Why Breastfeed?

Why the fuss about infant feeding anyway? There is a lot to weigh in a parent’s decision of how to feed their infant. Here’s why I, and many mothers, choose breastfeeding.

Get ready. . . here are more reasons to breastfeed than you ever imagined.

Healthier Babies

1. Breast milk is packed with living cells that protect against illnesses. The protection against respiratory illnesses is substantial.
2. Digests more easily, so there is less spit up and less constipation.
3. Significantly reduces allergies and asthma.
4. Reduces risk of type 1 diabetes.
5. Reduces risk of leukemia.
6. Reduces risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
7. Babies’ bodies absorb nutrients from breast milk better than those in formula. For example, over 50% of the iron in breast milk is absorbed, compared with about 10% from formula.
8. Reduces risk of obesity in infancy and childhood.
9. There are hundreds of components of breast milk that cannot be manufactured. They keep finding new things in breast milk that benefit babies.
10. Breast milk can’t be contaminated with metal shards in formula, melamine, or any other deadly substances that have prompted widespread recalls of infant formula recently.
11. Nursing at the breast supports better jaw and teeth development. Breastfed babies grow up to have fewer problems with snoring, sleep apnea, or to require orthodontic work.

Healthier Moms

1. Major help with weight loss! Fully breastfeeding burns about 500 calories daily.
2. Breastfeeding in the first few days shrinks the uterus. That helps the waistline as well as reducing blood loss, so less risk of maternal anemia.
3. Significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer.
4. Breastfeeding delays ovulation, so it can help with family planning.
5. The hormones of breastfeeding help lower the risk of postpartum depression.

Healthier Planet

1. Formula cans, bottle liners, bottle nipples, end up in landfills.
2. Since nursing at the breast leaves nothing to wash or sterilize, it saves water and energy at home.
3. Avoiding infant formula allows me to boycott the dubious marketing practices of infant formula to impoverished mothers in developing countries. More on this in a future post.

Happier Families

1. Bonding. Snuggling is an inherent part of breastfeeding, but it’s also hormonal. The milk-making hormones are also called “mothering” hormones.
2. Breast milk leaves MUCH less odor in diapers. Breast milk spit up is less smelly, too.
3. Mom can breastfeed anywhere, anytime, and immediately. Hungry baby doesn’t have to scream while waiting for the milk preparation.
4. Peace of mind that if there is an emergency, baby will be provided for. We could get stranded somewhere, lose our water supply, refrigeration, and access to formula and feeding supplies and know there’s still plenty of milk for the baby.
5. Breastfeeding can be a great tool for soothing and quieting a baby. Everyone seated near us on our cross-country flight we took at the age of 2 1/2 months was happy I breastfed him throughout the flight. It worked like magic.

Financial Savings

1. Formula is expensive. My calculations based on our local supermarket bring the 1-year cost of standard brand-name milk-based formula to $1,500-$1,900 (depending on can size, powder vs. concentrate, etc). Some babies don’t tolerate standard formulas and require special formulas, costing twice as much. There may be costs to breastfeeding, too, such as a breast pump, nursing bras, but the cost difference is still substantial.

Whew. That’s all I can think of. Give me feedback,  I’ll keep reading the research, and this list may evolve over time.

The subject of breastfeeding vs. formula feeding can be controversial. Breast milk is the best food for babies. But I recognize and respect the choice of mothers who discover that breastfeeding isn’t best for them. I just hope that moms seek 2 things before making the choice to not breastfeed: information, and support.

If you disagree or question my sources, write to me and I’d be happy to send references. We can talk about it.