Why Should You Breastfeed?
There Are Many Reasons to Nurse an Infant, and Few to Prohibit It
Sep 2, 2008
Contrary to popular opinion, there are few reasons why an infant cannot be breast fed. Breast milk is the preferred source of nutrition for all infants through the first six months of life, and most experts recommend breastfeeding an infant for at least the first year(1,2,3).
Babies who are exclusively formula-fed have a higher incidence of health problems than do infants who are breastfed. Surprisingly, in the US, exclusively formula-fed infants have a 21 percent higher mortality rate.
The Department of Health and Human Services, through its Healthy People 2010 initiative, has established the following goals for breastfeeding: 75 percent of all US mothers will attempt breastfeeding beginning at birth, 50 percent will continue breastfeeding through the first six months, and 25 percent will continue breastfeeding for one year after birth.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
Human milk is designed for human infants and is nutritionally superior to formulas. Through observational and clinical studies, breastfeeding has been strongly correlated with multiple health benefits for infants and mothers:
Immunologic Support and Disease Prevention
- Decreased risk of bacterial meningitis, sepsis, diarrhea, otitis media, respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, asthma, Hodgkin’s disease, leukemia, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, sudden infant death syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis, and diabetes (Types 1 and 2)
Developmental
- Improved outcomes for premature infants
Psychological
- Analgesic or comforting effects during painful procedures
Maternal Health
- Mothers who breastfeed experience decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, reduced postpartum bleeding, and earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight
Economic
- A projected $3.5 billion reduction in annual health care costs, including reduced hospitalization costs, public supplementation programs (such as WIC), and direct patient costs
Environmental
- Reduction in disposal of cans and bottles in public landfill sites
Contraindications to Breastfeeding
While most mothers of newborn infants can successfully breastfeed, there are a few contraindications to doing so. These include:
- Transmittable infections: HIV, active untreated tuberculosis, active herpes lesions on the breast
- Chemotherapy: Mothers who are receiving anti-metabolites or other chemotherapeutic agents should abstain from breastfeeding
- Radioactive isotopes: Mothers who are receiving therapeutic or diagnostic radioactive material should not breastfeed while exposed to these agents
- Illicit drugs: Mothers who are actively using street drugs should not breastfeed their infants
- Homozygous galactosemia: This genetic disorder prevents the complete breakdown of lactose (milk sugar); increasing levels of galactose lead to cirrhosis, kidney failure, and brain damage. Affected infants (about 1 in 50,000) must be fed a soy-based formula
Conditions Erroneously Believed to Prevent Breastfeeding
Widely-held beliefs often prevent a mother from breastfeeding her infant. While some conditions may make breastfeeding more difficult, it is almost always possible for mothers to successfully breastfeed when there are no contraindications. Conditions that do not preclude breastfeeding include:
- Breast implants
- Reduction mammoplasty (breast reduction)
- Mother is a hepatitis B or C carrier (infants should receive early immunization, but breastfeeding is encouraged)
- Hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice) in the infant
- Premature birth (mothers may have to pump breast milk until the infant is able to feed well, but a transition to breastfeeding is usually possible)
- Smoking (smokers should quit, if possible, but breastfeeding is not contraindicated)
- “Tongue-tied” infant (consultation with a lactation specialist may be required, but breastfeeding is possible)
- Mastitis (breast infection)
- Postpartum endometritis (uterine infection)
- Multiple births (though a mother with twins or other multiple births may have difficulty nursing, coaching and formula supplementation can help her succeed if that is her desire)
While many mothers may experience trouble with breastfeeding or have other valid reasons to avoid it, every mother should be encouraged to breastfeed her infant. With proper education and the use of available resources, nearly every woman can breastfeed her infant if she chooses.
1. American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics 2005; 115(2):496-506.
2. American Academy of Family Physicians. Breastfeeding (position paper).
3. Kramer MS, Kakuma R. Optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(1):CD003517.
