Breastfeeding Is Good for Your Baby's Future

November 7, 2007

When I was born, breastfeeding wasn't so common. Many new moms weren't encouraged to do so, and they often felt more than a little shy about the practice (even in this day and age many people get offended when they see a mom breastfeeding in public). Too bad that back then they didn't know the health benefits of breastfeeding.

Not only does breast milk offer excellent nutrition and help protect babies from infections, but a new study shows that babies who were nursed as infants have a lower body-mass index (BMI) and a higher level of HDL cholesterol (the good kind).

What's so great about that? Lower BMI and high HDL help to protect against cardiovascular disease. This study discovered that those who were breastfed as infants were 55 percent more likely to have high levels of HDL cholesterol than those who were bottle-fed.

Also, adults in the study who were breastfed had an average BMI of 26.1. Those who were bottle-fed had an average BMI of 26.9. If your BMI is higher than 25, you are considered overweight and at risk for heart problems. Although there wasn't a huge difference in the BMI numbers, even a slight reduction in BMI can greatly reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.

Well now I'm even happier that I chose to breastfeed my girls.

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26 Comments

nikodarling 5 years

I should call my mother and thank her.

sparklestar 5 years

I am very thankful that my mother breastfed me. I was a very weak baby and without her milk I could have been a very sickly child. As it stands I don't get sick half as often as my friends who were formula fed and I've NEVER broken a bone! I've also never had chicken pox because her immunity passed on to me. OH she tried to get it for me.. taking me round kids houses to play who had it and so on!! Weirdo.. Breastfeeding is the way to go. Pump it if you can't stand the pain?

citizenkane 5 years

If someone feels inadequate from not breast-feeding simply because of reports like this, they may have a self-esteem issue to begin with. This is just literature to PROMOTE breat-feeding. Yes, there are positive results from breast-feeding, but the exact same results can be achieved in those who are not breast fed. Its like exercising: If you DO exercise, there is a better chance you are healthy as opposed to someone who DOES NOT exercise. But, it doesn't mean that the person who does not exercise isn't healthy.

cookiequeen 5 years

This is all well and good, but what about new mothers that are unable to breastfeed for medical reasons? For instance, my sister was placed on steriods two days after giving birth to her son. She desperately wanted to breastfeed, but was warned by doctors that the steriods were not good for her son. I fear that reports such as these will make these loving mothers feel inadequate.

lilegwene 5 years

My mom breastfed me and my siblings. There is definitely a wide range of IQ among us, size among us, and one of my brothers has severe allergies to many things (nuts, chocolate, flour, eggs, seafood, cats). All this has led me to believe that many of the benefits attributed to breast-feeding are illusory. Breast-feeding Won't Deter Obesity Study http://www.physorg.com/news96609006.html I am not saying this study is correct either, but it shows that the data on breast-feeding is inconclusive. Choose to do what you think is best, but it is misguided to exclusively support one way or the other.

Beaner 5 years

Here in Vt, it's totally cool to nurse your baby in public. It's a natural thing to do and babies need to eat, so why should the mom and baby have to go somewhere private to do it? I'm not saying the mother should nurse topless or anything, but there's a way to do it in public without everyone seeing your business. I definitely plan on breastfeeding my baby when I have one.

Allytta 5 years

in europe, especially in ussr people knew all about benefits of breasfeeding. and all the babies were breasfed. but i don't like seeing someone breasfeeding in public, that is bad manners. it's a very intimate retual, and mommy should connect with the baby, and strangers should not be envolved. and nudity is still a tabu in civilised world, so that's the other disadvantage of breastfeeding in public.

PrincessTracy 5 years

this is probably true unless you're britney spears...in which case formula is the way to go!

mbrown81 5 years

I breastfed my oldest (Adam) until he was about six months (When he started cutting teeth) and then I pumped and he drank it out of bottles. My son JD is 4 months old and breasfeeding. I do want to say that you are no less a good mother if you choose not to. There are plenty of healthy formula feed babies out there. I commend all mothers, and if you happen to brestfeed thats great.

adelka 5 years

Good job, Fit and you other breast-feeding mommas out there. I plan on it when I have babies :-)

JessNess 5 years

Yeah when you get pregnant your breast are going to be full of milk whether your breast feed or not. So either way your breast will never be the same. Even if you never have kids boobs dont stay perky forever (at least naturally). Thats just a fact of life

kl2030 5 years

I think pregnancy is more the cause of saggy boobs than brestfeeding is.

psterling 5 years

I know this is shallow but I'm worried that if I breastfeed, my boobs will never go back to their usual perky selves. Any advice? I mean, I'd rather have a healthy kid than perky boobs but it'd be nice to have both!

MuppetsForDinner 5 years

I was not breastfed and I have a healthy BMI. All that's meant to say is that you never know so you have to make the decision that's right for you. Lately I have seen some militant pro-breastfeeding moms who attack women who choose not to breastfeed. I'm not pregnant, but I'm going to do whatever feels right at the time.

GlowingMoon 5 years

Interesting. I was not breastfed, yet my BMI is normal, and my HDL is much higher than my LDL. My doctor said that I have the highest HDL he had ever seen. He said I would never get a heart attack or stroke.

jennifer76 5 years

Yay for breastfeeding!! I nursed both of my children as well. One of the best benefits for baby not mentioned in the article is way lower incidence of illness while breastfeeding. In addition to the benefits for baby, moms who have breastfed have a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancers as well as other benefits people have already mentioned. It's all good!

Spectra 5 years

I was breastfed and my mom breastfed my siblings as well. Besides being best for the baby, it's also good for moms. It helps you shed the extra baby weight and helps you bond with your baby. I plan to breastfeed my babies unless there's a medical reason why I can't.

imLissy 5 years

I also saw this article on digg today: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071105171949.htm "Breastfeeding Boosts IQ In Infants With 'Helpful' Genetic Variant" Well this explains why I'm so smart and thin ;)

JessNess 5 years

My mom tried to breastfeed both my brother and I (born 7 years apart) but neither of us would take

The New Black 5 years

Isn't it supposed to help protect against future allergies as well? I think I heard that somewhere.

kurniakasih 5 years

I breastfed for at least 6 months (then his tooth starts growing out), then I switched to pumping for the next 3 months or so.Um, I do think that breastfeeding is great, my son is very healthy and rarely gets sick, he probably caught the cold three times in the past 2 years and nothing else. So I feel really blessed and maybe it's because of the breastfeeding...Another thing is, I seemed to lose the pregnancy weight too faster than I thought I would by breastfeeding. :p

kurniakasih 5 years

I breastfed for at least 6 months (then his tooth starts growing out), then I switched to pumping for the next 3 months or so. Um, I do think that breastfeeding is great, my son is very healthy and rarely gets sick, he probably caught the cold three times in the past 2 years and nothing else. So I feel really blessed and maybe it's because of the breastfeeding... Another thing is, I seemed to lose the pregnancy weight too faster than I thought I would by breastfeeding. :p

wackdoodle 5 years

Wow, I was born in 1971 and my mom breastfeed me. She breastfeed all five of us starting in 1958 and ending with me. Is that unusual? Even when I was morbidly obese I had low bad cholestrol.Since my mom is dead, one of the most treasured things I have is a card from the hospital where I was born that says "Enfamil Formula - Mother chooses to breastfeed daughter exclusively." My mom saved that in my baby book. She wrote that she breastfeed me until I could hold a bottle of breastmilk myself.

wackdoodle 5 years

Wow, I was born in 1971 and my mom breastfeed me. She breastfeed all five of us starting in 1958 and ending with me. Is that unusual? Even when I was morbidly obese I had low bad cholestrol. Since my mom is dead, one of the most treasured things I have is a card from the hospital where I was born that says "Enfamil Formula - Mother chooses to breastfeed daughter exclusively." My mom saved that in my baby book. She wrote that she breastfeed me until I could hold a bottle of breastmilk myself.

lilegwene 5 years

There is a lot missing from that blurb about the study to start saying any of this really supports breast-feeding. Do what makes you happy.

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26 Comments