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Family Health

The Decision to Breastfeed
By: Family First Staff
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 Many expectant mothers ask themselves the question, "Should I breastfeed my baby?" The authors of Focus on the Family's Complete Book of Baby & Child Care provide an in-depth look at the pros and cons of this decision.

 The Benefits of Breastfeeding

 Nutritional Value

"Human milk is uniquely suited for human babies," say the authors. Breast milk provides a nutritionally balanced meal for the baby, and actually changes in content to a slightly higher-fat consistency towards the end of a feeding to promote a feeling of fullness in the baby.

 Vitamins and minerals are abundant in breast milk. The authors state that babies who are breastfed should not need any additional supplements. However they do acknowledge that a baby's physician may recommend Vitamin D supplements in geographical regions where sunshine is rare. 

 The authors also state that, "Breast milk is absorbed extremely efficiently, with little undigested material passing into stool." In addition to having less smelly stools than formula-fed infants, breastfed infants also absorb certain antibodies into their bodies which help protect them against infections.

 Benefits to the Mother

While breast milk can be expressed and stored for later use, typically the process of breast-feeding is free. Parents also don't need to worry about mixing or heating formulas.

 "Stimulations of a mother's nipples by a nursing infant releases a hormone called oxytocin, which helps her uterus contract toward what will become its nonpregnant size," say the authors. In addition, these hormonal responses to nursing also help postpone the onset of ovulation. The authors also state that nursing mothers tend to reach their prepregnancy weight more quickly.

 Emotional Bonding

Breast feeding lends itself to a sense of closeness, intimacy, and mutual satisfaction. According to the authors, "The skin-to-skin contact, the increased sensory input for the baby, and the mother's satisfaction in being able to provide her child's most basic needs can help establish strong bonds between them."

 The Decision Not to Breastfeed

With all of these beneficial reasons to breastfeed, it is understandable why many women choose to feed their babies this way. However, the women who either cannot or choose not to breastfeed should not feel guilty or worry that their babies will be unhealthy. And in fact, there are certain circumstances where the authors advise against breastfeeding. 

 Health Conditions in the Mother

Mothers with certain health conditions, such as HIV, active hepatitis B or tuberculosis should not breastfeed. Also, mothers should consult their physicians regarding breastfeeding while taking certain medications, since traces of medications taken by the mother will show up in the breast milk. Previous breast surgery may affect nursing if milk ducts were cut during the procedure. 

 Health Conditions in the Baby

Sometimes an infant will have certain health problems making breastfeeding difficult or impossible. For example, some babies are born with phenylketonuria (PKU) or galactosemia, both rare metabolic disorders, in which they are required to be fed special formulas. Other problems such as a cleft lip or palate, heart disease or Down syndrome may create special challenges in breast feeding. In those cases, mothers should consult a lactation consultant or their physician in how to work around these issues.

 Nonmedical Concerns

Many women decide not to breastfeed for personal reasons. In these cases, the authors advise that the mother reflect on the reasons and consider possible alternatives to simply choosing formulas. They encourage mothers who are worried because of previous bad experiences with babies or that their breasts will not provide milk easily that each baby is different and that each mother is designed to produce breast milk. Other mothers are concerned with lifestyle issues, such as not wanting to be the only person who can feed the baby or not being able to breastfeed while they are at work. The authors suggest that these mothers try expressing the milk and storing it for future use, or perhaps even using formula when breast milk is not available. 

They also encourage mothers to simply enjoy this time with their baby. In their words, "This very dependent season of your child's life -- whether she is breast- or bottle-fed -- is relatively short, and it would be beneficial for both of you if you could settle back and enjoy it as much as you can."