Compelling Reasons For Breastfeeding

Children who are breastfed...

• Have 80% lower rates of respiratory illness in the first three years of life.

  P.W. Howie et al., "Protective Effect of Breastfeeding Against Infection," British Medical Journal 300(1990): 11-16.

• Have one-third the number of middle ear infections the first three years of life.

  P.P. Fosarelli et al., "Infectious Illnesses in the First Two Years of Life," Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 4(1985): 153-159.

• Ear infections that do occur are shortened by three to five fold.

  D.W. Teele et al., "Beneficial Effects of Breastfeeding on Duration of Middle Ear Effusion after First Episode of Acute Otitis Media,"Pediatric Research 14(1980): 494.

• For less than 6 months have 7 times the incidence of allergies as those who are breastfed more than 6 months.

  J.H. Strimas & D.S. Chi, "Significance of IgE Level in Amniotic Fluid and Cord Blood for the Prediction Of Allergy," Annals of Allergy 61(1988): 133-136.

• Average stay in newborn intensive care nursery is 9.5 days
• Average stay for non-breastfed babies is 20.6 days.

  S.Scherer,"Mom's Milk - Lactation Expert Helps Mothers to Breastfeed," Mothering Magazine(Fall 1993)

• Are at less risk for rotavirus gastroenteritis and five times less likely to be seriously ill with it.

  L.C. Duffy et al., "The Effects of Infant Feeding on Ratavirus-Induced Gastroenteritis: A Prospective Study,"American Journal of Public Health 76(1986): 250-263.

• Have fewer behavior difficulties.
• Have fewer learning difficulties.
• Are less likely to develop juvenile diabetes.
• Are less likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease.
• Are less likely to develop childhood lymphoma.
• Have fewer onsets of celiac disease.

  F.M. Stevens et al., Decreasing Incidence of Coeliac Disease, " Archives of Diseases in Childhood 62 (1987): 465-468.

Mothers who breastfeed...

Logic would say that the need for calcium for pregnancy and breastfeeding would tend to result in loss of mother's bone density. In fact, studies have shown that while pregnancy may depete bone density, women who have breastfed their babies have a lower risk of hip fractures in old age.

R.Cumming and R. Klineberg, "Breastfeeding and Other Reproductive factors and the Risk of Hip Fractures in Elderly Women", International Journal of Epidemiology 22 (1993) 684-690q

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