Breastfeeding Essay

Breastfeeding Essay

 

Breastfeeding

Studies show that expectant mothers get inundated with information concerning the benefits of breastfeeding for their babies(Lee et al., 2021). Breastfeeding is an essential nutritional component and the only way for babies to have enhanced natural immunity. Breastfeeding has benefits that include optimal nourishment for infant and child health (Iglesias-Rosado & Leon-Larios, 2021). The purpose of this paper is to explore benefits and disadvantages of breastfeeding, advantages and concerns about formula feeding and effects of breastfeeding on a working mother.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Breastfeeding

Health organizations in the United States and around the world recommend breastfeeding because of the many benefits it provides to both the babies and their mothers. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until the age of 2 or more due to the nutritional value that it offers to children. Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition as it gives a child an assortment of nutrients that a baby needs to grow and stay healthy, especially in the initial days when breast milk has colostrum. Evidence shows that babies taking breast milk or breastfeeding have enhanced growth and a healthy digestive system. Breastfeeding babies are less likely to suffer from diarrhea and stomach upsets. Breastfeeding improves a baby’s immune system since the mil protects against a host of infections like ear infections, pneumonia, bacterial and viral infections. Breastfeeding boosts intelligent quotient (IQ) as breastfed babies, especially those on exclusive breastfeeding have higher IQ than those on formula milk (Lee et al., 2021). Breastfeeding lowers the risk of getting conditions like asthma and allergies, obesity, and diabetes in later years or age. Breastfeeding prevents babies against the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Further, breastfeeding has psychological and physical benefits to the mother and children. In their study, Krol and Grossman (2018) assert that breastfeeding impacts a baby’s brain, cognitive, and socio-emotional development. Mothers also benefit from psychological effects of breastfeeding that include influencing their mood, affect, reducing stress, and enhancing maternal care. Breastfeeding offers other advantages that include being economical, easily available, being convenient, and fast recovery from labor. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of ovarian and bosom disease.

Disadvantages

While breastfeeding offers a host of advantages to the mother and babies, it also has cons. Firstly, breastfeeding can be painful and requires the mother to manage a part of the awkward and excruciating issues like feeding a baby in public. Other issues that may lead to pain include having mastitis, stopped milk channels and sores. Secondly, breastfeeding mothers have limited freedom as they should be accessible to the babies most of the time (Lee et al., 2021). The mother and her bosoms should available for the baby which can be debilitating, especially for those who exclusively breastfeed their babies. Breastfeeding also limits the mother on the types of foods to eat with the aim of increasing the amount of milk for the baby. Newborns eat frequently and keeping up with a feeding schedule can be emotionally and physically demanding for the mother.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Formula Feeding

Health experts opine that breastfeeding is the best natural nutritional choice for babies and infants. However, breastfeeding may not be possible for all women. For a majority, the decision to breastfeed or opt for formula milk is founded on a host of issues that include comfort level, lifestyle, and certain medical conditions and situations. formula milk becomes the alternative and has certain benefits. These include being convenient as it allows anyone to care for the baby. Through this, the mother and others have effective obligations and fulfil their roles. Formula milk may contain nutrients that breastfed babies require from supplements. Formula milk also provides flexibility and increased frequency of feeding babies. Formula milk is less digestible than breast milk implying that formula-fed babies need to eat less often than their breastfed counterparts. Formula milk is immune to the mother’s diet as it is not affected by what they eat or drink that may affect babies.

However, formula milk has a number of disadvantages. These lacking antibodies as none of the antibodies in breast milk can be manufactured in the milk, and cannot match the complexity of breast milk. Breastmilk is always available, unlimited and served at the optimal temperatures. However, formula milk needs planning and organization to ensure that a baby and mother get what they need and when they need it (Lee et al., 2021). Mothers or parents must purchase formula and ensure that its always available to prevent late-nigh runs to the store. Formula milk is can be expensive, especially specialty formulas. The cost of formula can be over $1,500 in the first year of a baby’s life. Formula-fed babies have increased chances of producing gas and firmer bowel movements due to the ingredients used to manufacture it.

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Impact of Breastfeeding on a working Mother and Legal Issues on Breastfeeding

Working mothers who opt to breastfeed may face increased level of challenges due to its demanding nature. For instance, these mothers may have to spend more time expressing breast milk in bottles to be stored when they go to work. Secondly, breastfeeding working mothers may face increased stress levels when they fail to express sufficient amounts of milk for their babies (NCSL, 2021). Breastfeeding implores on the working mothers to develop interventions that will make them express sufficient amounts of milk while also maintaining a balance with their work demands. Therefore, breastfeeding increases work-related balance that may be a challenge to working mothers.

Legal issues and recent legislations associated with breastfeeding include state and federal laws focused on enhancing increased breastfeeding for mothers due to the benefits that it offers. For instance, Congress enacted the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act in 2019 as encourage breastfeeding in public spaces. The law mandates certain public buildings to offer shielded, hygienic space apart from a bathroom that has a chair, working surface and an electrical input for utilization by mothers to express milk (NCSL, 2021). Through such legislations, more children will be breastfed as only 25% get exclusive breastfeeding despite close to 84% being breastfed to some level.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding provides a host of benefits not just to the baby but also the mother. The essay demonstrates that while formula milk has some advantages over breastmilk, breastfeeding, especially exclusive, has tremendous advantages for the babies. Recent legislations at state and federal levels mandate increased support for breastfeeding mothers because of the benefits breastmilk offers.

References

Iglesias-Rosado, B., & Leon-Larios, F. (2021). Breastfeeding experiences of Latina migrants

living in Spain: a qualitative descriptive study. International breastfeeding journal, 16(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-021-00423-y

Krol, K. M., & Grossmann, T. (2018). Psychological effects of breastfeeding on children and

mothers. Bundesgesundheitsblatt-Gesundheitsforschung-Gesundheitsschutz, 61(8), 977-985. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-018-2769-0

Lee, J. J., Price, J. C., Duren, A., Shertzer, A., Hannum III, R., Akita, F. A., … & Davis, N. A.

(2021). Ultrasound evaluation of gastric emptying time in healthy term neonates after formula feeding. Anesthesiology, 134(6), 845-851.n

https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000003773

National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) (2021). Breastfeeding State Laws.

https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/breastfeeding-state-laws.aspx

Explain at least 3 advantages and 3 potential disadvantages or concerns related to breastfeeding.
Explain at least 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages or concerns about formula feeding.
Describe the impact that breastfeeding has on a working mother.
Describe at least 1 legal issue and/or recent legislation related to breastfeeding.