...provides ideal nourishment and a special bonding experience that nursing mothers cherish. There are many benefits that come with breast feeding. First, it provides natural antibodies that help your baby resist illnesses, such as ear infections, sore throats etc. Secretory immunoglobulin is a substance that works as the main immune factor. This substance guards against invading germs by forming a protective layer on the mucous membranes in your baby’s intestines, nose and throat (Baby, 1997). Second, it is usually more easily digested than formula. Babies that are breast fed are usually less constipated and gassy. I work with infants, and the bowel movements of the breast...
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...Designed by nature, human milk has properties that are specially fitted to fulfill the nutritional needs of neonates. Ever since the first studies on breastfeeding were published, the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics have been modeled after their glowing findings. Yet, breastfeeding remains a contentious health issue in the United States, with most mothers choosing to formula feed their infants. Researchers and nutritionists alike point to breast feeding's unique chemical blend of nutrients – the optimal amount of carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, medium-chain triglycerides, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and cholesterol – which separate it from formula feeding as the ideal food for infants. Beginning with the essence of our makeup, the protein found in human milk has anti-infection properties. It comes in two kinds – whey comprises sixty percent; casein makes up the remaining forty percent. Such a balance of proteins allows for simple, fast digestion for infants. Of this whey majority, lactoferrin prevents the growth of iron-dependent bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Secretory IgA and immunoglobulins both work to protect the infant from viral and bacterial infections, such as E. Coli and allergies. Likewise protecting against E.Coli and Salmonella, the enzyme Lysozyme has anti-inflammatory properties that promote the growth...
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...Benefits of Breast Feeding Past the Age of One Name: Institution: Introduction Human milk serves as an ideal food for infants because of its nutritional composition. It also contains factors that boost the immunity of the infant to infections and it is less likely to cause allergic reactions (Shelov & American Academy of Pediatrics, 1991). Approximately, nursing mothers breastfeed 44 percent of infants at birth in the U.S. By 6 months, only 11 percent of infants are receiving breast milk and only 2 percent infants get breast milk by age of one. These figures show a decline in the numbers of breastfeeding mothers. This can be attributed to lack of proper knowledge to help them appreciate breastfeeding past the age of three. There are benefits of breastfeeding an infant, both to the mother and infant and indirectly to the economy of a country or state. Human milk In the first year of life, the mother's milk should keep on being the key source of food and should at least give between one third and one half of the average total energy intake. Nursing mothers should consider this especially towards the end of 24 months of life (Michaelsen & World Health Organization, 2000). Major ingredients of human milk are sugar (lactose), easily digestible protein (casein and whey), and fat (digestible fatty acids), and breast milk has properly balanced constituents to suit the nutritional requirements of the baby. In addition, there are numerous vitamins, enzymes...
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...Viresh Gulati - Diary Entry BEHS 343 Section 6381 You are expecting your first child and are interested in breastfeeding your baby. You would also like to return to work relatively soon. You have to decide how valuable breastfeeding is and whether you can work and breastfeed. The scenario is not true for me in real life since I have three kids, but was a concern when we were having our first child 14 years ago. June 7, 2015 We are expecting our first child! This is a very exciting and happy time of our lives and we can hardly wait to hold our little bundle of joy. But there is a lot to prepare and plan before the arrival of our baby. We have to paint and decorate the baby’s room, register for the baby shower and outline a plan of who will be taking care of the baby when we are back at work. And thinking of going back to work brings a very significant question to mind - are we going to breastfeed the baby or use formula? In my class “Parenting Today” I have read that breastfeeding an infant has a lot of health advantages. It helps protect babies against infectious diseases by strengthening their immune system. The advantages of breastfeeding are numerous, both for the baby as well as for the mother. Studies have shown that breastfeeding promotes the development of mother-child relationship. Research has proved that breastfed babies have healthier immune systems to fight infections; they are less likely to develop childhood obesity and the problems associated with it; they...
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...Breastfeeding in public tends to be controversial. I don’t know about anyone else but I would rather have a calm, breastfeeding baby than a screaming, hungry baby while I’m eating dinner. Many public companies have tried to please their employees by trying to move nursing mothers into restrooms or dressing rooms. I have never seen a public restroom that I would feed a baby in. And I would hate to think a new mother is cooped up inside because she would be afraid that her baby would get hungry while she is gone. Breastfeeding mothers and their babies shouldn’t feel like they are trapped in their house, but every mother should remember that she is feeding her baby and that she is not doing anything wrong. Even though it may seem taboo in some...
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...make to that question is one of the first and probably the most significant decisions you will make as a new parent. Breastfeeding takes some time to learn for both you and your infant but is definitely worth the effort and time. Your choice to breast feed your newborn infant will affect his or her whole life, from birth throughout his or her adult life. There is no question that a mother truly wants the best for her children from the time they learn they are expecting their new bundle of joy. Breast milk has the perfect combination of proteins, fats, vitamins, and carbohydrates your infant needs. Breast milk is far more than good food. It is a living fluid that protects your infant from disease and actively contributes to the development of your infant. As mentioned by Arsenault (2011) breast milk not only provides the nutrition your infant needs but it also provides protection by supplying your infant his or her first antibodies and immunities. Breast milk aids in protecting infants against infection and disease. According to the La Leche League International (LLL) (2004) Infant mortality rates are higher among artificially fed infants, even in places where everyone has access to safe water and good medical care. Morbidity rates- how often babies get sick- are also higher among artificially fed infants in both the developed and the developing world. Breastfeeding is critical to infant survival and developing countries, and it plays a significant role in keeping babies health...
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...Breastfeeding is the Best Way to Feed Raquel McWhite South University Online Breastfeeding is the Best Way to Feed Here comes the nurse with the new mother’s baby, she gently places her bundle of joy in her arms. As the mother gives her new pride and joy a sweet kiss on the forehead, all the baby can think is FEED ME LADY! What is a woman to do? Does she pull her breast out and prepare to feed her child, or does she simply tell the nurse she needs some formula. Breastfeeding will be the way she chooses to go. Breastfeeding is the best choice a mother can make for her newborn, there is benefits for her child, herself and society. When it comes to breastfeeding there are so many benefits, especially for the infant. When reading the article Passport to Wellness: Breastfeeding is the Best Feeding, the author Medlock states, “The first concern of a mother is the health of her newborn baby. But how can a mother ensure her child will be the healthiest possible? The answer: breast milk.” (Medlock, 2013, para. 2) A female’s priorities changes once she becomes a mother, her new focus is now on her child and what is best for him or her. Being that breast milk is the healthiest form of food for the infant, it is one of the easiest ways to get your child off on the right start. “Breast milk is a unique nutritional source that cannot adequately be replaced by any other food, including infant formula. Although pollutants can accumulate in breast milk, it remains superior to...
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...Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding and I definitely agree. Research has found numerous benefits for you and baby. First, I would like to go over benefits for you, mom. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer. The Cancer Research UK conducted a study and the results show the risk of breast cancer is reduced by 7% for each baby a woman has. For every twelve months she breastfeeds she decreases the risk by a further 4.3%. (Woodman) Also, breastfeeding helps shrink the uterus to its pre-pregnancy size after delivery. While breastfeeding, your body releases a hormone called oxytocin. This hormone is the worker for shrinking the uterus among other things. With the shrinking of the uterus, you reduce your risk of severe uterine bleeding. Another plus to breastfeeding that any woman would look forward to is losing that baby weight. Breastfeeding moms lose more fat in the first month postpartum when compared to formula feeding moms. (7 ways breastfeeding benefits mothers) Furthermore, an obvious benefit is it does not cost as much as buying formula. It is recommended that breastfeeding moms take in extra calories to compensate for losing them during breastfeeding therefore, your grocery bill may cost a little extra but not as much as formula would cost you. Also, breastfeeding is the one parenting behavior that only you can do for your baby, creating an irreplaceable emotional connection. It is a wonderful feeling. On the other hand, there are even more benefits for...
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...Health Campaign: Breastfeeding Kona Necklen HCS 535 September 16, 2013 Instructor: Qiana Amos Health Campaign: Breastfeeding Breastfeeding, a topic not so popular twenty years ago, is becoming the subject of today’s healthy lifestyle. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), 69.2% of adults over the age of 20 are overweight including obesity from 2009 to 2010. Eighteen percent of children ages six to 19 years are obese as well and has become a major health concern (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Chronic diseases are also an issue with one in two adults having at least one chronic health condition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). To reduce the obesity rates and chronic diseases for the future generation, promoting a healthy lifestyle from childhood years is highly recommended. This report reviews the importance of breastfeeding, Minnesota’s health themes for 2020, the different agencies and surveillance systems involved in addressing these issues, and the type of data used. Health Issue: Breastfeeding Healthy Minnesota 2020 The health assessment for Minnesota recognizes a healthy start early in life. The themes for Healthy Minnesota 2020 to promote health are: * “Capitalize on the opportunity to influence health in early childhood” (MDH, 2012, p.11) * “Assure that the opportunity to be healthy is available everywhere and for everyone” (MDH, 2012, p. 11) * “Strengthen communities...
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...Thesis statement: Research shows that breastfeeding is the best choice over formula because breastfeeding provides the infant with essential nutrients, helps with recovery from childbirth, and protects the infant against a number of chronic conditions. Annotated bibliography Baumgartel, K. L., & Spatz, D. L. (2013). WIC (The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children): Policy versus practice regarding breastfeeding. Nursing Outlook, 61(6). 10.1016/j.outlook.2013.05.010 This article addresses the discrepancy of policy versus practice in the government subsidized program WIC. This article shows how even though the program is meant to support at risk mothers in breastfeeding, the numbers prove that a majority of their budget is spent on formula expenses. Very little of the budget is actually allocated to breastfeeding initiatives. The American Academy of Nursing members create and execute policy related initiatives to reform the American Health system. The academy has more than 2,400 members and is the established leaders in practice and research. They are advocates in healthcare policy making in Washington DC. This source will be relevant to the research paper because it will provide examples of the lack of funding for education and for initiatives for breastfeeding awareness and support, especially for the at risk population. Gianni, M. L., Roggero, P., Morlacchi, L., Garavaglia, E., & Piemontese, P. (2012)...
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...What are the Benefits of Extended Breastfeeding? Researched Evidence that Identifies Benefits of Breastfeeding to the Child, the Mother, and the Entire Family What are the Benefits of Extended Breastfeeding? Throughout most of human history, breast milk has been the one food that infants have thrived on. Breastfeeding is recognized throughout the world as the preferred method of feeding infants due to its health benefits and nutritional quality. Recommendations by leading health organizations echo the importance of breastfeeding by setting forth guidelines. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,” breastfeeding should be continued for the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child” (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2005). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding infants for a minimum of six months, with added benefits when breastfeeding continues for more than a year. Their overall opinion is that the greatest health benefits occur when it is done for one or two years (Ryan, 2012). The United States national health objective, Healthy People 2010, set a goal to increase the number of women who breastfeed for at least six months to 50 %, focusing specifically on low-income women (Pugh et al., 2002). This research paper will look into the many benefits associated with breastfeeding for at least six months. First, what added health benefits does the infant receive if they...
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...The Physical and Psychological Impact of Breastfeeding on Mothers and Infants Although breastfeeding is older than civilization itself, it is very much a delicate topic in this country. We often hear magazines, news anchors, medical professionals, and all kinds of people comment on how much better breastfeeding is for an infant’s immune system, but these same people turn around and run breastfeeding through the gauntlet of public opinion and societal norms. It is common for mothers who bottle feed to be shamed while mothers who breastfeed are shamed for when and how they choose to do it (Jansen and de Worth, 2008). Such a normal, necessary thing, but our society is still fiercely debating about appropriateness of public breastfeeding, the superiority of it compared to bottle feeding and the tangible, provable impacts of it on child development. The way our society views breastfeeding is directly reflective of the psychology of America and often factors into whether a woman decides to breastfeed. Unfortunately, this psychology also results in ignorance about the true, full scope of breastfeeding benefits and how those benefits extend beyond just improved immune systems for the infants and accelerated loss of baby weight for the moms. Breastfeeding has a broad impact on the physical and mental/emotional development of both babies and nursing mothers. The impact of breastfeeding on physical development covers a wide range of effects, with the ...
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...Breastfeeding The International Council of Nurses (ICN) considers that breast milk is the food of choice for infants and that as a general principle; exclusive breastfeeding should be protected, promoted and supported for the duration of six months as a global public health recommendation. ICN supports efforts to promote adoption of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) to ensure that all maternities become centers of breastfeeding support (www.icn.ch/pu). ICN holds the mother’s right to make an informed choice about infant feeding. This includes providing information, counseling and guidance to all HIV infected mothers about the risks and benefits of feeding options most suitable for their situation, in line with those recommended in the UNICEF/UNAIDS/WHO guidelines (www.icn.ch/pu). Furthermore, ICN supports the revised International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 183 on maternity protection. ICN concurs that it is the right of all working women, including those in the informal sector, to have paid daily breaks or a daily reduction of hours of work when breastfeeding a child, and to have hygienic facilities at or near the workplace (www.icn.ch/pu). The ICN’s position is that infants who are breastfed have fewer illnesses and are better nourished than those who are fed other drinks and foods. It is estimated that 1.5 million infant lives would be saved, and the health and development of millions of others would be greatly improved, if exclusive breastfeeding...
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...Breastfeeding – no introduction necessary The focus of this review paper is on presenting and substantiating common knowledge and beliefs with scientific research and facts to demonstrate the advantages of breast milk feeding in early stages of human life and in years that follow. Discussion of non-scientific, i.e. social, economic, etc., aspects of breastfeeding will be limited, with primary focus given to human health outcomes for infants and mothers. The structure of this paper is decisively unconventional: where the author has chosen to discuss the body of common knowledge about breastfeeding before delving into the scientific research review. The intention is to draw the readers’ attention to the vast body of proven and observed advantages of breastfeeding for infant and mothers. Breastfeeding advantages – more than just food Breastfeeding is a natural process. Throughout human history breastfeeding was, and in many places around the world still is, a means to a healthy start to a human life. With the development of baby formula, and its availability, and relatively low cost, breastfeeding is now commonly thought to be a choice in the developed world. No longer a means to survival, no longer a requirement. To some, the advent of the baby formula is a direct form of feminine liberation. To others, baby formula is a necessity for medical or circumstantial reasons that are not driven by the freedom of choice. Those that choose the formula under pretenses other than necessity...
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...Breastfeeding Dr. Frank Oski proposed, “Imagine that the world had created a new 'dream product' to feed and immunize everyone born on earth. Imagine also that it was available everywhere, required no storage or delivery, and helped mothers plan their families and reduce the risk of cancer. Then imagine that the world refused to use it.” The ‘dream product’ is breastmilk. Breastfeeding is an instinctive act for a newborn and provides them the nutrition to survive. Expecting parents ask themselves many questions, including are we going to nurse? Breastfeeding is the best, most natural interaction and should seriously be considered by all new parents. There are numerous immediate and long term health benefits for both mother and baby....
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