Now doctors at the UMHS are encouraging mothers to breast-feed their newborns through their first year of life, not only based on its initial health benefits to the child, but also due to the long-term impact it can have, including an increase in a child's cognitive development -- and a reduced risk for breast and perhaps uterine cancer in a mother, says Gary Freed, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Division of General Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatric and Communicable Disease at the UMHS.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that children receive breast milk for the first year of life. Breast-fed newborns tend to have a lower incidence of ear infections, respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, diarrheal illness, and a lower rate of hospitalization than children who are formula fed.

"We know in the first year of life, there's a tremendous protection against many infectious diseases," says Freed. "However, there's likely to be benefits that last 20, 30, or even 40 years because we know that organ development in infants has a big impact on how those organs function later in life."

Although it can be difficult to separate environmental and social influences from a child's cognitive development, there have been several recent and controlled studies demonstrating breast milk's long-term benefits. The studies, Freed says, have shown that breastfed children on average have a slightly higher I.Q. than formula-fed children.

But beyond its benefits to a child, breast-feeding can have a significant impact on a mother's health. Nursing mothers burn 500 more calories a day than women who are not pregnant or nursing, which works to speed up their weight loss after childbirth. Also, a baby's nursing causes a woman's uterus to contract and reduces blood flow after delivery and creates a lesser chance that she will later develop breast cancer or even uterine cancer.

The environment and a family's finances also reap the benefits of breast-feeding. When a mother chooses to breast-feed a child instead of using formula, there is not only a decrease in air, water and land pollution from the production of formula and its packaging, but a family also can save about $2,000 a year that would otherwise have been spent on formula.

Even in light of all of its health, environment and financial advantages, possibly one of the greatest benefits of breast-feeding is the connection that it creates between an infant and a mother, says Freed.

"People have been able to demonstrate the phenomenal bond that takes place between a mother and an infant throughout the process of nursing," says Freed. "There have been studies to show that the rates of child abuse are lower in women who breast-feed their babies -- both rates of abuse from the mom as well as rates of abuse from the dad."

Still, many moms worry breast-feeding excludes dad from helping with the baby. But according to Freed, that doesn't have to happen. Dads can play an important role in breast-feeding by providing support for mom and baby, and by participating in the feeding process by, for example, going to get the baby for nighttime feedings.

Cooperation from all members within a family can make all the difference when breast-feeding. Without proper support, some women can easily become discouraged and believe that they are just unable to breast-feed. But Freed warns that women shouldn't give in so soon to that common misconception.

"If a large proportion of women in our population couldn't breast-feed, then it's likely our species would have died out several thousand years ago when there were no human milk substitutes," says Freed.

In fact, only about 3 percent of the entire female population is unable to produce enough milk to support their children. Other women may just have difficulty breast-feeding as the result of a lack of proper instruction or support from health care professionals.

Of the estimated 50 percent of women in the United States who initiate breast-feeding, only 20 percent continue to breast-feed their babies after six months. This, Freed says, may be the result of some women having difficulty judging whether or not their baby is getting enough milk because they haven't received correct instructions on how to increase their milk supply, or learned how to make their bodies produce enough milk to nourish their infants.

"For something that's supposed to be so natural and so easy, it can be really tough to get it started and, a lot of times, people need some practical guidance and problem-solving advice from the medical profession," says Freed. "We all need to work together to help moms and dads make this as smooth and successful a process as possible."

The benefits of breast-feeding however, can be greatly altered if the mother ingests substances that can be potentially harmful to a baby, such as alcohol or nicotine products, which are transferred through breast milk.

When it comes to smoking, there can be a great risk to the baby's health. Using nicotine-containing products while nursing has many negative consequences and Freed strongly recommends that women not smoke if they are breast-feeding.

The use of herbal supplements also raises some concerns with breast-feeding. Since the concentrations of herbal products are not regulated, it has been difficult to determine the effects they may have on breast milk.

"Herbal medications, for the most part, are a black box," says Freed. "Because no studies have been done to determine the impact on babies for many of the herbal medications, we strongly feel that women should exercise significant caution in ingesting any medication, whether it be prescription, over-the-counter or herbal, while they're breast-feeding." He advises that women discuss these matters with their physician.

One thing that's not in doubt is the effect of a healthy diet. Nursing moms need to maintain a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, calcium, prenatal vitamins, and a minimal amount of caffeine, to produce enough milk for their babies.

Overall, Freed says, if a nursing mom is properly instructed and knows all of the precautions she should take, breast-feeding can be a rewarding and even relaxing experience.

Colleen Smyth, a nursing mom who got advice from U-M experts, recommends breast-feeding to all expectant moms because it will give them an opportunity every day to sit down and spend quality time with their babies.

"It's a very special time to bond with your baby and to look and see how much your baby has grown -- and you know that it's come from nature and your body," says Smyth. "It's just a rewarding, wonderful feeling."

Facts about breast-feeding:

· Only 50 percent of women in the United States initiate breastfeeding and only 20 percent continue to breastfeed their babies after six months.

· Breastfeeding provides infants superior nutrition and resistance to certain infections.

· Breast milk has been shown to increase brain and cognitive development in infants. It also can protect nursing mothers from breast or uterine cancer later in life.

· The majority of women can breastfeed with proper support and instruction from health care professionals.

· Nursing mothers should eat a well-balanced diet, including prenatal vitamins, and avoid the use of alcohol, nicotine, drugs, herbal medications and caffeine.

Related websites:

U-M Health Topics A - Z: Breastfeeding Benefits

U-M Health Topics A - Z: Nutrition and Breastfeeding

U-M Health Topics A - Z: Breastfeeding Preparation Class

U-M Health Topics A - Z: Breastfeeding and Work

U-M Health Topics A - Z: Preparing to Breastfeed

Parenting and Children's Health: Is Breastfeeding Best?

[Contact: Kara Gavin, Valerie Gliem ]

05-Mar-2001