BREASTFEEDING

Jessica Schanaman Doula Services believes that individual women have a right to
make a choice in how they feed their baby even to choose formula without ever
attempting to breastfeed. I respect each womans right to make her own decision.
I also believe that from a general policy or system point of view, it should be
assumed by all mothers, families, doctors, midwives, doulas, and formula
company executives that women will breastfeed. The information and support
mothers receive must be accurate and constructive. When a woman ends up not
breastfeeding, for any reason, I do not judge her. I must be clear about the
objective risks of formula, and yet recognize that there are times that the
benefits of formula outweigh the risks for an individual woman, all of this while
still assuming breastfeeding is the norm for women.
BREASTFEEDING AND FORMUL A DIFFERENCES
THE PERFECT FOOD

Breastmilk is available round the clock without preparation, without the use
of potentially contaminated substances (water or the formula itself).
Breastmilk is always at the right temperature
Breastmilk contains a constantly adapting mixture of the nutrients and live
cells such as immunoglobulins that a baby is designed to receive as it
develops.
Breast milk changes composition from the beginning of a feeding to the end,
and changes composition over time the milk produced for a newborn is
different in composition to the milk produced for a two month old, or a six
month old, or a three year old, because babies need different nutrition at
different times.
Formula milk is the same at every feed, every day, although a handful of
different compositions are manufactured to try to approximate some of the
needs at various infant life stages.
Breastfeeding has the capacity to prevent disease and illness in women and
infants, both in the short term, and many years later in life. This continues
even after breastfeeding has ceased.
Formula milk is riskier than breastmilk even when the mothers diet is lacking
in nutrients.
o a mothers capacity to produce milk of sufficient quantity and quality
to support infant growth is resilient and remarkably resistant to
nutritional deprivation. (Butte, 2012)
Humans have a natural enzyme that enables us to easily digest human milk
There is less waste product produced from human milk and the curds formed
in the stomach are softer and more easily digestible.

Human milk contains less protein than formula milks, which also contributes
to easier digestion.
Only half the protein in formula is able to be digested and the rest is passed
out as a waste product. Virtually all the protein in breast milk can be
digested.
Zinc and iron are also more effectively absorbed from breastmilk than they
are from formula milk. (Wendkos Olds, 2010)
If the mother gives birth prematurely (before 37 weeks), the milk she
produces will be different from that for a full-term infant. It will have a similar
makeup to that of colostrum for as long as one full month after the baby is
born, as opposed to only an average 2-4 days of colostrum in full-term
babies. (Hamosh, 1996)
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF (the United Nations
Childrens Fund) both recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months to
achieve optimal growth, development and health (WHO, 2011)

CANCER RISKS

Research clearly shows that choosing to formula feed (and therefore not
experiencing lactation) is associated with higher rates of breast cancer in the
mother. One study found that for every 12 months of breastfeeding, a woman
decreased her risk of developing breast cancer by 4.3% (Collaborative Group
on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer, 2002). They estimated that if women
breastfeed for 24 months on average their lifetime risk of developing breast
cancer would be more than halved. A study in Sri Lanka found that
breastfeeding for 2-3 years (total breastfeeding time for a children together)
reduced the risk of a woman developing breast cancer by nearly 88% (De
Silva, 2010).
The risk of developing ovarian cancer is significantly reduced in women who
breastfeed for 6 months or longer. (Gwinn, 1990; Rosenblatt, 1993;
Schneider, 1987) Two cohort studies carried out in the US showed that the
relative risk of developing ovarian cancer was reduced by 2% for every
month of breastfeeding. (Danforth, 2007)
The longer a woman breastfeeds the less likely she is to develop endometrial
cancer. (Petterson, 1986; Rosenblatt, 1995)
Babies who are never breastfed are 1.25 times more likely to develop
childhood leukemia than babies who are breastfeed for six months or more
(Ip, 2007)
Hodgkins disease is less likely to develop in children who were breastfed as
infants. (Schwartzbaum, 1991) The risk of developing Hodgkins disease was
reduced by 24% in children who had been breastfed as infants (Martin, 2005)

EFFECTS ON THE BABYS EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH

Breastmilk contains vital ingredients that enhance the development of the brain in
complex ways that are not fully understood.
Breastfed babies still have an I.Q. advantage over formula fed infants.
I.Q.s of formula fed infants may be 10 points lower than the breastfed children.
Breastfed babies have fewer illnesses because human milk transfers to the infant a
mothers antibodies to disease. About 80% of the cells in breastmilk are
macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Breastfed babies are
protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia,
botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza ear infections, and German
measles. Furthermore, mothers produce antibodies to whatever disease is present in
their environment, making their milk custom designed to fight diseases their babies
are exposed to. (Koutras, 1989; Wang, 1996; Williams, 1995)
Colostrum helps move meconium through the infants body more quickly, helping to
prevent jaundice. (deCarvalho, 1982; Unicef/WHO, 2006, Tudehope, 1991; Yamaouchi,
1990)
Breastfeeding helps prevent Crohns disease
Breast fed babies are less likely to develop allergies and illnesses related to allergy
than formula fed infants.
Breastfeeding provides protection against eczema, food allergies, and respiratory
allergies
Studies show an association between the lack of breastfeeding and SIDs.
Breastfeeding can be protective against meningitis.
Diarrheal infections are significantly more common in formula fed infants.
Breastfeeding protects babies against some rotaviruses and these babies are less
likely to be hospitalized with pneumonia than formula fed babies.
Breastfeeding may decrease the risk of developing juvenile rheumatoid arthritis by as
much as 40%
Breastfeeding assists in proper oral-facial development, which is necessary for good
speech and language development.
A cost analysis published in 2010 found that if 90% of women in the United States
breastfed their babies for at least six months there would be an annual cost saving of
$13 billion dollars and 911 lives each year would be prevented.

EFFECT ON THE MOTHERS EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH

Breastfeeding stimulates the release of oxytocin in the mother.

Breastfeeding mothers generally lose weight faster than mothers feeding their babies
with formula.
Studies have found that diabetic women who breastfeed require significantly lower
insulin doses postpartum than women who formula feed.
Breastfeeding can delay the return of a womans menses.
Both breastfeeding mothers and their children are at lower risk of developing
osteoporosis.

IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE WANTS SUPPORT OR MORE

INFORMATION ON NURSING THEIR BABY, PLEASE CONTACT ME. I HAVE
NURSED BOTH OF MY CHILDREN AND HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH MANY

HARDSHIPS. I AM HERE FOR YOU TO SUCCEED IN YOUR BREASTFEEDING

GOALS.
JESSICA SCHANAMAN DOULA SERVICES ~ (402)860-0078 ~
JSCHANAMANDOULA@GMAIL.COM ~ JSDOULASERVICES.WEEBLY.COM