Breast-Feeding Could Save Lives and Money, Research Finds

Ah-this is a subject that is close to my heart. Hallelujah that this is in print. Breastfeeding needs to be recognized as how to feed baby humans. There are some medical reasons not to, but they are rare. Most reasons not to are of a personal nature.

I nursed my first child AS a child myself in 1972 for 14 weeks, then gave in to family pressure to wean. Later, in 1990 & 1992, I successfully nursed my two younger children for a much longer time than I originally planned to, and helped other mothers to nurse/nurture their children.

My second child was not ready to give up nursing when I carried my third, and he used to pet the baby in my belly when we rocked and nursed. The morning I gave birth to my third, I nursed my toddler, gave birth to my little one, and my toddler turned into the hugest toddler I've ever seen! That evening, the little one nursed, then my toddler finished up.

The nutrients/health benefits that my children got and the nurturing and cherished memories that we enjoyed are countless. We have had many experiences with breastfeeding and yes in public to the point of no one knew I was nursing, it was thought that my babies were just cuddling or sleeping. Triad nursings were saved for home/snuggle/nap times.

In retrospect, nursing made me more in tune with what my children needed, and gave them food for interpersonal relationships. I feel truly blessed to have shared those times with my children. Later this year, my daughter will be giving birth and nursing her own. She remembers her nursing and the feeling of comfort and security it gave her. I was honored to nurse my children.

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Nicole, you do know that breastfeeding was the sole source of nutrition for children for centuries and still is in many countries. For you to call breastfeeding beyond a certain time disturbing just shows that you are not comfortable as a breastfeeding mother (if you are a mother. I do not mean to make assumptions if in fact you are not a mother). Breastfeeding may not be for everyone, but there is undeniable proof that it is better for both mother and baby. I find the easy wieght loss and decreases in chances of breast cancer for mom and less illness and risk of SIDS (which children can still be victims of as late as 12 months old) worth it!

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Nicole,

The only weirdo, sick person here is... you!! Seriously, you need to consult a psicologist. Or maybe you are just plain ignorant. All of your ancestors, up to maybe your great-grandmother, were breast fed until they were 2, or even 5 years old, because that is what human beings have been doing for hundreds of thousands of years, until very recently. Or you think that 10,000 years ago people used baby bottles and formula? You are insulting all of your foreparents. You really think they were all creepy?

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That is the most ignorant thing I've ever heard!!!! You obviously have no idea about the benefits of breastfeeding! I really hope you have no kids and if you do I hope they are not as ignorant as you sound!

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Unfortunately, most jobs do not allow the option for a mother to breastfeed her baby as she would like. Our country is still ridiculous when it comes to work and family. My husband will only get a week of unpaid time off for our new baby. My job does not pay for maternity leave, so for the first couple months of our baby's life, we will be seriously struggling financially. Thanks a lot U.S.

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Thank-you Nicole,

You are obviously well read and articulate. Your creative use of the shift key, capitalizing every other word, shows how much thought you put into your post. My daughter "the spoiled pussy freak" is now a clinical laboratory scientist. That brat was a gifted athlete, and survived cancer at 17, taught herself calculus at home while undergoing chemo............ Do us a favor genius, don't procreate, then you won't have any dilemmas about breast feeding

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Its sad to see someone demeaning an act that is healthy for mother and child. Any good MD will tell nursing mothers that its best too breast feed for at LEAST 6 months. After that its the mothers choice as to how long she continues. I have known many women who continued for 2 years or more. Their children are bright well adjusted people and have always had good manors. So far have been top graduates including my daughters. If you are unable to breast feed by a disease processes or even by poor body image its regrettable, but understandable. However, if its do to ignorance or plan selfishness it's my hope you never have children. Please don't post demeaning dribble that's unfounded by fact or the smallest bit of intelligence.

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please note: that is what breasts are for....and the reason they fill up with milk is to nurse their babies....god knew what he was doing........nothing is better for your babies than human breast milk..........

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I worked for two pediatricians for 4 years and it is clear that breast fed babies are healthier, for the most part. They are proven to have less ear infections, respiratory infections, decreases the risk of SIDS, reduces the risks of diabetes and obesity later in life and IT'S FREE and convenient. I breast fed exclusively for 10 months as a first time mom and had no problems, besides the normal horribly sore nipples about the third or fourth day. I was very secure and proud of my decision but ignorant people always had ignorant comments like "that's gross or that's weird". While it's not for everyone, it is hardly gross or weird, it is the most natural thing in the world and some of the most precious alone bonding time.

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Hospitals need to be more supportive of breast feeding. While I was in the hospital I was breast feeding my daughter and they let me sleep through the whole night, so I know they must have given by daughter a bottle instead of waking me up. If that is how some hospitals are with mothers who want to breast feed imagine how hard they must try to get a woman to breast feed who is unsure.

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I would have loved to been able to breastfeed my baby, however I developed toxemia and delivered at 36 weeks. My baby was so premature that she was unable to latch properly and all of these issues caused me to not produce much milk. I pumped for one month, every 2 hours and I would only produce 10cc-15cc in a 24 hr period, and then stopped producing any at all. My baby is 2 months old now.
I wish I would have been more prepared for this. I just thought everyone had tons of milk come in. Someone needs to be educating these mommys to be.
I also had the NICU nurses pressuring me to bottle feed, telling me my baby would go home sooner. Some would even discourage me from putting her to breast because they felt I was "wearing her out" trying to get her to latch.
I have a beautiful baby, thriving on soy formula but I am still sad I couldnt breastfeed. It was so important to me.

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You do that. By default my kids will be more fit and able to survive than yours. And me as well. Breastfeeding is a vital part of neurological development, and aside from preventing breast cancer, prolonged breastfeeding is good for osteological health.

So if you choose not to breastfeed your kids will probably be stupid, more susceptible to infection, more likely to be overweight, and have emotional problems and you .... will suffer from oesteoperosis and ... possibly cancer.

Also, pregnancy increases the level of neuro-protective hormones and chemicals, and breastfeeding maintains it. So by not taking the opportunity you're kinda screwing your own brain.

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Thank you for asking for links to other posts on this subject. Our response to the negative slant on this story by ABC News can be found at Bestforbabes.org/blog. The Best for Babes Foundation hopes that the study will lead to more pressure on the "Booby Traps" that keep mothers from making an informed feeding decision and from carrying that decision out, whether it is to feed formula, pumped breastmilk, breastfeed or some combination thereof. Thank you for spreading the word on this important study! ---Bettina, Co-founder & President, Best for Babes Foundation

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I still nurse my 3 year old son and catch so much flack for doing so from friends, family, and even my own doctors! I've been told (by doctors included) that breastmilk has no nutritional or antibiotic properties beyond one year (which is patently false - in fact, there are more immune-supportive, antibiotic compounds in the second year of breastfeeding than in the first, probably because at that age the child is mobile and comes in contact with so much more, thus needing the added protection). I've been told I was going to make my son clingy and thwart his becoming independent. I was even told he would remember seeing my boobs, remember nursing, and it would creep him out later in life. None of this is true. They don't remember 'your boob', but take away only the impression and feeling of the experience, which nursing moms and nursing children all recall with warmth and love. Nursing give the child what he needs (the urge to suck is strong well past 6 months to a year) so you fill a need now so that he or she will not go 'needing it' forever (overeating, smoking, excessive drinking in adulthood). A child's immune system isn't fully matured until age 6 and human breast milk changes throughout the nursing relationship to accommodate his changing needs...so it is clear women were meant to feed their babies this way! But here in the US it's only 'suggested' you do so (the AAP says for the first year at least, the World Health Organization says for at least 2 years) yet try nursing in public. That'll give you a taste of what people really think about nursing. Also, try nursing past 6 months. You get all sorts of disgusted stares and comments, and rude advice. I'm proud to nurse the way women did before formula (which is inferior to breast milk but at one time was advertised as superior to make companies lots of money and 'free' women from their duties as mothers), and I'm proud to nurse 'on demand' (we co sleep and everything). My son is gorgeous, smart, healthy as can be, and is a beautiful weight (he was a typical 'breastfed chubby' when he was under a year old and is now a perfect weight, not too thin and not at all 'chubby' for a 3 year old. There are separate growth charts for breastfed babies in the pediatrician office - that lets you know how much formula will affect your child's development and growth - it's vastly different nutrition from human breast milk). He is also so confident and well adjusted and I credit the nursing bond we share greatly for it. It's such a natural way to 'check in' with Mommy and to cuddle close and recreate the feeling of being in the womb (they sort of curl into a fetal position when they nurse, no matter how old or big they are). Nothing prepared me for how spectacular nursing would be, for both my child and for myself. Outside of having him, it is the best thing I've ever done. I hope future mothers who are reading this thread will make a point of nursing when they have their own precious children. Give them your best.

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BRAVA You're a woman after my own heart! warmllly, Brea

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When I had my first child in 1972, I was intent on nursing him, and one hour after he was born, a nurse came into my room with a shot "to dry me up". When I told her I was going to breastfeed, she told me "that is savage and primitive, WE bottle-feed OUR babies here" my reply was "YOU can feed YOUR babies what you want, I WILL breastfeed MY child". She pointed across the hall to a small room and said "then you will feed your child there, away from OUR mothers, we don't want them seeing THAT". I went there, and I did. So glad we are out of the dark ages (for the most part)

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I breast fed my son(now 4) for 7 months until his father(my now ex) got sick of it and demanded i stop so i did, luckly though i found out i stopped for a better reason then i knew, he was diagnosed lactose intollerant so the milk wasnt better for him like i thought. Now i have a 6 month old daughter that when she was born i imediately asked "can i breastfeed her right now" and the nurses where shocked to hear me ask that and made sure i was being serious first. so since she was about 5 minutes old my daughter has been breastfeeding and i will continue to do so untill she refuses the breast herself...... i think its absolute shit that moms are treated so horribly about there choice to breast feed, i think aslong as the baby is hungry and the mom has a cover up of some sort( i always cover up in public) i dont see why they cant feed their babies. i myself personally refuse to use formula and if people dont like it then tough my daughters health and hunger are way more important to me than some jerk offs opinion

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