By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH 
Originally published in Community Leader, August 3, 2006

Today babies (and others) around the globe are rejoicing: August 1–7 is World Breastfeeding Week. As a physician, and parent of three breastfed children, I am happy to endorse the practice of giving our offspring human milk. One of my greatest pleasures as a new mother was breastfeeding my son. I have fond memories of sitting quietly in the living room recliner, catching up on reading as my dark-haired infant eventually nursed himself into blissful oblivion. 

While breastfeeding my son and subsequent two daughters was not always the serene scenario described above, I felt fortunate to be able to do it. I was young, healthy and my equipment was in working order. My babies were also healthy, and quite amenable. I had an abundance of support from others, including a caring husband, a knowledgeable mother (who had herself breastfed ten children), and understanding colleagues at Maine Medical Center. All of these things came together to make it possible for me to give my babies a wonderful start in life. 

Breastfeeding sets the stage for lifelong wellness. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the benefits of breastfeeding are numerous, and include:

• Healthier babies. Breastfed babies have fewer allergies, ear infections, and diarrhea due to an improved immune system, and possibly a lower incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and childhood cancer. Some research even suggests that babies who are breastfed have improved brain development.
• Healthier moms. Breastfeeding moms have a faster ‘recovery’ from pregnancy, with increased weight loss, and less post-delivery bleeding. They may also have a decreased risk of osteoporosis, breast and ovarian cancer in later years.
• Healthier adults. Babies who are breastfed become adults who may be less likely to develop digestive problems, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma and obesity,
• A Healthier pocketbook. Breastfeeding is less expensive than bottle feeding, saving parents more than $400 in food costs in the first year of life.
• A Healthier society. Breastfeeding decreases healthcare costs, due to healthier babies and moms. It also leads to fewer work days lost to illness.
• A Healthier environment. Breastfeeding leads to less landfill waste from formula packaging, and less air pollution from transporting the formula to stores.

Nursing a child, while clearly rewarding, can be challenging. It requires the encouragement and assistance of many, beginning with fathers, co-parents and family members. We shouldn’t leave this responsibility solely up to these individuals, however:

• All of us can make breastfeeding mothers feel valued, cared for and included, by allowing them to nurse their infants openly depending upon their level of comfort.
• Hospitals, birth centers and health care providers can continue to emphasize the importance of early, frequent breastfeeding, and ensure that mothers have access to experts in the field of lactation. (For local breastfeeding support groups, call the MaineHealth Learning Resource Centers at 781-1730.)
• Daycare providers can work with mothers to keep babies on a feeding schedule that allows them as many nursing opportunities as possible, and offer clean, safe storage for bottled breast milk.
• Employers can give mothers adequate time off after giving birth, to ensure that breastfeeding is well established. They can also make available a quiet place to either nurse or pump during breaks, along with refrigeration for expressed breast milk. (Visit www.laleche.org for other ideas).
• Public facilities can develop comfortable, private breastfeeding areas. Bathroom stalls are simply not optimal. After all, would you want to eat sitting on a potty?

The most critical way we can back our breastfeeding mothers and their young is to allow them to do what works in their situation. Perhaps baby John-John will be sleeping in the family bed for his first year, or little Suzy will be a bit later to wean than we believe is strictly necessary. Maybe, despite the best efforts of all involved, breastfeeding will not even be a viable option. We need to reserve judgment. Most breastfeeding moms are doing what all parents try to do: giving it their best effort.

Breastfeeding, like parenting, can be a challenge. Fortunately, its merits outweigh its inconveniences. Also, like parenting, breastfeeding has the potential to yield some of life’s sweetest moments. My son, now almost thirteen (and with a shoe size that exceeds mine), rarely sits on my lap any more. Now I must be content with the rare, intense body-slamming hugs of a budding eighth grader—and the tender memories of his first nights spent in blissful nursing oblivion.