding lounges for mothers
to use. There are also breastfeedingfriendly clothing and undergarment
options which make for quick and easy
feeding access. A simple blanket or
poncho covering the mother can easily
hide any potentially offensive glimpses
from on-lookers. When it comes down
to it, many of the people complaining
about women breastfeeding in public
would have no qualms about attending
an R-rated movie and seeing an actress
breast exposed. More importantly, a
mother cannot let others decide what is
best for her and her baby.
There are many emotional and
physical benefits for both mother and
baby that take place when breastfeeding occurs rather than formula feeding.
These benefits begin occurring immediately after birth with the very first feeding. According to Marshall Klaus, MD
and Phyllis Klaus, who is a Marriage,
Family and Child Therapist as well as
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, the
first breastfeeding is the most valuable
feeding for the mother and the baby:
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Is the Breast Really Better?

continued from previous page
In this early period of the first
breastfeeding the baby and mother are
giving each other numerous benefits.
Oxytocin is secreted by both the
mother and baby. Oxytocin has many
effects; it activates the production of
prolactin for the milk letdown; it helps
production of special GI hormones
some of which are growth hormones
and aid the absorption of food by
elongating the intestinal villae. Oxytocin raises the pain threshold, creates a
sense of calm in both the mother and
baby, causes a feeling of sleepiness, and
draws them closer together since it is
the cuddle hormone, the hormone of
love. Each touch of the nipple creates a
surge of oxytocin in both the mothers
brain and the babys brain4.
When a mother breastfeeds her
child she is given numerous opportunities in every 24 hour period to
significantly bond with her baby. The
FDA claims that babies feel a sense
of security and warmth when they
are breastfed by their mother because
of the skin-to-skin contact that takes
place. There is an early attachment that
is formed during breastfeeding because
the baby has a chance to look at
his/her mothers face. A newborn baby
can only see 12 to 15 inches, which is
the distance between a nursing baby
and his/her mothers face. The babys
jaw development is also enhanced by
suckling at the breast, whereas formula
is more easily retrieved from a bottle
and therefore the jaw development is
diminished.
A breastfeeding mother will come
to appreciate her decision to breastfeed
for both short and long term reasons.
Immediately after birth, breastfeeding helps to stimulate the uterus to

contract back to its original size and

decreases the amount of blood loss.
Breastfeeding also immediately begins
burning calories which helps pregnancy
weight gain come off more quickly
and easily. It is estimated that most
women burn between 200 and 500
calories a day, which is equivalent to
running a couple of miles or swimming 30 laps5. Breastfeeding mothers
are also forced to sit down and rest at
each feeding. Mothers who bottle feed
may be tempted to prop the bottle in
their babys mouth and continue doing dishes or laundry during feedings.
New mothers need more rest than they
would like to admit, and breastfeeding
gives them the perfect opportunity to
sit and enjoy their new miracle in a few
moments of peace and quiet. They can
also enjoy their new baby without the
annoyance of menstruation as most
exclusive breast-feeders experience a
20-30 week delay in the return of their
menstrual cycle3. Some of the longer
term benefits to breast feeding include
a reduced risk for ovarian and premenopausal breast cancer, a decreased
risk of heart disease and osteoporosis,
and a lower chance of developing Type
2 diabetes3. Even if breastfeeding provided little or no benefit for the baby, it
would still be worthwhile for a mother
because of all it can do for her and her
health. Giving a child his/her mother in
the healthiest state possible so that she
can be around for a very long time is
one of the greatest gifts imaginable.
There is a plethora of information for a pregnant woman to consider
and many decisions that need to be
made during the 40 week journey to
motherhood. Questions will arise such
as whether or not to find out the sex

of the baby, whether or not to use

medication while giving birth, what
to name the baby, or what color to
paint the nursery. The list goes on and
on. Though there are not many issues
pertaining to childbirth and parenting that are cut and dry. Whether or
not to breastfeed should be one of the
easiest decisions for a woman or family
to make. The evidence for breastfeeding is absolutely overwhelming. The
nutritional value, cost effectiveness,
convenience and the many emotional
and physical benefits that come along
with this natural and beautiful process
make it clear and easy to see that the
breast is not only better, it is best.

References
1. FDA Recalls of Baby Formula. 17 March 2009
http://www.breastfeeding.com/advocacy/advocacy_recalls.html.
2. Galson, Steven K. MD, MPH. Mothers and
Children Benefit from Breastfeeding. Journal
of the American Dietetic Association 108.7
(2008): 1106.
3. Jukelevics, N, MA, ICCE and Wilf R, CNM,
PhD. Breastfeeding is Priceless. 2009. 30 March
2009. www.motherfriendly.org.
4. Klaus, Marshall, MD and Klaus P, MFT, LCSW.
Initiation of Breastfeeding by Breast Crawl.
J&M Birth Consultants. 19 March 2009. http://
www.jmbirthconsultants.com/homepage.html.
5. Reviewing Moms Health Benefits of Breastfeeding.
2009. 17 March 2009. http://www.dummies.
com/how-to/content/reviewing-moms-healthbenefits-of-breastfeeding.
6. The Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los
Angeles. Cost Effectiveness of Breastfeeding in
the United States. 17 March 2009. http://www.
breastfeedingtaskfor la.org/SaveCost-print.htm.
7. Thompson, Marian. The Convenience of
Breast Feeding. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1971): 991-992.
8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA
News. 12 September 2008. 17 March 2009.
http://www.fda.gove/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/
NEW01883.html.
9. Williams, Rebecca D. U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. October 1995. 17 March 2009.
http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/featherues/895_brstfeed.html.

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