The American Academy of Pediatrics states that breastmilk is the food of choice for all infants regardless of their gestational age or health--with rare exceptions. World organizations such as UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO and UNFPA all acknowledge breastfeeding as crucial to infant and child health. Other associations and groups, such as the National Asso. of Pediatric Nurse Associates and the American Academy of Family Physicians also identify breastfeeding and human breastmilk as superior to any artificial feeding method.
>Does where you live have an affect on if you breastfeed? It appears so. According to surveys categorized by U.S. census regions, breastfeeding initiation rates differ quite a bit in different areas of the country.
And the U.S. differs quite a bit from world rates. Forty-eight countries of the world have breastfeeding initiation rates of 95% or higher, while only 67% of the mothers in the U.S. start off breastfeeding. 70% of those quit before the baby is 6 months old and 83% of American children are fully weaned before their first birthdays.
Breastfeeding benefits the mother as well. In addition, compared to breastfed babies, artificially-fed babies have higher incidences of:
There are over 200 known components to breastmilk.
Disclaimer:I am not a physician and the content on this page is not intended to diagnose or treat. It is merely information I have picked up and would like to share with others. Please see a physician or certified Lactation Consultant for help with specific problems.
{Information Taken from Breastfeeding At A Glance. Platypus Media. April 2002.}
Breastfeeding is good for the environment!
Each year in the U.S., over 500,000 women formula-feed their babies from birth. If these women were to breastfeed for one full year (with solids introduced after six months) these resources would be saved:
How much is Breastmilk worth?
Just because it's free to make doesn't mean it isn't worth anything, especially if you are one of the unfortunate few who must purchase breastmilk for your baby. There are five U.S. milk banks that currently supply over 300,000 ounces of donated, pasteurized milk annually--primarily to babies who cannot tolerate anything else. The cost is $3.50 an oz. for processing and shipping. Feeding a baby on donor milk for the first year would cost over $40,000!
Breastfeeding benefits everyone!
It:
Breastfeeding:
Breastmilk is a perfect food.
While formula contains some of the same things as breastmilk, such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins, the bioavailability (the amount of a nutrient the body an actually absorb) of these nutrients varies considerably. Human babies can absorb 67% of the calcium in breastmilk compared to only 25% of the calcium in cow's milk (which is the foundation of most formulas). Worried your baby might become iron-deficient without formula? Human infants can absorb up to 50% of the iron in human milk, compared to 10% of the iron in cow's milk and 4% of the iron in iron-fortified formulas. The high lactose and vitamin C levels in breastmilk facilitate iron absorption.
