Breast is Best.

TIME magazine cover?

Breast is Best.

This has been told to us by both nature and plenty of research and is pretty much irrefutable. Yes, irrefutable! Plenty of mothers have their spin on why this isn’t the case, but it is - hands down.

Being a Midwife, breasts and breast milk is part of my domain now. As weird as it might sound to some, I think about it and pay attention to it way more than any single girl should. I talk a lot about it to mothers and spend a lot of time making sure babies are latching, sucking and feeding often. It seems that a lot of what I do has a lot to do with someone else’s breasts. It is an interesting reality. :)

Breastfeeding just makes me smile. This is for lots of reasons … the numerous health benefits for both the mother and baby – lowered breast cancer rates, decreased ear infections, increased lifetime immunity, weight loss for the mother, convenience, oxytocin which increases bonding, decrease in bleeding, appropriate weight gain for the baby, less allergies, less GERD, increased gut health, birth control!, increased IQ…..and the list goes on …. Plus, it comes in pretty attractive dispensers, it never spoils, and is always at the right temperature!

 

I’m a fan.

In the US, I often run into mothers who believe that 6 months is the magic number. It is a hard line to tow. One the one hand, 6 months is better than no months and I am fully supportive. On the other hand, 6 months is way lower than any international recommendation I’ve ever known and is pitiful when compared to what could/should happen. What is the best response?

If I had better internet here to look up concrete stats and facts, I would. The numbers never lie and it is widely known that the US falls far behind in not only the rates of breastfeeders, but also how long babies are breastfed for. It has always been my understanding that the WHO recommends 1 year of breastfeeding (adding in solid food as appropriate simultaneously); however, because the US had such poor rates to begin with, bringing mothers who breastfed for 2-3 months up to 1 year was a big stretch. This caused the American Academy of Pediatrics to lower the recommendation to 6 months to accommodate the effort it would take to reach the goal. This is where the false security of 6 months initiated.

This blog is not the space to go into all the ways that our government (with maternity leave policies), our country, our culture and our mothers could all affect better breastfeeding and WHY in the US it is how it is. Not to mention the trickle on affects from a public health stance of more breastfed babies. I am only throwing it out there to inform and offer new seeds of thoughts to those that might consider the American way as the best – or only – way. 

I understand all over the reasons why breastfeeding for mothers that work is an effort, sometimes ALOT of effort; really, I do understand. However, there is only one chance at this opportunity to affect the rest of your child's life and this seems to need priority over any inconvenience or effort it might mean. Is this a tough approach? I don't think so. It seems Good Parenting 101 to me.

Hung in the maternity ward at the hospital. Can you imagine the same in our hospitals?

Here in Uganda breasts and breastfeeding is everywhere. Kids are breastfed for 2-3 years, eating too, of course, but always having access to their Mom. Tandem feeding (a 3 year old and a newborn) is common and no shame in exposing breasts out in public is the result. Moms breastfeed in church, on buses, when walking, during eating … there is no such thing as covering up with the special blanket mothers tend to use at home. It is as normal as the pregnancy itself. I must admit, it is a nice change that no one bats an eye. Plus, hardly any women here wear bras so the whole process is very simple.  

I have yet to encounter anyone with latch problems or sore nipples. NO ONE uses a bottle or pacifier or nipple shields or Lanolin crème. Why, then, I wonder are all of these non-issues here issues at home? I could go into all of the reasons I believe this to be true, but suffice it to say ……I believe when there is a will there is a way. Breast is always the best and I will always encourage Mom’s to feed for as long as possible, even when if it means a lot of effort. The results *far* outweigh the costs.

naptime.