AN UPDATE ON BREAST-FEEDING

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

In the case of vitamin D, researchers spent a lot of time and money fruitlessly looking for that essential nutrient in the fatty portion of breast milk. But where was it? In the watery part they normally threw down the sink! Now scientists realize that there is no reason to give a nursing child vitamin D supplements... even if Mom is an Eskimo and doesn't see the sun for six months!

DISEASE PREVENTION

Disease resistance is another benefit of breast milk, which contains 37 known immune mechanisms. These are present the entire time a mother breast-feeds her child, and can be divided into the following categories: protective bacteria, enzyme "attackers," protein binders, antiviral agents, and antibody "defenders." It is the job of these "fierce" mechanism groups to find and destroy any viruses or bacteria that may harm the baby... while also making sure the youngster gets enough protein and nutrients. However, as soon as the baby is exposed to solid foods—or even a bottle of sugar water—17 of these immune mechanisms are destroyed (by the E. coli bacteria that are introduced) and can never be restored.

Overall, studies have shown that bottle-fed babies are sick more often than breast-fed babies. This is evident in the following chart:

A study done in India (where breast-feeding is more the norm than the exception) indicated that out of 3,684 babies observed, 7 out of the 2,031 breast-fed children got pneumonia, whereas 48 out of the 1,653 who were bottle-fed got the disease.

If you become sick with a "bug" while nursing, don't fret about spreading the sickness to your child. Amazingly enough, white blood cells appear in the breast milk on the fourth day after the mother is exposed to the illness—cells her body has created specifically to eat that bacterium or virus. Thus your milk will give your child a specific antidote for the illness you are worried about. (This sickness-healing sequence obviously works better if the mother gets sick first . Fortunately, most times, mothers are "considerate enough" to do so.)

DRUG USAGE WHILE NURSING

In general, it is best to avoid drugs (including the social ones) while nursing. Even aspirin must be taken with caution, since approximately one-twelfth of an adult dosage is equivalent to a full dosage for a ten-pound baby. To find out if a particular medicine is safe, please consult your local La Leche League leader, who should have a copy of the book Breastfeeding and Drugs in Human Milk , by Gregory and Mary White. The Whites' book has the most complete listing available of which drugs are secreted into breast milk, and in what quantities. This is a much more accurate, up-to-date, and reliable source than the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR), the text most pediatricians use. (Remember that drugs secreted through the placenta are not necessarily secreted through the breast, since the placenta and the breast are different kinds of transfer organs.)

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print