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Most babies should breastfeed

Published Dec. 3, 1997, in the Herald-Journal.

Science that has sent a Sojourner to Mars and created a sheep named Dolly from
cloned cells, that has split atoms and helped one woman give birth to seven
babies at one time, has never been able to replicate it. And it hasn't been from
lack of trying. No matter what the commercial or scientific interests do, they
have not been able to create a substance that is anywhere near as good for
babies as what nature makes for them: breastmilk.

The American Academy of Pediatrics announced Monday that it now recommends that
the vast majority of infants be breastfed exclusively for the first six months
of their lives. It also recommends that breastfeeding continue, with
supplements, until a child is 1 year old.

The AAP work group on breastfeeding has studied the issue for quite a while, and
the new guidelines supercede those that were less definite in their approach.
This is part of what was issued Monday: "The AAP identifies breastfeeding as the
ideal method of feeding and nurturing infants and recognizes breastfeeding as
primary in achieving optimal infant and child health, growth and development."

But the report goes even further than that. It emphasizes rightly that the
benefits of breastfeeding extend to the infant, the mother and the nation.

"Extensive research, especially in recent years, documents diverse and
compelling advantages to infants, mothers, families and society from
breastfeeding and the use of human milk for infant feeding. These include
health, nutritional, immunologic, developmental, psychological, social, economic
and environmental benefits."

The academy calls on its constituency - pediatri-cians - to encourage
breastfeeding. But it will take more than doctors' recommendations to help
mothers start and continue breastfeeding.

Women's advocates are worried that the new recommendation would put more and
undue pressure on mothers, making them feel guilty if they are unable to
breastfeed. And that is likely true. But the real pressure should be on others.

Insurance companies should be pressured to cover the costs of breast-pump
rentals when mothers go back to work. Employers should be pressured to provide
safe and private places for employees to express milk along with a place to
store it.

It shouldn't just be new mothers who bear this burden, because as the AAP noted,
the benefits extend across society. Insurance companies pay out fewer claims on
babies who are breastfed for at least a year. Studies have documented that
breastfed babies get diarrhea less frequently and less severely. They get fewer
ear infections, respiratory infections, urinary tract infections. There are
fewer incidents of bacterial meningitis and botulism.

Some studies have shown that breastfed babies may be protected against lymphoma,
insulin-dependent diabetes, allergies and colitis. Breastfeeding may also help
prevent sudden infant death syndrome. And if all that were not enough, some
studies have suggested that breastfed children have enhanced cognitive
development.

Because of the protection and immunities that breastmilk affords children, their
parents need to take less time off from work to care for them. And, parents at
home with their children are able to pay more and better attention to all their
youngsters when one of the children isn't sick.

Another clear benefit is economic. In 1993, the cost of formula feeding one baby
was estimated at $855. The costs associated with breastfeeding - mainly higher
caloric intake for the mother - were estimated at $400, according to the AAP.

There is no reason why, with all of the information available on the benefits of
breastfeeding, that only 21.6 percent of mothers in this country should be
nursing their six-month old babies. As a society, we have to begin to consider
breastfeeding for the first year the norm. And, mothers should be given the
support they need to do the right thing. Nothing, nothing in a can will ever be
a worthy substitute.