MEDICAL SURFARI: BREASTFEEDING BENEFITS BOTH MOTHER, CHILD

Suckling is the act of drawing milk into the mouth from a mammary gland (as in a breast or udder). This is one of the characteristics that distinguish mammals from the rest of the animal kingdom. In humans, this is more commonly referred to as breast feeding or nursing. The latter expression comes from the practice of using a "wet nurse," a lactating woman, to breast feed or nurse another's child.

In some cultures nursing relationships can also be a method of adoption, especially of an orphan. In the Arab Muslim society, if a woman wishes to adopt a strange child or even an adult, she does so by offering her breast. In the same society, a boy and girl nursed by the same woman are considered to be brother and sister. The human breast has long been a symbol of sympathy, compassion and bonding.

Ancient Greeks believed that milk was produced in the uterus and carried to the mammary glands by special vessels so that the uterine milk that has nourished the fetus can continue to be utilized after birth. In fact, breast milk is the product of mammary glands and it is the act of suckling that generally initiates lactation. Breast milk is a complex biological fluid and its composition changes to meet a baby's changing needs. Mothers' milk comes in a variety of flavors as a mother's diet varies. And interestingly, a mother's milk may change during a feeding from containing components that are initially thirst quenching to others that are hunger satisfying. Breast milk contains carbohydrates, proteins and fats as well as essential minerals and enzymes that assist in digestion. It also contains special growth factors and hormones that contribute to optimal digestion. Breast milk also contains an infant's first external immunization as it provides antibodies, which protect the baby from common respiratory and intestinal diseases.

There has been a multitude of studies comparing manufactured formula to human breast milk. However, to date there is no commercially available formula that reproduces all of the components of human milk. It stands to reason that breast milk is the optimal nutritional source for mammals since it is naturally produced for the suckling offspring of each species. Clearly, one species has done well for at least a couple million years being initially raised on breast milk.

There is more to breast-feeding than just the milk. The close skin-to-skin contact with the mother provides optimal opportunity for close emotional bonding. Breast suckling also contributes to optimal oral development and reduces the risk of malocclusion ... and this may reduce the orthodontist's bill. There are some clear advantages to the mother who breast feeds. Immediately after birth a baby's suckling causes a release of a hormone, oxytocin, which in turns causes strong contractions of the uterus and reduces the risk of uterine bleeding. In addition, exclusive breast feeding delays the re-onset of menses which in turn reduces a mother's iron losses and decreases her risk of iron deficiency anemia. Breastfeeding also causes a more rapid and sustained weight loss in the mother since milk production uses up 200 to 500 calories a day. This is the equivalent of swimming 30 laps or riding a bicycle for more than an hour. Further, there is good data to show that women who have breastfed for at least six months have a decreased risk of breast, ovaries and uterine cancer.

Breastfeeding your child is clearly more than a lifestyle choice and a choice between two different nutritional sources for your child. I believe that it is a significant health care decision that, like others, may have lifelong consequences.

World Wide Web Resources

American Academy of Pediatrics

www.aap.org/policy/re9729.html

This Web site provides a policy statement on "Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk" by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The statement reflects the considerable advances in recent years in the scientific knowledge of the benefits of breastfeeding.

La Leche League International

www.lalecheleague.org/benefits.html

The La Leche League is a well-known organization that provides a wealth of information on all aspects of breastfeeding.

Dr. Scott Gibbs is a neurosurgeon and editor-in-chief of Mosby's Medical Surfari. You may e-mail questions to him at drgibbs@semissourian.com or write in care of the Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63701.