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Breastfeeding vital within first hour of birth
thestar.com.my — MORE than one million babies could be saved worldwide if mothers were to start breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. “Exclusive breastfeeding (where all nutrients are naturally pro- vided from the mother) is crucial for the first six months of a baby’s life.
zaibatsu- 828 diggs
- digg it
- webcure, on 10/10/2007, -2/+33It is very important to begin breast feeding immediately after birth for those mothers who are able to nurse.
Mother-child bonding immediately after birth is also no less important in my opinion.
Be Healthy!- ClOlD, on 10/10/2007, -9/+1Screw bonding. What about just getting beneficial bacteria into the kid's system?
- donkeySays, on 10/10/2007, -4/+0Why not just introduce them artificially then?
- ClOlD, on 10/10/2007, -1/+13Because then you don't get to suck on some boobies. Way to ruin the kid's day.
- inblue, on 10/10/2007, -3/+3i don't think they can be made artificially. i feel they are anti-bodies, hormone's, etc. of that specific mother from her immune system that help develop her baby's immune system.
- MacEnvy, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1You "feel" this?
You know that we can synthesize hormones and stuff, right? You may be correct that it's WAY easier to get it from the mother, but science is not based on "feelings".
- MacEnvy, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1You "feel" this?
- donkeySays, on 10/10/2007, -4/+0Why not just introduce them artificially then?
- brad3378, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6nothing beats a little "hands-on" experience.
- arcooke, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5With a name like webcure and a comment like you just made, I was expecting some sort of spam out of you. "Learn more at www. ....!"
- webcure, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I delivered a child at home myself and have lots of experience and knowledge about child raising.
Why send diggers to a www.... if I can say what I need to say in the comments?
Share your knowledge diggers.
Enjoy the user experience.- MacEnvy, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1You delivered it yourself at home?
Geez, I probably would've had someone help me at least. Must've been tough to catch the kid on the way out. - SammyJr, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3My wife had a homebirth with our daughter, but there was no way we were doing it without a midwife. I consider unassisted childbirth to be an unexceptable level of risk both to the mother and baby. If things go bad, it helps to have an experienced professional there who can perform emergency procedures and provide medical advice.
- tHePeOPle, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I'm a big fan of modern western medicine. Hospitals are pretty awesome for birthin.
- MacEnvy, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1You delivered it yourself at home?
- webcure, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4I delivered a child at home myself and have lots of experience and knowledge about child raising.
- BESTenemy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2But aren't we supposed to raise obedient workers instead? I thought the first things to do after giving birth was to register the name, and sign a bunch of documents signifying that the government gets the credit for child's future achievements in exchange for the parent's responsibility for mishaps.
// Sarcasm
- ClOlD, on 10/10/2007, -9/+1Screw bonding. What about just getting beneficial bacteria into the kid's system?
- shifty2, on 10/10/2007, -1/+37im 99% sure this is the case for all mammals. every nature show that i've seen w/ births of animals, the baby has to find a teet to get the vital anti-bodies from the mother's milk. most of the time its within minutes. now, im no expert, but i think humans are mammals and i think we do/should follow the same natural instincts.
- othersomethings, on 10/10/2007, -6/+29You would think this is common knowledge. Because it IS basic instinct. But the facts are that in the majority of U.S. hospitals, babies are whisked away from their mothers immediately after birth, or mothers are discouraged from breastfeeding altogether. I'd be happy to provide statistics and cites, if anyone is interested. This is one of the many reasons I've chosen not to give birth in a hospital here in the U.S. Their practices are backwards and deplorable, and are often the CAUSE of complications rather than the "savior" of complications. Their services should be reserved for emergencies only. We would see a lower infant and lower mother mortality and morbidity rate.
- lordjeebus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14I have worked in many hospitals and never seen one where breastfeeding was discouraged unless it was medically contraindicated (eg. mother with HIV). I'd be interested in your statistics and citations.
- inblue, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6I work in a U.S. hospital and am a registered nurse. never have i seen/heard that breastfeeding is discouraged. it is a known fact in medicine/hospitals nationwide that breastfeeding helps with babies immunity, etc. initially babies are "whisked" away from the mothers is to open airway and/or warm baby, then given right back to mother. we always give education and the mother is to watch videos on importance of breastfeeding and there is also a nurse specialized in educating the mother on breastfeeding (because a lot of times the baby doesn't take all the time and mother needs to be encouraged).
please provide these statistics and cites... because from what i know/learned/experienced, you are completely misinformed. - MMHsmommy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I had a C section and didn't get to see my child for over an hour. No complications, but it was change of shift. I am also an RN, but this kind of thing does happen. Especially when the nurses are only so-so. They also gave my child a bottle, this was due to low blood sugar so it was required that she get the nutrition, but they could of put the effort into it to do the finger feed or spoon feed. But no just what's easiest. My child would never latch on correctly. And even the lactation nurse said that her getting that bottle would affect this. So it wasn't discouraged, but it wasn't helped either.
- notque, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2We told them specifically not to give our daughter a bottle when they offered to take her away so we could get a nap after a long child birth. She comes back in with a bottle.
- inblue, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6I work in a U.S. hospital and am a registered nurse. never have i seen/heard that breastfeeding is discouraged. it is a known fact in medicine/hospitals nationwide that breastfeeding helps with babies immunity, etc. initially babies are "whisked" away from the mothers is to open airway and/or warm baby, then given right back to mother. we always give education and the mother is to watch videos on importance of breastfeeding and there is also a nurse specialized in educating the mother on breastfeeding (because a lot of times the baby doesn't take all the time and mother needs to be encouraged).
- HUKI365, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4A woman of child rearing age and inclination on Digg? Say its not so?
- LeonThePro, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10Tell that to my son whose in-utero heartbeat dropped to 35 because the cord was wrapped around his neck. They were able to stabilize and a C section. And in our area (Nor Cal) you are berated to breastfeed - whether it works for you or not.
wack job- notque, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1If your experience doesn't match mine, you are an idiot.
- MMHsmommy, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5I had my child by C Section. I would of loved to have breast fed within the first hour, but the nurses won't take the time to work with you to do this during surgery. It is possible, just have to have a wonderful nurse. Instead my child was given a bottle of formula due to a low blood sugar level. She would never latch on properly because of having the bottle first. Very disappointing when it could of been handled so much better.
- inblue, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1I work in a U.S. hospital and am a registered nurse. never have i seen/heard that breastfeeding is discouraged. it is a known fact in medicine/hospitals nationwide that breastfeeding helps with babies immunity, etc. initially babies are "whisked" away from the mothers is to open airway and/or warm baby, then given right back to mother. we always give education and the mother is to watch videos on importance of breastfeeding and there is also a nurse specialized in educating the mother on breastfeeding (because a lot of times the baby doesn't take all the time and mother needs to be encouraged). please provide these statistics and cites... because from what i know/learned/experienced, you are completely misinformed.
- inblue, on 10/10/2007, -3/+0whoops double post.
- lordjeebus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+14I have worked in many hospitals and never seen one where breastfeeding was discouraged unless it was medically contraindicated (eg. mother with HIV). I'd be interested in your statistics and citations.
- arcooke, on 10/10/2007, -4/+2I'm 1% sure you're completely wrong.
- melissawm, on 10/10/2007, -2/+15Unless you're in the US, where you can be reprimanded for breastfeeding your child in a public place...
- othersomethings, on 10/10/2007, -6/+29You would think this is common knowledge. Because it IS basic instinct. But the facts are that in the majority of U.S. hospitals, babies are whisked away from their mothers immediately after birth, or mothers are discouraged from breastfeeding altogether. I'd be happy to provide statistics and cites, if anyone is interested. This is one of the many reasons I've chosen not to give birth in a hospital here in the U.S. Their practices are backwards and deplorable, and are often the CAUSE of complications rather than the "savior" of complications. Their services should be reserved for emergencies only. We would see a lower infant and lower mother mortality and morbidity rate.
- richgustavson, on 10/10/2007, -17/+4I am TRUELY jealous you got to suck on those ***** when you were a baby.
- tehpwnrate, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2That's what they said would happen in health class.
(and it's truly)
- tehpwnrate, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2That's what they said would happen in health class.
- in2deep, on 10/10/2007, -5/+33I'm all for breastfeeding. I think it is the best thing to do for your baby. My only concern is when really militant lactivists get so intense about it that they make women who can't breastfeed feel guilty. Because the one thing mothers need more of is another reason to feel guilty!
- Jugalator, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7I'm most surprised that it's even discussed whether breastfeeding is the way to go for infants. It sure isn't a discussion taken here in Sweden nearly as much as in the US at least. Just another culture difference, I guess. Sure, there are medical exceptions when the mother can't, but as for when she can...
- matriculated, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Yes. My wife just had to endure such a thing last week. The nurses made my wife feel so guilty she went into depression. We eventually just said ***** it and started using formula - I mean, what can you do if the breasts aren't producing enough milk no matter what long list of techniques you try? starve the baby?
- SammyJr, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3They probably had the baby on a nursing schedule. It doesn't work that way. Breast produce milk based on demand, so the more the baby nurses, the more milk the breasts make. Let the baby have the boob whenever he asks for it.
We had the same issues as you until we told the so-called expert lactation consultant to ***** off and let my son nurse whenever he wanted to. No problems after that. We did the same thing with my daughter and she had no problems either. Both kids are very healthy.- matriculated, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Nope - we were not on a schedule. My wife just could not produce enough milk for the baby when he wanted it. Some woman just can't. My son became jaundiced and we had to bring him in for phototherapy because of all this. It was a really frustrating experience.
- H3LLSL337, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2My gf had a breast reduction and felt so bad when she couldn't exclusively breast feed. My daughter was jaundiced also, had to have her on the billi light for 3 weeks.
- tforcram, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2My wife has experienced both. With our son she tried to breastfeed him, but he just didn't take. After starving him for a couple of days, he was hospitalized with jaundiced. They almost had to due a blood transfusion, but the lights ended up working. We ended up adding formula with the breastfeeding and it was only formula from 3 months on.
My daughter, who was born two months ago, is a completely different story. She sucks away and has had no jaundice or other problems. The one difference to note is that our son was whisked away after birth and we have no idea what they did to him. Our daughter, on the other hand, never left the room after she was born. All the cleaning and other stuff was done in the same room with us and I think that made a difference. Or it could just be that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
- SammyJr, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3They probably had the baby on a nursing schedule. It doesn't work that way. Breast produce milk based on demand, so the more the baby nurses, the more milk the breasts make. Let the baby have the boob whenever he asks for it.
- johnvm, on 10/10/2007, -4/+3 “Not only does this save lives, but it also reduces the risk of deve-lop-ing allergies later in life,” said Susan Siew, the Co-Director of WABA.
Who spells "developing" "deve-lop-ing" ??? whatever.- CatsAreGods, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5It's an automatic hyphenation problem.
- Gizza, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4The same person who spells "provided" as "pro- vided"
- devindotcom, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2I am so ***** with you on this. What the hell.
- vault, on 10/10/2007, -13/+8Plenty of women don't breastfeed and the kids turn out fine.
- sarae, on 10/10/2007, -5/+12A few of my friends weren't breastfed, or not for very long at least and they always seemed to slightly sickly and have allergies that no one else in there family had...
- matriculated, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3All my kids were fed formula and they are all in the 90th percentile or above.
- mommyjo, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3When I had my daughter, I fully intended to breastfeed. After all, isn't that what mother's DO? As it turned out, I wasn't producing and she wasn't latching on (what was the point in latching on when nothing was coming out). She started to lose weight, a little too much for the hospital's liking. They sent me home with her anyway since I was doing so well, but also sent in a nurse everyday to check on our well-being and help with the nursing.
After fighting and getting depressed about being a "horrible" mother, I went to the formula. My daughter gained 7oz over night. Since then (she's 3), she has not once been sick (except for an occasional cold, or from teething), no ear infections, no health problems whatsoever.
I'm currently 4 weeks from delivering my next child. I would like to breastfeed, but I am not going to put myself and my child though hell if it doesn't work. And to hell with anyone who calls me a poor mother!
- donkeySays, on 10/10/2007, -4/+14I can't imagine why a woman wouldn't want to breastfeed her own offspring.
- TopBanana, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2It's not normally a case of not wanting to... it can actually be quite difficult
- Dulcinea80, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1The thought of breast feeding a baby makes me kinda sick to my stomach... The thought of how my ***** would look after, seals it.
- beanybean, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Breastfeeding doesn't ruin your breasts, pregnancy does.
- nedzeve, on 10/10/2007, -5/+2You poor, sorry bastard.
- JFitzpatrick, on 10/10/2007, -6/+6Your logic is severely flawed.
Lots of kids aren't read to as small children, aren't properly vaccinated, aren't given optimal nutrition... and by world standards they turn out "fine" too (i.e. they didn't starve to death or collapse of a childhood disease.)
Turning out "fine" because you didn't get something as a child is a pretty stupid argument for persuading other people it isn't important to give to children.- ripple123, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Hold up there pilgrim, Id not go and put vaccination in the same category as optimal nutrition and reading to kids.
- vidorian, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2Vaccination is in no way the same league breast feeding. There are parents who don't vaccinate their kids because they have done the research and seen the dangers of them.
I myself was unfortunate enough to have seen the dangers of a vaccine first hand. A close family friends healthy normal son went into convulsions within 15 minutes of receiving them. From that point on he was a vegetable he died 6 years later. After years of litigation the jury was convinced the vaccination was the cause.
- vidorian, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2Vaccination is in no way the same league breast feeding. There are parents who don't vaccinate their kids because they have done the research and seen the dangers of them.
- ripple123, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Hold up there pilgrim, Id not go and put vaccination in the same category as optimal nutrition and reading to kids.
- sarae, on 10/10/2007, -5/+12A few of my friends weren't breastfed, or not for very long at least and they always seemed to slightly sickly and have allergies that no one else in there family had...
- murty, on 10/10/2007, -1/+31"A surprising number of fathers were also present for the event."
I lol- ae92, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10Hey, as a normal heterosexual male I'm all for the sexualization of breasts but once you become a father and watch your wife nurse your child, it's like a bell goes off and you suddenly get what breasts are really for. I can't thank my wife enough for waking up all those nights for the first year and a half or so... I'd gladly go to an event like that to help get the message out and show support.
And yes, there are worse things to look at for an hour, true... :)- arcooke, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3Glad your experience went well.. my ex gave her baby up for adoption and I had to wake up and remind her to pump her ***** every few hours. Not a pleasant experience.
- aduzik, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Something about the phrase "pump her *****" makes me giggle like a schoolgirl.
- vidorian, on 10/10/2007, -2/+4Your ex must have had a wack job for a doctor. There is medication that can be given to stop the milk production. Also pumping only produces more milk.
That must have been very hard on her- arcooke, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4No, she didn't have a whackjob for a doctor. She wanted the baby to have natural milk.
- vidorian, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3My deepest apology then. I was assuming with an adoption there was no contact , didn't even occur to me that she was providing milk afterwards.
- arcooke, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4No, she didn't have a whackjob for a doctor. She wanted the baby to have natural milk.
- arcooke, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3Glad your experience went well.. my ex gave her baby up for adoption and I had to wake up and remind her to pump her ***** every few hours. Not a pleasant experience.
- Jugalator, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3Not that I understand what's arousing or hot about watching women breastfeed. I don't think it's "dirty" or so either (and I'm a proponent for public breastfeeding within reasonable limits), just that I'm neutral to the whole thing.
- ae92, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10Hey, as a normal heterosexual male I'm all for the sexualization of breasts but once you become a father and watch your wife nurse your child, it's like a bell goes off and you suddenly get what breasts are really for. I can't thank my wife enough for waking up all those nights for the first year and a half or so... I'd gladly go to an event like that to help get the message out and show support.
- nedzeve, on 10/10/2007, -8/+2I enjoy orally pleasuring myself with a woman's chest. Think there's some connection with that and my experiences as an infant?
- InfiniteNothing, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5I'm so confused. Doesn't orally pleasuring oneself require heavy bending.
- Alucardbsm, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0I'm more confused on how you give oral with a woman's chest..
- InfiniteNothing, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5I'm so confused. Doesn't orally pleasuring oneself require heavy bending.
- nedzeve, on 10/10/2007, -9/+1Hey, check this one out. This Brittish bird is breast feeding her 7 year old.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=B68bt4v4xPg - dgtlnight, on 10/10/2007, -7/+2In the military hospital where my daughter was born, we were told repeatedly that breastfeeding was the right thing to do and were provided with all kinds of literature for reinforcement. When they brought my daughter into our room for the first time I tried to breastfeed right away, but my wife said I was doing it wrong and to just stick with the bottle. SAHD and proud!
- JFitzpatrick, on 10/10/2007, -3/+23I'm really pleased to see this hit the front page of Digg. It isn't something that the average Digg user might research or come across on there own and it is very important. It saddens me to think of all the money and time corporations have spent to convince women they are inadequate and cannot feed their own children has tens of thousands of generations of women have before them.
If you want to be -really- angry... research the boycott against the Nestle corporation for their horrible campiagn to distribute free formula in Africa. They give women just enough formula to dry up their milk supply and all these children are fed formula made with tainted local water and end up dying because of it. It's one of the more glaring example of corporate irresponsibility you'll find.- Grogtron, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Actually I've done some research. Your arguments are flawed and more so, specious. Given the condition that many africans are living in, baby formula is a really damn good idea when your mother has AIDS or thinks she might. Even in the west it's getting hard to convince people to breastfeed. Sure it's better if you do, but it's hardly a crime against humanity. When your mother is starving and may have AIDS to boot as many do in these regions your options are pretty limited.
Babies dying from tainted water? Please, even if they were accurate the inflated figures given by propagandists are statistically insignificant. Suggesting that all children given formula die from it is insulting. Nevermind that infants in these communities drink water (among other things) in addition to breast milk. To suggest that there is a sinister plot by Nestle to end child birth in Africa by giving women "just enough" is ridiculous. They certainly aren't making money at it, so your argument is pretty much reduced to Nestle, and many other manufacturers, are killing babies for the hell of it. - davotoula, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Wish I could digg your comment more than once!
- MikeWanDo, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I don't know, Digg users might be researching "breast" and come across this.
- mike17032, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2"If you want to be -really- angry... research the boycott against the Nestle corporation for their horrible campiagn to distribute free formula in Africa."
Yes, those evil Nestle people that are giving free food to those that dont have enough. How DARE they try and help people! Its all about greed!
Really, what the ***** is wrong with your brain? What do you expect them to send over there, breast milk? Are you so limited in your understanding of the world that you dont know what things are like in much of Africa?
The milk doesnt come from your ***** by magic you know, so if the mother isnt getting enough food its not going to be good quality. And how the ***** is it Nestle's fault if the water is tainted? Did they taint it? And if the water is tainted, what the ***** do you think the mother is going to be drinking? You dont think that its going to be passed along?
Christ people like you make me sick. You are so set on pushing your ***** anti-corporate agenda that you twist anything a company does to your own retarded view of the world. The fact that you are getting dugg up says worlds about the mentality of digg too.- beanybean, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1They only distributed free formula long enough for the mothers to stop lactating. Then the mothers were too poor to continue buying the formula, causing them to over-dilute the formula or, worse yet, give other liquids as a form of "nourishment" for their babies. Had Nestle given free formula and kept it up, then ok, maybe not AS bad -- still underhanded, but not as bad. But they didn't. They dressed up women off the street in nurse's uniforms and had them pass out enough samples that the mothers would lose their milk supply, and then abandoned ship.
- Grogtron, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Actually I've done some research. Your arguments are flawed and more so, specious. Given the condition that many africans are living in, baby formula is a really damn good idea when your mother has AIDS or thinks she might. Even in the west it's getting hard to convince people to breastfeed. Sure it's better if you do, but it's hardly a crime against humanity. When your mother is starving and may have AIDS to boot as many do in these regions your options are pretty limited.
- elmers, on 10/10/2007, -5/+9How does this story make it to the front page of digg?
- Jugalator, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8The bigger question is: how does people keep thinking there are only geeks and/or men on Digg when they keep being disproven? Sure, a large ratio is, but far from all, and far from enough to stop a story like this from reaching the front page. Digg stopped being a geek site a long time ago, if it ever was one.
- sirlancelot88, on 10/10/2007, -4/+1Um, have you seen the rampant sexism, and all the Ubuntu fetishizing? Digg is definitely a male geek site.
- DCUK, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1Why, are they taking up vital Apple news spots?
- TopBanana, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Geeky men have kids too!
- Jugalator, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8The bigger question is: how does people keep thinking there are only geeks and/or men on Digg when they keep being disproven? Sure, a large ratio is, but far from all, and far from enough to stop a story like this from reaching the front page. Digg stopped being a geek site a long time ago, if it ever was one.
- Nupeper, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7I couldn't get past the randomly hy-phe-nat-ed words... :/
(that and I can't make babies so I don't care... ) - kpkbaja, on 10/10/2007, -7/+18Ron Paul's breast milk cures aids and cancer. These women got nothing on him.
- brad3378, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7was that really the Breast you could do?
- leathersleeves, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5ah a "tit" for tat
- airiox, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3typical ron paul fan.
- sirlancelot88, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1If Ron Paul turns into Chuck Norris I am going to kill you all
- notque, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1That won't happen, most people have heard of Chuck Norris.
- TJATL, on 10/10/2007, -7/+3I doubt these women are on drugs when giving birth, unlike in America. I wouldn't want my kid sucking teet after mommy had drugs to make the pain go away.
- Phosphan, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2There's more than one method how to apply drugs. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidural
- Focher, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Sorry, but there are virtually no drugs used during labor for pain relief that are passed from the mother to the baby. The most common one, an epidural, does not enter the bloodstream at all - it is injected into a space at the base of the spinal cord.
I find people who are so anti drug use for pain relief during labor to be as ignorant and biased as those who act like there should be no alternative to breastfeeding. The best approach is that each family should find the best approach that works for them. If that includes medically sound pain relief that includes drugs, then that is fine. If that means they choose not to breastfeed because they don't want to do it, so be it.
- GerryBot, on 10/10/2007, -6/+1I loved the line "a surprising number of fathers were also present for the event". Pervs :)
- arcooke, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4The only perv here is you. Welcome to nature.
- HappyScrappy, on 10/10/2007, -9/+4*****.
I'm all for breastfeeding. But there is absolutely no research to support this.- manicallday, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Sure there is.
- JFitzpatrick, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4Absolutely no research? There are hundreds of studies documenting the health benefits of breast milk, the way anti-bodies are transfered, and how the mother's body acts as a filter for the toxins in the child's environment. My personal favorite study, in terms of interest at least, is one where they monitored the bacteria the child came in contact with (on the surface of the face/mouth and hands at least) and how quickly the mother's breast milk created anti-bodies for that particular bacteria. The "turn around" was under 24 hours from the time the mother came in contact with the bacteria on the child's body and when her body created the antibody to protect the child. Fascinating.
- Bundledad, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I believe the ***** call is on the 1 hour statement.
"vital" is a pretty damn strong word to throw around without something to back it up.
Frankly, the stats on how many women CAN produce milk in the first hour would be a valuable data point.
Given that it can take 24+ hours for milk to come in at the best of times after delivery (and longer to never in the case of a sudden/rapid delivery, drug intervention, edema (swelling literally squeezing the milk ducts closed, C-section, etc.) this is a statement that I can see causing even more guilt issues for mothers that have challenges.
I'll admit to being biased. My wife and I have had awful experiences with the pro-breastfeeding community. Dismissal and outright hostility when we needed real help and guidance. We (she) plugged away like a trooper anyway and feed our boys breast milk as much as possible but it was not easy or "exactly what your child needs".- beanybean, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0Women don't produce breastmilk in the first hour -- they produce colostrum though, which is vital to the baby. And nursing soon and frequently is the only way to get the mother TO produce breastmilk. If the baby isn't allowed to nurse during those crucial first moments, it can take much, much longer for the milk to come in, if it comes in at all.
- Bundledad, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I believe the ***** call is on the 1 hour statement.
- TopBanana, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6610496&dopt=Citation
"For children ages 0-59 months, diarrhea morbidity rates would be reduced by 1-4% and mortality rates by 8-9%"
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/89/1/25
"CONCLUSIONS: Full breast-feeding was associated with the lowest illness rates. Minimal (less) breast-feeding was not protective. Breast-feeding conferred similar health benefits in all economic groups."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7564787&dopt=Citation
"We conclude that breastfeeding is prophylactic against atopic disease--including atopic eczema, food allergy, and respiratory allergy--throughout childhood and adolescence"
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/101/1/e9
"Results. Increasing duration of breastfeeding was associated with consistent and statistically significant increases in 1) intelligence quotient assessed at ages 8 and 9 years; 2) reading comprehension, mathematical ability, and scholastic ability assessed during the period from 10 to 13 years; 3) teacher ratings of reading and mathematics assessed at 8 and 12 years; and 4) higher levels of attainment in school leaving examinations. Children who were breastfed for 8 months had mean test scores that were between 0.35 and 0.59 SD units higher than children who were bottle-fed. " - TopBanana, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Here's the paper relate to the actual digg story:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/117/3/e380
"There was a marked dose response of increasing risk of neonatal mortality with increasing delay in initiation of breastfeeding from 1 hour to day 7"- HappyScrappy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1'"Late initiation" indicated breastfeeding that began after the first day of life.' - from the article.
How can you use a study that uses a 24h cutoff as evidence to prove a 1h cutoff?
- HappyScrappy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1'"Late initiation" indicated breastfeeding that began after the first day of life.' - from the article.
- Metis2be, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2Short article without too much information. Breastfeeding is the healthiest method, I thought this was well known and accepted by everyone who doesn't see breastfeeding as obscene.
One thing people should realize is that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. There are plenty of women out there who seem to think that if they ever give their children formula then it will have negative consequences. It isn't like that, breastfeeding is better but if you don't have milk handy and you need to feed your baby then there's nothing wrong with feeding your child formula, it won't automatically kill every white blood cell the child has gained up to that point. Formula isn't the best way, but it's still a good way.- ae92, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1The amount of raw (unfermented) soy protein in most formula is scary though... I won't trust that stuff until I can find some solid evidence that it's healthy to feed to newborns. I know some people don't have any other options, though... it's too bad there isn't more support for public breast milk banks; some larger North American cities have them but I think the supply is limited on a need-based basis for kids who are recovering from surgery, etc...
- Metis2be, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1I've never heard about the issue with raw soy protein, I'll have to look that up.
What I dislike about formula is how the makers will give big bonuses to clinics that promote bottle feeding, focusing on the poor. People spend hundreds on bottles, formula, bottle warmers, bottle thermometers, etc when all they're doing is feeding the pockets of people spreading misinformation. Women go around thinking they can't adequately provide for their child without the help of a multi-billion dollar company. Bottle feeding has its place as being convenient and useful for people who can't breastfeed, but ti frightens me a little when women go around parading on why they only bottle feed based on information they found on an infomercial.
- Metis2be, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1I've never heard about the issue with raw soy protein, I'll have to look that up.
- sarazen, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Unfortunately supplementing with formula from time to time is a problem. The breast makes milk based on how much and how often it is drained by the suckling of the baby. So, if you switch out a feeding from the breast for a formula feeding the mothers milk supply will diminish. This becomes a vicious cycle, as women see their milk supply lessen they feel the need to supplement with formula more and the next thing they know the baby is no longer breastfeeding at all. When supplementation like this happens in the first 6 weeks, a mother may never get her milk supply established and breastfeeding is all over very quickly. This cycles is the primary way that new moms end up failing at breastfeeding, and why the formula distribution at the hospital, and at the doctor's office is such a hot button issue for moms in the pro-breastfeeding camp.
What is great about breastfeeding and what should help to prevent the perceived need to ever supplement in the early months of breastfeeding is that her breasts are convenient. Her milk is always exactly the right temperature, sterile, and her supply will increase the more the baby demands it. All new moms wishing to breastfeed need is the support and encouragement of those around her and the recognition by them that she may pump her own milk if she can't be with the baby for a spell, but she really can't supplement with formula without risking the balance of her own milk supply. By the time the baby is six months he or she will start taking baby food. If more people in the general population just understood this, and other essential information about breastfeeding that has been lost to general knowledge in the past 100 years of bottlefeeding, breastfeeding would be a lot easier and a lot more common all over this country.- MMHsmommy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0My lactation nurse instructed me to supplement, however we did it by using a feeding tube during breast feeding. Sounds complicated, but very easy. This way my child was still drawing on me, but also getting the extra nutrition she needed. However, because a nurse gave her a bottle first, she would never latch on good.
- sarazen, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Yes, what you are talking about is an SNS or Supplemental Nursing System, and they can be a godsend to a mother who is having genuine problems with her milk supply. While not addressing your situation in particular, I do find it sad that in the US, where breastfeeding rates are low, it is common for women to be afraid that their milk supply will not be sufficient despite the fact globally this is almost never an issue. Fears of not having enough milk fuel the trend of early supplementation. Once supplementation is started it can be very hard to stop because it erodes a woman's confidence in her ability to breastfeed her baby.
And as you pointed out using a bottle can cause a host of problems of its own as well. It is possible for a baby who has become nipple confused by an early experience of bottle feeding to re-adjust to the breast but it can be a long and painful process for both mom and baby. For the most part, if most mom's could make it the first six weeks without supplementing there would be more breastfeeding success over all.
Kudos to you for struggling for a solution to a difficult problem. There are many reasons that breastfeeding is difficult in a society where bottle-feeding has been the norm for so long, but you can be confident that how ever much milk you were able to provide your little one was a benefit to them.
- sarazen, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Yes, what you are talking about is an SNS or Supplemental Nursing System, and they can be a godsend to a mother who is having genuine problems with her milk supply. While not addressing your situation in particular, I do find it sad that in the US, where breastfeeding rates are low, it is common for women to be afraid that their milk supply will not be sufficient despite the fact globally this is almost never an issue. Fears of not having enough milk fuel the trend of early supplementation. Once supplementation is started it can be very hard to stop because it erodes a woman's confidence in her ability to breastfeed her baby.
- MMHsmommy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0My lactation nurse instructed me to supplement, however we did it by using a feeding tube during breast feeding. Sounds complicated, but very easy. This way my child was still drawing on me, but also getting the extra nutrition she needed. However, because a nurse gave her a bottle first, she would never latch on good.
- ae92, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1The amount of raw (unfermented) soy protein in most formula is scary though... I won't trust that stuff until I can find some solid evidence that it's healthy to feed to newborns. I know some people don't have any other options, though... it's too bad there isn't more support for public breast milk banks; some larger North American cities have them but I think the supply is limited on a need-based basis for kids who are recovering from surgery, etc...
- anhedonia, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8My problem arises when mothers are looked down upon for not breastfeeding, regardless of their reason. My sister has a serious medical condition, and the medications that she needs to take to control that problem prohibit breastfeeding. It would be harmful to the baby if she nursed him.
Some other women treat her horribly when they see her bottle feeding, immediately beginning to lecture her on all the reasons she should be nursing, "breast is best", and expounding on all the ways she is hurting her son. They don't know what her reasoning is, they just presume they know better.
It just really gets to me.- Nupeper, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I fully understand I have to take synthetic thyroid hormone and if I do ever manage to have a kid, I'll have to bottle feed too for the same reasons, people are ignorant, its a shame people judge her parenting with out knowing what they're talking about,
- csrster, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5I'm told breastfeeding isn't as easy as it looks. I would guess that most first-time mothers take a lot longer than an hour to get things working - it was more than 24 hours in the case of our first.
- farkdog, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1It isn't easy. If it is your first child, neither the baby nor the mommy knows what to do. It is very frustrating because baby starts to suck but nothing comes out, and then they stop sucking and start screaming. The mother produces very little milk in the first 2-3 days until it "comes down". Until then the baby is mostly sucking for practice and to get a very little bit of the rich pre-milk that comes out.
It can be very scary for new parents because you can visibly /see/ that you child is not getting much more than a thimble-full of anything to drink for 2-3 days after birth.
- farkdog, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1It isn't easy. If it is your first child, neither the baby nor the mommy knows what to do. It is very frustrating because baby starts to suck but nothing comes out, and then they stop sucking and start screaming. The mother produces very little milk in the first 2-3 days until it "comes down". Until then the baby is mostly sucking for practice and to get a very little bit of the rich pre-milk that comes out.
- vidorian, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6i'm 33 and my son is now 14 so things may have changed since then. Growing up my mom was always a health nut so the thought of not breastfeeding didn't even enter my mind. When my son was born and they showed him to me they wouldn't even let me touch him until he was cleaned up etc it was at least 2 hours before i was allowed to breastfeed him.
But i think what amazed me the most was the reaction i received from friends. When i told them i was breastfeeding the most common response was ewww. This came from people close to my age but even some older. Most conveyed to me that they just didn't feel comfortable doing it with their own kids. Which just amazes me since it is the most natural thing a mother can do for her child.
We have guidelines for pregnant woman of how many visits to the dr what foods to eat or not to eat nothing mandatory but just recommendations. I would love to see doctors recommending woman to take at least one class on breastfeeding. An intro type course on the benefits to the baby as well as the mother (talk about a great way to drop those extra pounds) and for them to see it is normal and natural and not gross.
A lot of woman also believe since they work breastfeeding is out of the question. Nothing could be further from the truth. They have some great pumps available on the market today with refrigerated compartments so you can pump on your lunch hour and store it until you get home where it can be frozen and stored. - xtrench, on 10/10/2007, -3/+0Yes, we all saw _that_ House MD episode
- vaserv, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Breast really is best but its not a simple as people think to just get the baby to feed. Its not a case of from birth that they have to latch on. My wife is currently learning to breast feed our baby for the first time (who is just over two weeks old) and its a learning experience both sides. If we didn't also use bottle / forumla the baby would be starving. Ideally we want to do 100% breast and most women who give up breast feeding do regret it but its not as simple as it sounds
In other societies where the family life is much more extended that the traditional western way then breast feeding is easier as all the mothers and sisters group round to help.
Also most people don't realise is that milk doesn't come in to about day 3 or 4. The first few days the baby get small amounts of colostrum which is a very very high protein drink but very low levels. The baby survives off its body fat and can loose upto 10% of its birth weight in the first few weeks whilst things establish themselves - SwissCamel, on 10/10/2007, -4/+2Babies need to appreciate a good set of ***** as early as possible else there is an increased likelihood that they will end up gay. Unless the baby is female, or the mother has got two fried eggs. In either of those cases abortion would probably be the kindest option.
- belman420, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1There are plenty of men who want a woman who can appreciate a good set of *****.
- 955701, on 10/10/2007, -5/+0What are these people smoking? The placenta prevents lactating until it is delivered.
Your breasts don't just throw out milk like sprinklers the moment the baby pops out! Milk takes a few days to come it, during which time your baby drops weight. Don't be hard on yourself if you're not able to feed your baby "within the first hour" - it's a ***** catch sentence - I bet Andrea Filmer doesn't have kids or didn't breast feed.
If you want to appreciate the stress of waiting for your milk while your baby starves, go here: http://www.thenestbaby.com/stages/stage.aspx?stage=months06
Be smart - grab a bottle in the mean time.- celerityfm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7No, WTF are YOU smoking? As a first time mother, my wife was lactating BEFORE birth. Granted it wasn't as strong as it is now, but there was sustenance there for the baby. How about some American Academy of Pediatrics source material to back me up, here's a link to their official breastfeeding recommendations where they actually say to DELAY "weighing, measuring, bathing, needle-sticks, and eye prophylaxis until after the first feeding is completed" - they even say that WAITING to feed the baby can actually CAUSE MOST breast feeding problems - here:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496 - "Healthy infants should be placed and remain in direct skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately after delivery until the first feeding is accomplished. The alert, healthy newborn infant is capable of latching on to a breast without specific assistance within the first hour after birth. Dry the infant, assign Apgar scores, and perform the initial physical assessment while the infant is with the mother. The mother is an optimal heat source for the infant. Delay weighing, measuring, bathing, needle-sticks, and eye prophylaxis until after the first feeding is completed."
The poor mothers in that Nest Baby forum are probably the victims of ignorant medical staff- their ignorance stems from when the formula industry took over the medical world after world war 2 and they managed to convince doctors that it was healthier then breastfeeding. Nestlé was one of the main culprits and their tactics have been compared to that of the tobacco industry- that was back when smoking was considered healthy too remember.
There is still alot of ignorance that is held over from those dark times and the consequences are serious, using infant formula increases the risk of several conditions including insulin dependent diabetes mellitus asthma, and eczema. It is well-established that non-breastfed infants suffer significantly more middle ear infections, respiratory, intestinal and other bacterial infections. An association with lower cognitive development has also been shown in several studies.
The sources for those claims are here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15037991&query_hl=1
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=9233193&query_hl=4
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16087970&query_hl=10
Breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth is vitally important to both baby and mother, your comment is ignorant and dangerous to babies and mothers everywhere! Dugg down!- Bundledad, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1Not going to argue your anecdote, however...
Your wife was more of an exception.
It may be how babies are delivered in NA, with Pitocin drips being more common than not, it might be the stress of hospitals, whatever.
Completely irrelevant... a large percentage of women, in NA, have milk coming in around the 24-48 mark. With our first, my wife's milk didn't come in for almost 4 days, of SOLID trying, baby, pump, you name it. UGLY mother-effing experience, made worse by the la leche Nazis.
And while having the baby suck even when the supply isn't there greatly encourages it to come in, it has to be handled well. A dry sucking baby who is getting desperate for nourishment will do a lot of damage to a nipple. At which point you've made a tough job worse.
A little bit of common sense is needed. Yes, breast milk is usually best ("always perfectly balanced" for your child is a statement I call ***** on though) but our list of priorities was pretty clear
1. breast feeding
2. assisted breast feeding (tubes, nipple shields, pumping, etc.)
3. bottle feeding breast milk
4. formula
Our first went almost 2 days without anything due to our buying into the propaganda. Needless to say, that didn't happen with our second.- member57, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Breast milk is perfectly balanced if the mother is in reasonably good health and eating well. Still even any breast milk not tainted by drugs is better than that ***** cranked out by factories in some sweatshop somewhere. We have 3 children and all 3 were breast fed, the last one for 9 months. She is the healthiest so far, not a single ear infection, and no other major infections or problems, including allergies.
- celerityfm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I dug you up sir- thanks for the post. As you said, the main thing is to feed the baby, and if your wife's milk didn't come in right away then what else are you going to do? I applaud you both for trying and making it happen!
My wife's milk at birth was colostrum- your wife wasn't able to express colostrum at all after birth? That is troubling. It's definitely what is "supposed" to happen - babies even have a natural instinct at birth to be able to "self attach" - check this out http://www.todaysparent.com/pregnancybirth/breastfeeding/article.jsp?content=1074 - "A team of Swedish researchers wanted to see if newborn babies left on their mothers' stomachs after birth could find the breast on their own. Videotape documentation showed the babies "crawling" up their mothers' bodies without assistance and finding the breast. The babies then moved toward the nipple and nuzzled or licked at it, eventually latching on and beginning to suck. On average, it takes 50 minutes for babies to find the breast on their own and begin suckling if they're placed on the mother's abdomen after birth. (Babies whose mothers received pain medication during labour had more difficulty finding the breast and latching on.) "
I've seen this with my own eyes and it's amazing- however this newborn ability goes away shortly after birth and doesn't come back again until they get more motor control- the reasons for this have got to be because their is usually milk available at birth.
I couldn't find any statistics one way or the other- but any mother who doesn't have some kind of milk at birth is problematic- I think you must be right about North America being an exception, hospitals regularly do so many things that can cause problems for baby and mother nowadays that it would not surprise me that it delays lactogenesis. That is why more and more mothers are giving birth at alternative birthing centers or doing it from home with a midwife.
- Bundledad, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1Not going to argue your anecdote, however...
- celerityfm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1One more tidbit, wikipedia article on lactation - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactation - you mentioned the placenta- the placenta's delivery stimulates a second stage of milk production that is more copious then the first stage. BUT there is a first stage! That's what I'm talking about, it's there, at birth. However I do have to agree with you on "Don't be hard on yourself if you're not able to feed your baby 'within the first hour'" - in that don't be hard on yourself period. If you do your best then your being a good parent IMO, whatever is lacking now will balance out later, just be happy to have a baby :)
- celerityfm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7No, WTF are YOU smoking? As a first time mother, my wife was lactating BEFORE birth. Granted it wasn't as strong as it is now, but there was sustenance there for the baby. How about some American Academy of Pediatrics source material to back me up, here's a link to their official breastfeeding recommendations where they actually say to DELAY "weighing, measuring, bathing, needle-sticks, and eye prophylaxis until after the first feeding is completed" - they even say that WAITING to feed the baby can actually CAUSE MOST breast feeding problems - here:
- WoollyMittens, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2If it's so darn crucial, then why am I alive?
- farkdog, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1You're alive, but sub-optimally so.
;)
- farkdog, on 05/20/2008, -1/+1You're alive, but sub-optimally so.
- vcottom, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1It is amazing every time I see an article that shows God's way was the best way in the first place!
- jlebrech, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Breastfeeding is supposed to consume the excess fat in the mothers abdominal region. So just for a womens own vanity, breastfeeding is a viable solution.
- hipRealtor, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1It's a lie they say to encourage us not to bottle-feed!
- shreela, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Breastfeeding early on also helps prevent too much blood loss for the mother (especially if no pitocin is running through an IV). When I've told some new moms that the cramping helps to prevent too much blood loss, they just look at me like 'shaddup'. But when I followed with something like: "Those cramps are making your tummy smaller, and your body uses a lot of calories to make milk", they smiled. LOL
- hipRealtor, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2If you can't exclusively nurse, supplement with bottles - it's not an either/or situation.
For me, breastfeeding was harder & more painful than pregnancy and delivery but I'm glad I stuck with it and managed to bf my daughter over 3 years. Best thing I've ever done for her. - bignosedotca, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1Why does the world need a Billion more babies ? If anything we need a billion less people.
- bignosedotca, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0bah, i thought it said billion, not million. still, we have enough people that we don't have to figure out new ways to make sure we have more.
- mariaM, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1You can study here all the various reasons why women wean early, or don't even get started:
http://www.007b.com/early_weaning.php - LogicBomB, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Umm... it's a total advocacy article filled with fluff. What kind of ***** reporter says "it saves lives" and "must be done within the hour" and then provides absolutely no reason for it?
I'm sure it could be true but how about giving some scientific reasoning?!?! - ruhk, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Breast feeding may be the best, however, some women don't produce enough breast milk to maintain a rapidly growing baby. My kid just his 5 mos. and we've had to supplement breast feeding with formula bottles for all but the first couple of weeks. And before you ask, herbal and prescription remedies have still yet to increase production. It just seems that her boobs won't make/hold enough for him to get a good meal out of.
- SammyJr, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4Are you scheduling feedings or letting the kid nurse when he wants to? Breasts work on a demand/supply system. The more your kid nurses, the more milk is made.
- cooliozzzz, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0kool
- tanto, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Obesity in children is difficult to treat and may lead to adult obesity with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Evidence about the effect of breastfeeding on obesity in childhood has been scanty. Now workers in Munich, Germany have shown that prolonged breast feeding is associated with a reduced risk of later obesity.
http://orangtuamurid.info/blog/2007/08/23/breastfeeding-and-childhood-obesity/ - gumbright, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Yeah, because no baby has survived if not breastfed in the the first hour. This is just hyperbole.
Does breastfeeding confer considerable benefits? Most certainly. How about we leave it at that? - comittech, on 10/23/2007, -0/+1When you consider how eco-unfriendly it is to drink bottles water you have to think how much CO2 baby formula produces. http://www.breastpumpsdirect.com has a good comparison chart on the amount of formula an average baby consumes in the first 6 months.
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