BreastFeeding: What it Does and Doesn’t Do

Breast is best? Fed is best? Bottle-feeding, breast-feeding – there are tons of studies on both sides of the debate, and opinions and passions run high on both ends.  I am sure you have already heard a lot of opinions about breastfeeding and indeed what breastfeeding can or can’t do for you and your baby. There’s no doubt that breastfeeding is natural and full of benefits for both mum and baby but there is also no doubt that it doesn’t work for everyone and some people simple can’t or choose not to breastfeed for a whole host of reasons. I think it’s wonderful that there is such a renewed passion and support for breastfeeding but I don’t think it’s wonderful that a mum should be shamed if it’s not right for her.  Each of us needs to do what’s best for us so we can be the best mums we can be — a happy mama is a good mama! Absolutely not taking sides as the only side I take, is the choice of a healthy and happy mum for a healthy and happy baby, I wanted to find out the latest on what we know Breast feeding definitely does do, its benefits, things that it might do, and things we’re still not so sure about. I do believe that when you make a decision for you and your family it should be an informed one so you can be confident about your choice.  I can see how uninformed choices can cause angst especially on social media when someone turns their choice into a fact or the only right way to do something  However, it can be so hard to actually figure out what is myth and what is fact about breastfeeding and thus confident in your choice.  Life is too precious to spend all those early days and months second guessing yourself and wondering if you should have done things differently so with out bias, this is what we definitely do know and what we don’t about breastfeeding in Feb 2016.  The rest is up to you!

Breastfeeding is definitely less expensive than formula feeding. Even if a child is primarily breastfed and supplemented occasionally with formula, the economic benefits are clear with breastfeeding. Nursing also does help burn more calories than bottle-feeding. Just because breastfeeding is natural, though, it doesn’t mean it always comes naturally or easily, and it can be really challenging, especially in the first six weeks or so. Knowing this and having support, being gentle with yourself, loading up on nipple balm, and hiring a lactation consultant or talking with your doctor can all help! With any new behavior, breastfeeding can take time to get used to and there can be difficulties along the way from pain to infection and latch issues to problems with supply– the good news is with the right support early on, many of these can be avoided or at least quickly solved — as with any learned skill, practice makes perfect!

A new study published in the medical journal The Lancet studied the effects of breastfeeding on the child mortality rate, and found that for both high and low-income countries, breastfeeding was associated with a 36% reduction in sudden infant death. They also found “probable reductions” in being overweight and diabetes among children who were breastfed. For women, it helped reduce the risk of breast cancer, improved birth spacing, and may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Extended breastfeeding was associated with an increase in tooth decay with this study.

Breastfeeding helps your body release hormones like oxytocin (also called the “love hormone”) that gives you a sense of peace, relaxation, and bonding. This can help foster bonding with your newborn. However, if you bottle-feed your baby, spending quality time with him or her can still provide a nurturing bond.  When you go into labor, your body releases a large dose of oxytocin, and more of the hormone is also produced by touch and warmth. It’s cyclical in nature – so the more you do something that produces the hormone, the more is produced.  Thus, caring for your baby, then, can still cause your body to produce it, even if you don’t breastfeed. One significant hormonal difference between breastfeeding and bottle-feeding is that exclusive breastfeeding does delay your period, so if you exclusively breastfeed, a delayed period can help you naturally extend the spacing between pregnancies. You can still get pregnant while breastfeeding, though, so don’t rely on it completely for birth control!

A 2015 study from Goldsmith’s in London found no reliable association between breastfeeding and higher IQ scores at the age of 2; the trouble with the long-term studies that found the opposite is the rate of dropout with participants. Another thing to consider is that while other studies have found increases in IQ scores with children who were breastfed, this doesn’t necessarily correlate with life success or happiness, and there’s still conflicting information on this one.

Many medical articles have conflicting information about the actual benefits of breastfeeding – and please don’t misunderstand me – there are plenty of benefits to breastfeeding, for sure. But are all of them statistically significant? The jury’s still out. There are plenty of conflicting studies for many findings out there, and it’s hard to tease out whether it’s the actual breastfeeding that makes the difference, or all of the lifestyle and parenting behaviors that typically go along with the decision to breastfeed.

What is clear is this: too much stress isn’t good for mum or baby. What works for one mum might not work for another. While there are clear benefits to breastfeeding, if you can’t or don’t want to, it doesn’t mean you’re harming your baby or he/she is doomed to a low IQ and cancer. What’s important is feeding your baby and making sure they’re getting the nutrients and calories they need, and the bonding time with their parents. If you’re stressing over not making enough milk or painful feeding, it’s hard to be fully present with your baby and really enjoy your time together while feeding. Parenting is hard, and what’s most crucial is providing what your baby needs, along with love and care. As I always say, love with confidence – find what’s best for you, and whether that’s feeding by bottle or breast, know that you’re taking care of your baby the best way you can.

The bottom line is we don’t know a lot of things for sure, but we do know that a happy Mum is one of the most crucial factors for the health and happiness of the child.  Sometimes I really believe that “all you need is love” (quite a lot of the time actually!), so, however you can best do that, is the right way for you.