LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

nursing

How Can We Increase the Likelihood of Breastfeeding?

by

It seems like society continues to move further and further away from nursing.  There is absolutely no doubt that this move is a BAD thing.
There are compounds in breast milk that we are only now beginning to discover (galacto-oligosaccharides are the most recent discovery).  Formula will never, ever, ever replace breast milk.
I hear often that someone “tried.”  What if they “tried” 2,000 or even 200 years ago?  What then?  If the same attitude was present then, we would likely not exist as a species.  Do you ever see a new mother in the animal kingdom “trying?”
In know this may sound harsh to some, but the second you decide to get pregnant, the decisions you make are impacting that as of yet unconceived child for the next 40, 50 even 60 yrs.  That means that anything we can do to increase the successfulness of nursing is important.
This particular study found multiple factors that delayed the onset of milk production in new mothers.  One of these was mom’s body weight–a factor that needs to be addressed long before a woman actually becomes pregnant.
At some point we need to grasp the idea that every decision, every drop of food, every chemical, every minute of exercise, every stressful period WILL have an effect on that baby for the rest of their lives.  And we need to act like it matters to us.

Breastfeeding vs Bottle Feeding – New Findings

by

There has always been debate on the breastfeeding vs bottle feeding topic.  Clearly, 100 years ago this was not a discussion.  Hence the term “wet nurse.”

Beginning in the 20’s and 30’s, formula feeding became more popular as a result of lowered costs and better production methods.  By the end of WWII, breastfeeding rates were down to 20% and the American public was completely drinking the Kool Aid of formula being even better than breastmilk.  At times, the La Leche League seemed to be the sole voice supporting nursing as a needed benefit to the baby.

Over the years, manufacturers have slowly added things into formula.  DHA, ARA and probiotics have only recently been added based on evidence of their benefit to newborn and infants.  I remember the first time that I came to understand that certain probiotic bacteria end up in breastmilk–I was incredulous, to say the least.  The steps that are required to actively put bacteria from mom’s gut into breastmilk are quite lengthy.  Few things tell me more strongly that Mother Nature wants those bacteria in our system than their presence in breastmilk.

So how many other nutrients are in breastmilk that we have not yet discovered?  Only time will tell, but we do have a new one to add to the list.

Visfatin is a hormone that is produced by fat cells and is believed to play a role in the protection against diabetes, although it’s complete role is not yet fully understood.

This particular study found much higher levels of visfatin in breast milk than is normally found in the bloodstream.  Since visfatin may play a role in diabetes and body weight, the authors suggest that this compound may play a strong role in the development of healthy weight gain in the infant.

Whether or not this plays out, it is yet another example of just how little we know about the human body.  In generally, the more we rely on the way our bodies were designed (i.e. nursing), the less problems we are going to have.  Period.

This is not to point a disparaging fingers at mothers who do not breast feed, but every effort needs to be undertaken to nurse for the first 6 months.  Some women truly have difficulties, but some just choose not to nurse.  This is a decision for the baby, not for you.

If you are a mother who nursed your child, what difficulties did you encounter and how did you overcome them?

A NEW 8TH BENEFIT OF BREASTFEEDING

by

I know I may get some flax here as a male stating that breastfeeding should really NOT be an option, but if a couple makes a decision to have a child EVERY decision needs to be in that child’s best interest.  Some say that they couldn’t nurse–so what would’ve happened to that baby 1,000 yrs ago??  I don’t think Mother Nature would’ve planned for a large chunk of newborns to die because the mom couldn’t nurse.

Either way, the benefits of nursing are many.  Some are instantly noticeable, like better sleeping, a stronger connection between mom and the baby and healthier weights.  Some are a little more subtle.  Check these benefits out:

  1. Breastfed children have better focus
  2. Breastfed children experience less pain
  3. Breastfeeding protects against celiac disease
  4. Breastfed children are less likely to be hospitalized for respiratory disease
  5. Breastfed children have better visual acuity
  6. Moms who breastfeed have lower rates of breast cancer
  7. Breastmilk has twice the antioxidants of formula

This particular study adds the 8th benefit of breastfeeding.  Researchers found that exclusively breast fed infants had bone formation centers at the femoral head show up earlier than formula fed infants.  This may likely translate to better bone health and lower risk of osteoporosis decades later.