10 scientific studies to promote breastfeeding.

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1. Breastfeeding: Why doctors are so wrong about solids

14 August 2008

Doctors are keen to introduce solids as early as possible as a supplement to

breast feeding and they couldnt be more wrong.

 

Babies who are exclusively breastfed for the first three months at least and

sometimes for the first 12 months have better cognitive abilities and general

intelligence by the time they are six.

 

Compared with children who were fed solids early on, breastfed babies registered

far higher scores for verbal IQ, performance IQ and general IQ when they were

tested at six-and-a-half years. 

 

Researchers made the discovery when they assessed the cognitive development of

13,889 children who were exclusively breastfed for a prolonged period.

 

(Source: Archives of General Psychiatry, 2008; 65: 578-84).

 

 

2. Exclusive breast feeding can curb non insulin diabetes

01 September 1997

 

Breastfeeding could provide protection against non insulin dependent diabetes

(NIDDM), researchers believe. Babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first

two months of life have a far lower rate of NIDDM than those also given cow's

milk formula.

Other research had found that insulindependent diabetes was linked to an early

exposure to cow's milk, but the role of breastfeeding as a protective agent

against NIDDM had never been explored.

Researchers from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney

Diseases in Phoenix, Arizona studied 720 Pima Indians, a group with a high

prevalence of NIDDM, and found that the group that was exclusively breastfed had

significantly lower rates of NIDDM (Lancet, 1997; 350: 166-8),

 

3. Diabetes: more on cow's milk

01 December 1996

 

The theory that diabetes is caused by a too early exposure to cow's milk usually

as a substitute for breast milk has been supported with a scientific explanation

as to why it might happen.

Scientists have discovered that the beta casein in cow's milk can trigger an

immune response which may, in turn, cross react with an antigen to cause an

allergic reaction.

They tested for antigen levels in 47 patients who had recently developed insulin

dependent diabetes, and compared them with 36 healthy people. Twenty four

diabetics tested positive for beta casein, against just one in the healthy

group, and there were no significant differences in other antigen levels.

 

These findings, by researchers at the University of Rome and St Bartholomew's

Hospital in London, give scientific credence to the " cow's milk hypothesis " , as

it is known. Several population studies have indicated that the risk of diabetes

when exposed to cow's milk in the first few months of life increases one and a

half times. This seems a low risk level if the latest findings are right. As all

the best research papers say, more research is needed and urgently (The Lancet,

1996; 348: 926-8).

 

A link between cow's milk and multiple sclerosis (MS) has been suggested by

Michel Odent and his Primal Health Research Centre. Early consumption of cow's

milk protein is a risk factor, he believes, while research from as long ago as

1974 indicated that cow's milk was the major determinant of MS. Dr Odent also

quotes the work of Professor Roy Zwank from Portland, Oregon, who has noted that

MS sufferers who consume less than 15 g of saturated fatty acids a day have no

relapse.

 

For more information on diabetes, see WDDTY vol 3, no 7 and vol 5, no 9.

 

!APrimal Health Research 1996; 4: 1-2.

 

4. Contraceptive effects of breast feeding?

01 November 1990

 

Scientists are now confirming what every great grandmother used to take for

granted namely, that breastfeeding both contributes to lower fertility and also

increases the birth interval.

A recent article in The Lancet alleges that breastfeeding provides more than a

98 per cent contraceptive effect in the first six months after birth. A maximum

birth spacing can be achieved when a mother solely or nearly solely breastfeeds

her baby and does not menstruate. This could provide an easy, nutritious and

cheap means of population control in third world countries, says a Lancet

noticeboard follow up.

 

5. Breastfeeding helps prevent childhood obesity

01 July 2001

 

New research examining the relationship between infant feeding and childhood

obesity suggests that breastfeeding may have a protective effect.

Using data from approximately 15,000 participants in the Nurses Health Study II,

Harvard researchers found that those children who were exclusively or mostly fed

on breastmilk for the first six months of life had a significantly lower risk of

being overweight when they reached adolescence (ages 9-14 years) (J Am Med

Assoc, 2001; 285: 2461-67).

Another survey in the same journal failed to find such a strong association

between breastfeeding and obesity. However, the accompanying editorial noted

that this latter study may not be as conclusive since the size of the sample

population (2685 children) and the number of women who breastfed exclusively for

six months (31 per cent) were relatively small.

 

Also, this survey measured the effects on obesity at a younger age at three to

five years. The protective effect of breastfeeding, say the authors, may take

longer than that to become apparent (J Am Med Assoc, 2001; 285: 2453-60).

 

6.Breastfeeding: - It also protects against hypertension

 

Last week we mentioned that breastfeeding our babies was probably not such a bad

idea, especially as those who are introduced to cereals too early are more

likely to develop celiac disease.

Since then we've heard some more good news about breastfeeding (as though anyone

needed convincing). Researchers have found that babies who are exclusively

breastfed are protected from hypertension later in life. It's so protective that

it is equivalent to the elimination of salt from the diet and exercise in adult

life.

This new discovery was made by researchers who have analysed the health records

of 2,000 children participating in the European youth heart study.

 

7. Preemies reap benefits of breastmilk

01 April 2001

 

Babies born prematurely are at greater risk of heart disease in later life. But,

feeding them breastmilk rather than formula can substantially cut this risk.

To test the theory that breastmilk may have long term heart benefits,

researchers followed a group of 926 premature infants, who were fed either

banked breastmilk, preterm formula or standard formula.

Assessments made when the children were aged 13-16 years revealed that mean

blood pressure was significantly lower by more than 4 mmHg in those who received

the breastmilk. Among infants whose mother breastfed them in addition to the

prescribed diet, blood pressure was lower still in the banked milk group than in

the formula groups.

 

Results like this show the importance of taking in the bigger picture when it

comes to infant feeding. For instance, in this study, infants who were fed

synthetic milk grew faster than those fed on breastmilk. In the eyes of many

physicians, steady and significant weight gain is the single most important sign

of health in premature babies.

 

However, it is clear that other, less easily measurable factors are also

important.

 

Many hospitals still discourage mothers from holding their premature babies, let

alone breast feeding them. These may be practices based on outdated policies

rather than scientific evidence (Lancet, 2001; 357: 406-7, 413-9).

 

8. Breastfeeding: It’s not as bad as they say

08 November 2007

 

There seems to be a school of thought in medicine that just doesn’t like

breastfeeding.  Not exclusive breastfeeding, at any event, and certainly not

for any prolonged time.

As if to vindicate this stance, researchers have ‘proved’ that breastfeeding

doesn’t offer the child any protection against allergies and asthma in later

life.  Breastfeeding advocates have always claimed that this was one of its

many benefits.

Unfortunately, the data doesn’t support the researchers’ assertions.

This ‘new’ study is, in fact, quite an old study that was carried out six

years ago, in 2001.  And the aim of the original research had nothing to do

with asthma or allergy.  It set out to discover whether gastrointestinal

infection could be reduced by breastfeeding. 

Somehow this same data was this year dressed up with the new title ‘Effect of

prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding on risk of allergy and asthma’.

We wonder why?

(Source: British Medical Journal, 2007; 335: 899).

 

 

9. Breastfeeding: breastfeeding: - Why more new mums don't do it

 

It's Breastfeeding Awareness Week in Britain, as if we should need reminding

that breast is best for baby. The statistics suggest we do. At birth, 69 per

cent of babies born in the UK are being breastfed, but this drops to just 55 per

cent after one week, and by six weeks to just 42 per cent.

The problem is certainly cultural, but it's also hormonal. WDDTY panelist and

natural birth pioneer Dr Michel Odent explains that a natural birth is vital for

the release of hormones that allow breastfeeding to begin. For example, a woman

in labour releases endorphin that, in turn, helps the generation of prolactin,

which begins the cycle of milk production. This process can be stopped, or

slowed, by any interference to the natural birth process. Even pharmaceutical

drugs can affect the delicate balance.

It's no accident, he says, that countries with a high caesarean rate also have a

low breastfeeding rate. In the UK, caesarean rates have increased slightly to 23

per cent, according to the latest NHS statistics for 2003. One in eight women

had 'instrumental deliveries', such as the use of forceps or vacuum extraction,

and just 46 per cent of women had a normal delivery.

It's interesting to note that the 42 per cent of women who persist with

breastfeeding equates to the 46 per cent who had a normal delivery.

 

10. Breastfeeding for the brainier

01 January 1995

 

Further proof that breast is best comes from researchers who have discovered

that breastfed babies enjoy a slight advantage in their neurological development

than babies given formula milk.

The critical period seems to be the first three weeks of life when breast milk

can be particularly beneficial. It can be especially crucial in helping the

development of a child slightly disadvantaged neurologically at birth.

A study team from the University Hospital at Groningen in the Netherlands

studied 135 breast fed children and 391 fed on formula nine years later.

 

The researchers, led by Dr C I Lanting, believe that polyunsaturated fats found

in breast milk may have a role in brain development (The Lancet, 12 November

1994).

 

Breastfeeding offers a baby natural immunity against many life threatening

illnesses, The Lancet says in an editorial. Despite this, many mothers are still

discouraged from breastfeeding and are not given the support they need in the

early stages.

 

!AThe Lancet, 5 November 1994.

 

" It is now 30 years since I have been confining myself to the treatment

ofchronic diseases. During those 30 years I have run against so many histories

of littlechildren who had never seen a sick day until they were vaccinated and

who, in the severalyears that have followed, have never seen a well day since. I

couldn't put my finger onthe disease they have. They just weren't strong. Their

resistance was gone. They wereperfectly well before they were vaccinated. They

have never been well since. " ---Dr. William Howard Hay

 

 

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