Expert: ruth kraft - 9/25/2009

Question
Hi Ruth,
 Just to start off, I'm not pregnant, and don't have any kids.lol I am interested in the subject of newborns and babies, though.
 My mother has a home daycare and I've noticed, with all the babies that come and go, every single one of them was on formula since sometime shortly after birth. I know one baby was on formula since being born.
  I thought formula was bad for infants? That it makes them gassy, and spit up, and they don't get the nutrients they need? Where as nursing has a lot of benefits. So why do so many mothers not nurse?
  Also, I've heard that most mothers that do nurse, including my own when I was a baby, usually stop around a few months old. Isn't it better to nurse longer?
  Last, How long can you nurse your baby? Are you supposed to stop when they get teeth, or reach a certain age? I saw a show on TV where a mother nursed until the boy was about 2 years old. Is that too old?
Thank You for your time :)

Answer
Hello :) Thanks for the inquiry. It is good to learn these things now so later when you decide to have children, you may make a better choice for you and your children.

Breastfeeding is better for babies. there are literally hundreds of reasons to breastfeed .The benefits range from not only the best nutrition, but building the immune system, preventing cancer in both the mom and babies, easier to digest, less chance of speech impediments as they get older, better connection with other humans, more social, well adjusted babies, the brain of a breastfed baby functions at a higher iq level as one who is formula fed and the list can go on and on and on. Less chance of diabetes, less chance of obesity, less illness of all kinds, less stressed, less allergies ... you can google the benefits of breastfeeding and find more than you will ever be able to read.

Formula on the other hand, does have the ability to keep babies alive. and many do thrive. But there is a cost that most women dont know about. The latest being that formula is now being linked to seizures in babies because of the reaction the babies brains are having to the rha and dha that is synthetic. It increases allergies, reflux, gas, intestinal issues like bleeding in the stomach , esp from soy products,  cancers, obesity, fussiness, teeth problems, speech problems, failure to thrive and on and on... there are just as many reasons why you shouldnt formula feed  if you can help it as there are to breastfeed.

So... why do many mothers give up? Because they haven't been taught effectively. They don't know the details. Formula companies spend alot of money to mislead  consumers because it is best for their wallets. Breastmilk doesnt make money as you cant sell it. Formula companies make money.  Women are not taught not only the benefits but also the cost involved. it costs on average 2,000 in milk ONLY for formula feed per year. If you have a child who has allergies it goes up to about 5 grand a year. They also are not taught HOW to nurse well. Most nurses , Doctors and peers don't know how to effectively teach nursing. So when a woman has sore nipples, or sleep issues, or rashes, it gets blamed on breastfeeding. All likely have nothing to do with what they think it is. But because women don't know where to get the right answers they give up .   That is why I volunteer my time here. In hopes I can help women get answers that are so easy for me. time consuming , but the more babies who are breastfed, the better a nation we will have in general. More healhy babies, and more healthy moms, means good things for the world.

The academy of pediatrics reccomends that you nurse exclusivly for 6 months. meaning NOTHING should be put in the babys mouth other than breastmilk. then  you should nurse at LEAST a year but preferably 2 years. This is because it takes at least 2 years to build their immune systems. Babies naturally wean themselves between 3 and 5. I nursed my son until he was 4. People are often misinformed about "extended" nursing. Our culture makes it weird. The rest of the world breastfeeds much longer than we do. WE also are one of the lowest in infant mortality. that means there are almost 40 industrialized countries who have more babies that live. and we have more that die. Much of which could be prevented if we had less intervention in birth. and the mothers were better supported to nurse their babies.

I hope this helped you understand a little more. This is why I do what I do. I want mothers to be supported in being fabulous mothers and making good choices for them and their babies :)