Should Mothers Breastfeed or Use Formula? SixWise.com Readers Respond!
by www.SixWise.com
Reader feedback to the SixWise.com article Should
New Mothers Breastfeed or Be Encouraged to Give Infants Formula?
from 8/31/05 was overwhelming and pointed to one definite
conclusion: the battle lines are clearly drawn, with the infant
formula manufacturers on one side promoting the benefits and
sale of their product, and virtually everyone from mothers
to independent health experts on the other side advocating
the extreme importance of breastfeeding.
Some responses were completely opposed to formula: "Definitely
should breastfeed! No formula at all."
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"Breast is best ! No formula made can come close
to what your body makes for your baby." - SixWise.com
Reader Marsha Doula
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Some reiterated that there are circumstances where formula
is necessary: "Breast is Best! Unless allergies are involved,
go for the breast."
Others made their point with some succinct humor: "Mothers
milk is made for their babies. Cows milk is made for calves,
goat milk is for their kids and soybean milk is made for ???"
Considering and discussing these issues and, if you believe
it is important enough, sharing your thoughts with others,
is how the seeds of change are sown. So thank you to ALL who
took the time to share their thoughts; if you know of anyone
who could benefit from the article above and these comments,
please pass it on to them as well!
While we could not possibly reprint all the comments we received
- and there were MANY excellent ones -- here is just a sampling
that you may find interesting.
Breastfeeding Vs. Formula: SixWise.com
Reader's Respond
I believe the benefits of breastfeeding, for the mother and
child, far outweigh those of bottle-feeding. My
daughter, who breastfed the longest, (exactly 3 yrs) is the
healthiest and happiest of my 3 children. My other
2 children went about 21 months. We saved $ and my children
rarely went to a doctor, except for well check-ups.
-- Cynthia Lara Rosenberg, TX
Of course mothers should breast feed if they are able - this
IS the natural way to feed a baby. Formulas
can never compete as they are full of chemicals and synthetic
materials and therefore harmful to the infant.
-- Colin Bishop, Natural Therapist, Queensland,
Australia
I definitely feel babies should be breastfed for as long
as possible (I (nursed beyond age four). Not only is it nutritionally
superior to formula, breastfeeding provides for a bonding
experience between mother and baby that benefits both in ways
we cannot fully measure. The emotional
attachment benefits are probably the biggest reason to encourage
women to choose breast-feeding.
-- Carol Leeson, West Chester, PA
Infant formula is a very poor second
best! There are a very few true contraindications and convenience
is NOT one. Even if you can breast feed for only a
couple months, mother and baby are greatly benefited. I had
6 children and nursed the first 5. My 6th was Rh positive
and I negative and had built up antibodies to her. Now there
is a treatment so that is not a problem. Besides being a mother,
I am a physician, MD, and have helped many mothers breast
feed.
-- Sara Reynolds, M.D.
I breastfed my baby as I believe all mothers should. There
needs to be more awareness to moms to be on the importance
of this subject and unfortunately, doctors
and the government and of course the formula companies once
again are profiting by keeping women and society in the dark
at the expense of our children.
-- Nadine M. Castonguay, Wethersfield, Connecticut
Human beings are the only animals that can tolerate non-species
specific milk and live. Infant formula does not have consciousness
- it does not have life - it is a dead substance pumped up
with vitamins. Of course mothers should be breastfeeding their
infants and hospital policies should be mandated to support
that. The first hour after birth (as
long as mom and baby are ok) should be uninterrupted skin-to-skin
contact between mom and baby - this facilitates ease of nursing
and connecting and will eliminate 75% of all breastfeeding
problems. Breastfeeding gives your children benefits
into adulthood with decreased heart disease and adult onset
diabetes among other things. It is the best gift you can give
your child and the first of many partnerships.
-- Amy Mager, Northampton, MA
Formula is an excellent substitute.
Not all mothers are able to breastfeed for a variety of reasons
and should feel no guilt for their choice. Furthermore, formula
was given to previous generations and most have lived relatively
healthy lives. It should be tailored for the families needs
in our modern world.
-- Anonymous
This is a great article! Thank you very much for taking the
time to put the information together. I will make sure all
of my patients and their family members get this great specific
scientific information on how the body
is still superior to anything man could think of making!
-- Dr. Lewis Misinay D.C.
Mothers should breastfeed and avoid commercial formulas altogether.
Early exposure to commercial formulas
sensitize babies resulting in a greater occurrence of lactose
intolerance and other food sensitivities. Breast fed
babies also have less occurrence of colds and other infections,
and are less likely to have weight problems when they get
older. Breast milk has antibodies that are crucial for the
baby that are not available in formulas. Mother and baby also
form a closer bond than with bottle-feeding.
-- Deb NS, Canada
If at all possible I think all newborns should be breastfed.
What a rewarding experience it was for me. I bonded more with
my breastfed baby and I noticed that he also has had much
less colds or sickness in general compared to the one I did
not breastfeed. They are both grown now and I feel that just
as the Lord made us to give life, our bodies are made to sustain
life.
-- Anonymous
Hmmm, wonder what our foremothers would think of this question?
Breastfeeding my three children was the gift only I could
give them and they were worth all the time, and sometimes
agony (sore nipples). Besides, the cost of diapers was enough!
Why pay for formula and bottles when
I had all the equipment for free! Yes, mothers should
experience the joy of breastfeeding their newborns, and get
support from nurses and family that it is ok to be "nature-al".
-- Mary Hayes, Mount Vernon, Ohio
Yes mothers should breastfeed their newborns. I breastfed
two children exclusively, one for a year, one for nine months.
They are now 15 and 13 respectively, and both are very healthy
individuals, who have never had a weight problem. Neither
had more than just a few ear infections when they were younger,
far fewer than their peers. In Canada
maternity leave is a year long, so mothers can devote more
time to breastfeeding their children. It is a fantastic
experience, and develops a very strong bond between mother
and baby.
-- Ruth, Ontario, Canada
Mothers should always be encouraged to breastfeed their babies
as long as they are able, unless there
are special circumstances that would prove it unsafe or unwise
for either the mother or the child.
-- Anonymous
I have breastfed 5 children (19, 17, 16, 5, and 23 months)
without supplementation of formula. The first 3 for a year
and the last 2 over 16 months. All had fewer infant colds.
The first 3 are top in their class at school. All have healthy
digestive systems. I have an incredible bond with all of them.
Nursing helped me nurture them in a way that nothing else
could and comfort them instantly. Sometimes
it was a tough start but I highly encourage a new mom to stick
with it for at least 2 months before even considering quitting,
if things are not working out. All of my children went
from breast to sippy cup very easily as well. Not only is
breast feeding convenient, but an added bonus was how much
money I saved.
-- Lu Jacobs Fairfield, CA
I do not at all understand why anything other than breastfeeding
would be considered. Are we such an
arrogant generation that we think we can improve upon Mother
Nature? This attitude is causing most of the health problems
in our country. We succumb to mass advertising of artificial,
mass produced food, void of nutrition, and then wonder why
we have rising incidents of heart disease, cancer, diabetes,
and a host of other degenerative diseases. If we all returned
to eating foods that we evolved on (organically produced whole
foods, free range meats, raw, unpasteurized, unhomogenized
full fat dairy, and fermented foods) and avoid refined processed
foods, we would very quickly see the health crisis wee face
in this country reversed. Again, why consider anything other
than breastfeeding?
-- Dwight Strickler Fairfax, VA
Definitely breastfeeding except where it is impossible to
do so (ex, chemotherapy). Breastfeeding has been such a positive
experience for both me & my son. It has helped with PPD,
losing weight, less bleeding, etc. It is less time consuming,
free & creates a bond between a child & their mother
like no regular bottle can ever do. Breast
is Best!
-- Anonymous
Breast milk is best -- why else would
women have been given such a fabulous way of feeding their
children?
-- C. Gentry, Indiana
Infant formula is NOT okay. We are raising generations of
compromised humans from getting them off to the wrong start
with formula. Your positioning on the benefits of breastfeeding
was interesting . . . but since breastmilk is the NORM for
our species, it is better said that formula is damaging. Formula
causes: An increased risk of infectious diseases including
bacterial meningitis, bacteremia, diarrhea, respiratory tract
infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, otitis media, urinary
tract infection and late-onset sepsis in preterm infants.
Formula causes: A 21 percent higher risk of dying after the
first month of birth. Formula feeding causes: A higher risk
of sudden infant death syndrome in the first year of life.
Formula causes: Higher rates of type 1 and 2 diabetes, higher
rates of lymphoma, higher rates of leukemia, Hodgkin disease,
overweight and obesity, increased incidences of high cholesterol
and asthma in adulthood. Formula causes: Decreased cognitive
development. Formula provides: No analgesia to infants during
painful procedures like a heel-stick for newborn screenings.
We have been made critically aware of the dangers of smoking.
We are aware of the dangers of microwaved plastics and pesticide
exposures. It is time the United States
government stopped bowing down to the manufacturers of human
milk substitute and put *warning labels* on all of the products
and advertisements. The public needs to know the truth.
Only then can mothers make truly informed decisions.
-- Anonymous
Breast milk requires 60% more effort to extract and is pre-digested.
So a bottle-fed baby gets more exercise
and uses less energy digesting and sleeping to recover from
it, spending more time upright and alertly taking in
the 360-degree world.
Breast milk varies in composition during each day as well
as over the entire breast-feeding cycle through weaning. A
baby receives, at the exact correct time, the exact best amount
and composition of nutrition needed for the fast-developing
brain and nervous system. Calves' nutrition, on the other
hand, is designed for quickly developing long, strong bones.
Breast milk is vibrant and many-layered, an integral part
of a baby's digestive tract. It is live, raw, custom food,
including antibodies protecting against infectious threats
in the nearby environment. Formula is a pale shadow of the
real thing, attempting only a fraction of what a nursing child
is designed to need from the nursing experience.
Babies nurse for reasons other than nutrition: "The
babe can't say, and the man can't remember." Along with
excellent facial and bone structure, and good health, they
develop a lack of fear, in its stead, comfort and confidence
in self, mother, family, then the world.
Yes, formula and its application will keep most babies alive.
However, they will be less likely to thrive long-term, mentally,
physically, and emotionally. Some parts of them will still
be waiting for the intended fulfillment, waiting for content
from the multi-faceted experience nature intended, the solid
foundation their breast-fed peers have gone through and stand
on to become solid adults.
Breast-feeding is natural. This does not mean there are no
obstacles to overcome, or that your doctor is the person who
has the experience or knowledge to help overcome them. Breastfeeding
may not be practical in the family schedule, but then babies
are not generally practical in the short-term. They are, however,
very cute.
-- Jae Asancheyev, St. Paul, MN
... I am the blessed mother of 5 children. I have breastfed
all of them for various lengths of time. The first one was
breastfed until 12 months, second was until 13 months (with
no other food or drinks until after 9 months), the third child
was nursed until she was 14 months. My other two were nursed
longer. My fourth one until she was 2 years old (later only
at night to go to sleep) and my 5th until he was 4 yrs. old
(the last 2 years were just to get to sleep also).
I know that this was the best for my children and myself.
The children were all very healthy, happy and well adjusted
to life. There is a closeness that is developed between you
and your child through breastfeeding them and a satisfaction
to know that you are supplying to them the nutrients needed
and provided by the Creator Himself.
I always returned to my pre-pregnancy weight quickly and
I credit this to breastfeeding. I heard
a saying that I have always liked: "Breastfeeding is
fast food at two convenient locations!" It is
true that breastfeeding is so convenient. No bottles to fix,
no shortage of formula to deal with (let alone the high price).
Just what the baby needs, when they need it (and at the exact
temperature!)
I would encourage women to breastfeed their babies on demand
(they will only eat as much as they can hold), and God has
created our bodies to produce more as needed or less according
to the baby's needs so there is no need for concern that there
is not enough.
The mother needs to drink plenty of water when nursing (I
suggest aglass every time you sit to nurse) and just relax!!!
I hope this helps to encourage some of your readers to seriously
consider breastfeeding their children. It is a decision they
will not regret! Thank you for your newsletters.
Mrs. Becky Rhea, Lee, IL