Due to the tremendous growth infants experience in the first year of life (tripling of birth weight), the composition of their nutrition is extremely important. In addition to increase in weight and length during the first 12 months, research showed that health in later years has its origins, among other factors, in the nutrition people receive when infants.
In future columns we will discuss various issues pertaining to infant nutrition. We will review the nutritional needs of infants and the means of providing them. Today’s article will be dedicated to breast-feeding.
Dr. Eitan Kilchevsky
Extensive research has shown that breast milk protects infants against infections such as otitis media (middle ear infection) and diarrhea. It also improves infants’ response to immunizations, reduces the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and may offer protection against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and the development of obesity. Mothers also benefit from the process of breast-feeding and experience less bleeding following delivery, improved bone metabolism (with lower risk of osteoporosis at an older age) and faster return to pre-pregnancy weight. Of course, the above benefits to babies and mothers are not present in all infants and mothers involved in breast-feeding, but research suggests that breast milk is indeed the most natural nutrition to infants in the first six to 12 months of life.
There are misconceptions surrounding the issue of breast-feeding. Some mothers expect the process to be painful; this is not correct. While brief tenderness may be experienced when the baby latches to the breast, if the latch is correct the mother should feel no pain.
There are mothers who think that their diet must be restricted. This, too, is incorrect, and we encourage mothers to maintain a healthy diet and continue prenatal vitamins for the first six weeks following labor.
Mothers can also express milk and provide it to their babies via a bottle. The benefits of breast milk are present whether it is provided via nursing or from a bottle. While it is true that freezing breast milk for a few months (breast milk can be frozen up to six months) may affect some of its properties, it will still remain an excellent source of nutrition.
It is important to remember, though, that there are a few situations in which mothers cannot nurse their infants — for example, when mothers are on certain medications or when the baby was diagnosed as having galactosemia.
Some mothers elect to feed formula. As pediatricians we are trained in providing families with the most up-to-date information about infant nutrition; we respect the mother’s right to select the feeding method she is most comfortable with.
The issue of infant formula will be discussed in a future column.
Dr. Eitan Kilchevsky, former director of the Center for Breastfeeding at Danbury Hospital, is a neonatologist with more than 25 years of experience and is currently practicing at Ridgefield Pediatric Associates.