Breastfeeding: More Than Just Good Nutrition

Robert M. Lawrence, MD, FAAP* 2. Ruth A. Lawrence, MD, DD (HON), FAAP† 1. *Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Florida – Health Science Center, Gainesville, FL. 2. †Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology; Director, Human Lactation Study Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Discuss the nutritional benefits of breastfeeding and its effects on growth and development. 2. Delineate the advantages to the baby of breastfeeding. 3. Describe the benefits to the mother of breastfeeding. 4. Explain the role that breastfeeding plays in the bonding process. 5. List the differences in composition of human milk, colostrum, cow milk, and formula. 6. Describe the effects of maternal infection and medication on human milk and infant health. 7. List the few contraindications to breastfeeding. 8. Review the use of human milk in feeding preterm babies. 9. Discuss current recommendations for breastfeeding, including the role of hospitals in promoting the practice. Over the past 50 to 60 years, human milk has been described and recognized as the best first food for human infants; breast is best! Human milk provides substantial nutritional, cognitive, emotional, and immunologic benefits for the infant. Such ongoing acclamation is based on the observations and experiences of mothers, families, midwives, doulas, nutritionists, nurses, physicians, and scientists. Over the past 30 years, scientific study and research have accumulated and now constitute a large body of evidence documenting the actual benefits of breastfeeding for the infant and the mother. This article examines and references much of this evidence-based data in describing human milk and how it contributes to the health and well-being of infants and mothers. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Report on Breastfeeding in Developed Countries summarizes evidence (published in English through May 2006) on breastfeeding in maternal and infant health. (1) More than 9,000 abstracts were considered, and data from more than 400 individual studies were included after evidence-based review …