Breastfeeding

The assignment for this week in my Child Development class was to address one of several issues that impact children's development. The issue I choose is breastfeeding. This issue is relevant to me because I believe in the importance of breastfeeding when possible. I believe that children who are breast fed often are healthier than other children. They tend to show closer bonds to the mother. Breast milk is easier to digest for babies.

According to the Office of Women's Health website, breast milk is know as "liquid gold" (www.womenshealth.gov). The following is a direct quote from the website's list of benefits as related to the baby:

          

1. Early breast milk is liquid gold – Known as liquid gold, colostrum (coh-LOSS-trum) is the thick yellow first breast milk that you make during pregnancy and just after birth. This milk is very rich in nutrients and antibodies to protect your baby. Although your baby only gets a small amount of colostrum at each feeding, it matches the amount his or her tiny stomach can hold. (Visit How to know your baby is getting enough milk to see just how small your newborn’s tummy is!)
2. Your breast milk changes as your baby grows – Colostrum changes into what is called mature milk. By the third to fifth day after birth, this mature breast milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein to help your baby continue to grow. It is a thinner type of milk than colostrum, but it provides all of the nutrients and antibodies your baby needs.
3. Breast milk is easier to digest – For most babies — especially premature babies — breast milk is easier to digest than formula. The proteins in formula are made from cow’s milk and it takes time for babies’ stomachs to adjust to digesting them.
4. Breast milk fights disease – The cells, hormones, and antibodies in breast milk protect babies from illness. This protection is unique; formula cannot match the chemical makeup of human breast milk. In fact, among formula-fed babies, ear infections and diarrhea are more common. Formula-fed babies also have higher risks of:
   • Necrotizing (nek-roh-TEYE-zing) enterocolitis (en-TUR-oh-coh-lyt-iss), a disease that affects the gastrointestinaltract in preterm infants.
   • Lower respiratory infections
   • Asthma
   • Obesity
   • Type 2 diabetes
   Some research shows that breastfeeding can also reduce the risk of Type 1 diabetes, childhood leukemia, and atopic dermatitis (a type of skin rash) in babies. Breastfeeding has also been shown to lower the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).(http://www.womenshealth.gov).

In Nigeria, breastfeeding is extremely important and is even encouraged by their government. Given the known plight of malnutrition for the children of this country, I can understand why they would support and encourage breastfeeding. According to savethechildren.org, "41% of Nigerian children under five are stunted; 14% of children are waster (too thin for their age), while nearly one in every four is underweight...only 13% of Nigerian children under six months are exclusively breastfed."

The benefit of breastfeeding are the same no matter the location.