When it comes to the subject of childbearing, everyone has different methods and opinions. In reality, there are as many ways to raise a child as there are children to raise. Many of the methods and choices available to parents are left open to wide debate, but one that now seems nearly unanimously positive in the literature is breastfeeding.
 
In previous decades, there was a period where it was thought that babies fared better with formula than milk but now, attitudes have come full circle. Not only does breast milk serve as a source of nourishment for babies, but it also has benefits to their immune system and gastrointestinal tracts. One of the major benefits of breast milk is the defense it provides babies with against harmful pathogens that might try to infect them.
 
Breast milk contains immune system compounds called IgA, which coat the inside of babies stomach and intestines. When these compounds come in contact with pathogens, they recognize them and stick to them. The benefit of this is twofold – first it makes it difficult for the pathogens to move and infect the babies, and second it alerts the surrounding tissues of the body that there are pathogens nearby.
 
Another benefit that breast milk holds over formula is the delivery of iron. Iron in breast milk is very easily absorbed by babies, giving them a healthy natural source with no major problems. Iron in formula milk, by contrast, is poorly absorbed and thus is given in much higher concentrations. One side effect of these higher iron concentrations is often constipation. This means that babies receiving formula milk tend to suffer with constipation more than those without.
 
Breastfeeding isn’t all about the baby though – it also has important benefits for the mother. To prepare for and maintain the milk production necessary breasts undergo changes which, for the rest of the women’s lives, give them a greater protection against breast cancer. Given that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in women, this is a very important benefit indeed. It is for this and many other reasons that I recommend breast feeding to my friends with newborn children. It would take more than a short piece like this to examine all of the benefits of breastfeeding but I hope I have sparked your interest. Perhaps if you or your loved one is pregnant, for the sake of wellbeing, you might consider looking into it as a way to keep both mom, and baby as healthy as possible.