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BREAST FEEDING
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BREAST FEEDING: The natural way to feed small babies.
For a time in this century, breast-feeding was largely abandoned in affluent countries in
favor of bottles. The use of special formula of cow's milk, in bottles, also became
widespread in developing nations. Pediatricians are trying to reverse this trend and they
are encouraging mothers to give their babies the advantages of breast milk for some time,
even if only for a few weeks. More and more, mothers are opting to breast feed the old
fashioned way in order to give their babies the physiscal and emotional advantages of
natural breast milk.
A chief advantage of nursing is that, not only does human breast milk give the baby some
digestible milk proteins, but breast milk protects against infections such as
gastroenteritis and pneumonia during the first few months of life when the baby's own
immune system is immature. Immunity is passed from mother to baby through the milk.
Breast-fed babies are also thought less likely to become overweight. There is some
speculation that breast-feeding may also protect against heart disease in later life. It
is also theorized that babies who have non-human milk early in life are more liable to
develop allergies.
Natural nursing helps to develop close emotional links between mother and baby,
demonstrated by the fact that a baby's cry a few rooms away will cause a "let
down" of the mother's milk. Nursing also stimulates release of a hormone from the
hypothalamus in the brain, which aids the shrinking of the uterus back to normal size
following childbirth.
Breast size is immaterial to successful feeding. Even quite flat-chested women may manage
to feed twins. During pregnancy, the glandular tissue of the breast proliferates in
readiness for lactation. When the baby suckles, the hormone oxytocin is released from the
pituitary and stimulates milk production.
During the first few days, the breasts secret small amounts of a thick yellow fluid known
as colostrum-quite adequate for the baby, which has its own initial reserves of food-after
which the milk "comes in".
The modern trend is to feed babies "on demand" and allow them to
establish their own feeding patterns. A continued flow of milk depends upon the demand
made by the baby. When the baby is weaned, the falloff in the sucking stimulus means that
less milk is produced; eventually, the flow ceases.
Most women who want to feed successfully can do so. Worry, emotional upset and illness are
major reasons why milk may fail. However, it is no failure if a woman is unable to feed
her baby. Hundreds of thousands of happy adults were bottle-fed.
Breast Physiology Breast Cancer Breast Cancer
Facts Mammograms
Breast Exams Breast Self Exams
Breast Feeding Breast Health
Breast Exercises
Women who are pregnant or nursing should NOT use breast enhancement formulas.