“There
are 4,000 species of mammals and they all make a different milk. Human
milk is made for human infants and it meets all their specific nutrient
needs” – Ruth Lawrence, M.D.,
Professor of Obstetrics at the University of Rochester School of
Medicine and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.
19 months and still breastfeeding. I feel so lucky that I have such a great support system that has allowed me to go this long. And even though it will be coming to an end soon, it will always remain one of the greatest things I have ever done. I can't exactly explain why but it is.
While some may argue that breastfeeding and formula feeding are the same thing, I believe there are some distinct differences that make breastfeeding the best choice for me. This semester I wrote a paper titled "A Nutritional Overview of Breast Milk and the Breast Feeding Diet" and without copying and pasting the entire paper, I will share a few bits that stand out as important to me:
Fat intake in healthy adults should be around 20-35% of their diet but
with babies fat intake is a bit higher at around 40%. Babies who are
exclusively breastfed get all of their energy from this fat but as the
baby grows and adds solid foods to the diet their percentage of fat
will fall to within the average range. Fat provides the infant with the
fat-soluble vitamins as well as lipids and essential fatty acids (p.
41). One unique aspect of breast milk is that it provides the infant
with arachidonic (AA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA), two long-chain
polyunsaturated fats (LC-PUFA), in forms that are easily synthesized.
“Dietary LC-PUFA affects positively the growth and development of the
infant and ameliorates the visual and cognitive functions, particularly
in preterm infants” (Gil, Ramirez, & Gil, 2003, p. S31). Margaret
Lawson (2007) adds that “unmodified cow’s milk contains low levels of
LCP’s [LC-PUFA], and infants who are fed on unsupplemented formulas
have lower concentrations in nervous tissues” (p. 42).
In terms of other important nutrients, infant formulas tend to have
much higher quantities but this is because their components are not as
easily digested or absorbed as the components of human milk. With the
exception of Vitamin D, human milk provides infants with all of their
nutritional needs for at least the first six months of life. There are,
in fact, several components that are found naturally in breast milk but
are almost completely absent in cow’s milk or infant formulas, in
particular the antioxidants Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and
alpha-tocopherol as well as a variety of hormones and growth factors
which have beneficial effects on the infant’s growth (Hoppu et al.,
2005, p. 123). Breast milk is a complex substance containing over 300
different components many of whose functions are still unknown thus
making human milk impossible to completely replicate (Lawson, 2007, p.
43).
It is the last line of this paragraph that is most fundamental for me. Formula is a good food for babies. Babies who are formula fed will grow up to healthy, beautiful individuals but my own choice is to provide my babies with those components that can never be replicated. Those components that are unique to human milk, milk that is designed for human babies.
So, why celebrate breastfeeding? I don't believe that World Breastfeeding Week is intended to compare breast milk and formula. The above information is my own standpoint. WBW is about continuing the work that has been made in enabling and empowering women to breastfeed. It is most definitely a women's choice to breastfeed but it should be an informed choice and access to that information and support should be provided to everyone. In our developed countries, the choice is not as crucial. We do not need to worry as much about the quality of water that goes into our formulas or a high risk of infectious diseases but there are many around the world who are not as fortunate. La Leche League defines World Breastfeeding Week as the celebration of the Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, Promotion, and Support of Breastfeeding. This declaration was created in 1990 when breastfeeding was much further from the public eye. If it seems that breastfeeding is everywhere now and maybe even be becoming trendy, it is only because of the hard work and effort that has been made in increasing the publics awareness. 10, 20, or 30 years ago things were very different. I am happy that the playing field is starting to level out allowing women to make a fair, informed, and supported choice whether they choose to breastfeed or formula feed.
And while I believe that breast milk is the best for a baby, the BEST thing for a baby is a happy and relaxed mom. Mothers who feel confident and happy about the choices they make will provide more for the baby no matter the type of food.
