The Benefits of Breast Feeding

[Gauracandra 1]

Here's an interesting article to consider.

 

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Two new studies add to the evidence that breast-fed infants may be less likely to become overweight later in childhood.

 

In a study by Harvard researchers, the longer infants were breast-fed, the less likely they were to be overweight in adolescence. In the second study, government researchers found that breast-fed infants tended to be leaner at ages 3 to 5 than formula-fed infants, but the duration of breast-feeding did not make much difference.

 

The studies, published in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, do not answer whether breast milk itself, the act of breast-feeding or socioeconomic and lifestyle traits in the infants' mothers might explain the results.

 

The government study also suggests that other factors, including the mother's weight, are much more important determinants of a child's weight. It found that children were three times more likely to be overweight if their mothers were overweight.

 

"Obesity tends to run in families," said Mary Hediger, a biologist at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and lead author of the study. "Whether or not that's modifiable by breast-feeding remains to be seen."

 

She said that higher-income, better-educated women are more likely to breast-feed and that overweight women are less likely to breast-feed than normal-weight women.

 

Her study is based on 1988-94 data from a nationally representative government survey. The researchers also interviewed the mothers of 2,685 children and gave the youngsters physical exams when they were ages 3 to 5.

 

Children who were breast-fed as infants were 16 percent less likely to be overweight.

 

The Harvard researchers questioned 15,341 children ages 9 to 14 and their mothers in 1996 and 1997. Youngsters who were breast-fed more than formula-fed were about 20 percent less likely to be overweight than children fed only or mostly formula. The link was weakened slightly when mothers' weight was factored in.

 

Lead author Dr. Matthew Gillman theorized that breast-fed babies learn to "self-regulate" food intake better than formula-fed infants because they may have better control over stopping feeding when they are full.

 

By contrast, parents who use formula may see an unfinished bottle and try to induce their infants to drink more, unwittingly encouraging them to ignore their bodies' own hunger cues. That could raise the risk of weight problems later on.

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies get only breast milk during their first six months, except in rare cases. After that, other foods may be introduced, but breast-feeding should continue at least until age 1, it said.

 

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. William Dietz of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the studies suggest that breast-feeding may offer at least some protection against obesity, an epidemic that requires urgent solutions.

 

Breast milk, "already acknowledged as the best food for infants," may provide a "low-cost, readily available strategy," Dietz said.

 

[JRdd 0]

Me again. Was woken up by neighbors and can't get back to sleep.

 

Breast feeding also gives the baby things to strengthen its immune system, and also protect it from getting sick. My baby, in her first year or so, was never sick that I can remember. But she was tenacious. I finally got her off at age three and a half. Too softhearted, I guess.

 

I don't beleive that cow's milk is good for babies. Also, breast milk is very thin (and sweet like it has been sugared), whereas cow's milk is fatty. No wonder those babies are more weighty.

 

For boys, if they are breast fed until age five they will not see breasts as sexual stimuli, but will, as Srila Prabhupada said, see, Oh this is mother.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

I have heard references from the Tamil writings that one should be breast fed until the age of 7. But I don't know much about this topic.

[atma 0]

test

[atma 0]

I don't know if any of you ever noticed the old ladies in India that can't stand straight, they are completely bended. This happens because they have many children and breast-feed for long time and they don't get enough nutrition themselves. They don't have any calcium left in their bones.

I support breast-feeding and I did it for my kids for over 2 1/2 years, but I think to do it more than 2 years is a little bit too much.

The experience of breast feeding is very rewarding and the emotional bond with the baby is very strong. I think that's why it's difficult to stop it because mother and child become very dependant in each other.

[ggohil 0]

Just a thought.

 

If I were to discuss this topic with my grandmother, she would have been very quick to point out that she did not need science to tell her the benefits of breast feeding.

 

 

[This message has been edited by ggohil (edited 05-24-2001).]

[Tarun 6]

I know a devotee in Amsterdam who breast fed her boy till 5-6.

If child tastes sweet milk & looks up to a smiling mother's face, child becomes enthusiatic.

The basic principle is:

"The more we suck in childhood, the less we suck later on."

[valaya 0]

Originally posted by Tarun:

I know a devotee in Amsterdam who breast fed her boy till 5-6.

If child tastes sweet milk & looks up to a smiling mother's face, child becomes enthusiatic.

The basic principle is:

"The more we suck in childhood, the less we suck later on."

 

JRdd:

For boys, if they are breast fed until age five they will not see breasts as sexual stimuli, but will, as Srila Prabhupada said, see, Oh this is mother.

 

I was never breastfed as my mother was unable to, due to some illness. In my case at least, it might explain a lot of problems which are still with me to some extent. A good foundation makes for a solid structure...

 

 

[talasiga 0]

Originally posted by atma:

I don't know if any of you ever noticed the old ladies in India that can't stand straight, they are completely bended. This happens because they have many children and breast-feed for long time and they don't get enough nutrition themselves. They don't have any calcium left in their bones.

Excess mineral salt intake (common in India)

depletes calcium.

As does excessively high meat intake.....

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by talasiga (edited 11-19-2001).]

[talasiga 0]

Originally posted by JRdd:

I don't beleive that cow's milk is good for babies. Also, breast milk is very thin (and sweet like it has been sugared), whereas cow's milk is fatty.

Ageed.

I remember suckling at my mother's breast.

I also remember being sick with asthma when I was using a bottle.

Recently my aged mother told me that, at 6 months, I was put on cow's milk (because of some ill health she was experiencing) and I developed asthma. Have been allergic to dairy since then (yoghourt included.

In those days, in Fiji, fresh milk still warm from Mother Cow, was delivered by the dairyman himself in billy cans. It was very rich cream milk, unpasteurised and our family would boil it first thing for "hygiene" considerations.

According to Henry Bieler, "Food is Your Best Medicine", boiling of milk (even pasteurising) destroys the superior quality of the raw milk proteins and renders them somewhat harmful.

 

My two children who are now fully grown

were breast fed for at least 18 months

and have not "inherited" any of their parent's physiological weaknesses.

Also, no starch foods (particularly grains, pasta and other flour based foods) during

this period except gentle vegetable starches such as potato.

And definitely NO SALT !!

 

 

[talasiga 0]

Originally posted by ggohil:

If I were to discuss this topic with my grandmother, she would have been very quick to point out that she did not need science to tell her the benefits of breast feeding.

 

 

And some do not need scripture to promote

their love of God.

 

 

[Tarun 6]

Talasigaji: what about guru/zAstra/sAdhu?

Breastfeeding's benefits cannot be denied, even empirically.

But Love of God, KRSNa-prema is not so easy, not so obvious.

Human Breastmilk may be thin, but not as thin/subtle as anurAga.

[talasiga 0]

Originally posted by talasiga:

And some do not need scripture to promote

their love of God.

 

 

Tarun: Talasigaji: what about guru/zAstra/sAdhu?

Breastfeeding's benefits cannot be denied, even empirically.

But Love of God, KRSNa-prema is not so easy, not so obvious.

Human Breastmilk may be thin, but not as thin/subtle as anurAga.

 

Talasiga: My dear Tarun, In the above quote I have

SIMPLY made an observation about "some"

and not a prescription for all.

 

 

 

------------------

talasiga@hotmail.com

[Tarun 6]

Talasigaji: Maybe ZrIla Gaurakizora dAs Babaji could not read & write SanskRt.

But he COULD understand & express all deep Vedik & Vaisnav Truths.

In that sense I'm one with you.

[Tarun 6]

catur-vidhA ZrI bhagavat prasAdo...

4 prasAdam types includes those which are sucked.

Is mother's milk automatically prasAd?

Or does she have to..., I mean to say...

[Vedalila 0]

Being a mother myself, I asked another mother whether I should say any mantras before feeding my baby. The reply I got, was no. I understand that when the mother only eats prasadam, so does the baby, too.

[Tarun 6]

I just heard from BronxZooLila that post-WW2 Jewish mothers thought breast-feeding was passe' = outmoded.

[Tarun 6]

How can breastfeeding go out of style?

When those who suck know nothing of style, only nourishment.

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

...

[Pratyatosa Dasa 0]

"Studies have shown, however, that breast-feeding a child reduces a woman's chance of developing breast cancer later."

 

( http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/895_brstfeed.html )