More Breast Feeding Could Save 900 Babies a Year
The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women breast-fed their babies for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says.
Those startling results, published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are only an estimate. But several experts who reviewed the analysis said the methods and conclusions seem sound.
"The health care system has got to be aware that breast-feeding makes a profound difference," said Dr. Ruth Lawrence, who heads the American Academy of Pediatrics' breast-feeding section.
The findings suggest that there are hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year from health problems that breast-feeding may help prevent. These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia.
The magnitude of health benefits linked to breast-feeding is vastly underappreciated, said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick, an internist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Breast-feeding is sometimes considered a lifestyle choice, but Bartick calls it a public health issue.
Among the benefits: Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight infections; it also can affect insulin levels in the blood, which may make breast-fed babies less likely to develop diabetes and obesity.
The analysis studied the prevalence of 10 common childhood illnesses, costs of treating those diseases, including hospitalization, and the level of disease protection other studies have linked with breast-feeding.
"We know that breastfeeding gives babies important antibodies to protect against disease. We also know that breastfeeding is a way for moms to bond with their babies," CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennier Ashton said on the "CBS Evening News" Monday. "Today's study is the first to look at the impact of breastfeeding exclusively for six months on reducing several major costly diseases."
The $13 billion in estimated losses due to the low breast-feeding rate includes an economists' calculation partly based on lost potential lifetime wages - $10.56 million per death.
The methods were similar to a widely cited 2001 government report that said $3.6 billion could be saved each year if 50 percent of mothers breast-fed their babies for six months. Medical costs have climbed since then and breast-feeding rates have increased only slightly.
Seventy percent of women start out breastfeeding their babies. By three months, just 33 percent exclusively breastfeed and by six months, only 14 percent of women exclusively breastfeed, Ashton said.
"There are a number of reasons for this: lack of support in the workplace, aggressive marketing of baby formula. It can also be physically demanding and painful, at time," she said.
Dr. Larry Gray, a University of Chicago pediatrician, called the analysis compelling and said it's reasonable to strive for 90 percent compliance with the government guideline recommending that babies receive only breast milk for six months
But he also said mothers who don't breast-feed for six months shouldn't be blamed or made to feel guilty, because their jobs and other demands often make it impossible to do so.
"We'd all love as pediatricians to be able to carry this information into the boardrooms by saying we all gain by small changes at the workplace" that encourage breast-feeding, Gray said.
Bartick said there are some encouraging signs. The government's new health care overhaul requires large employers to provide private places for working mothers to pump breast milk. And under a provision enacted April 1 by the Joint Commission, a hospital accrediting agency, hospitals may be evaluated on their efforts to ensure that newborns are fed only breast milk before they're sent home.
"One thing that can really help is the breast pump. For both working moms and busy moms at home who may have other kids, pumping can be a great way to continue to breast feed," Ashton said. "Women who pump can stock up on their breast milk and possibly extend the period of time their babies receive it."
The pediatrics academy says babies should be given a chance to start breast-feeding immediately after birth. Bartick said that often doesn't happen, and at many hospitals newborns are offered formula even when their mothers intend to breast-feed.
"Hospital practices need to change to be more in line with evidence-based care," Bartick said. "We really shouldn't be blaming mothers for this."
© 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Those startling results, published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, are only an estimate. But several experts who reviewed the analysis said the methods and conclusions seem sound.
"The health care system has got to be aware that breast-feeding makes a profound difference," said Dr. Ruth Lawrence, who heads the American Academy of Pediatrics' breast-feeding section.
The findings suggest that there are hundreds of deaths and many more costly illnesses each year from health problems that breast-feeding may help prevent. These include stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia.
The magnitude of health benefits linked to breast-feeding is vastly underappreciated, said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick, an internist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Breast-feeding is sometimes considered a lifestyle choice, but Bartick calls it a public health issue.
Among the benefits: Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight infections; it also can affect insulin levels in the blood, which may make breast-fed babies less likely to develop diabetes and obesity.
The analysis studied the prevalence of 10 common childhood illnesses, costs of treating those diseases, including hospitalization, and the level of disease protection other studies have linked with breast-feeding.
"We know that breastfeeding gives babies important antibodies to protect against disease. We also know that breastfeeding is a way for moms to bond with their babies," CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennier Ashton said on the "CBS Evening News" Monday. "Today's study is the first to look at the impact of breastfeeding exclusively for six months on reducing several major costly diseases."
The $13 billion in estimated losses due to the low breast-feeding rate includes an economists' calculation partly based on lost potential lifetime wages - $10.56 million per death.
The methods were similar to a widely cited 2001 government report that said $3.6 billion could be saved each year if 50 percent of mothers breast-fed their babies for six months. Medical costs have climbed since then and breast-feeding rates have increased only slightly.
Seventy percent of women start out breastfeeding their babies. By three months, just 33 percent exclusively breastfeed and by six months, only 14 percent of women exclusively breastfeed, Ashton said.
"There are a number of reasons for this: lack of support in the workplace, aggressive marketing of baby formula. It can also be physically demanding and painful, at time," she said.
Dr. Larry Gray, a University of Chicago pediatrician, called the analysis compelling and said it's reasonable to strive for 90 percent compliance with the government guideline recommending that babies receive only breast milk for six months
But he also said mothers who don't breast-feed for six months shouldn't be blamed or made to feel guilty, because their jobs and other demands often make it impossible to do so.
"We'd all love as pediatricians to be able to carry this information into the boardrooms by saying we all gain by small changes at the workplace" that encourage breast-feeding, Gray said.
Bartick said there are some encouraging signs. The government's new health care overhaul requires large employers to provide private places for working mothers to pump breast milk. And under a provision enacted April 1 by the Joint Commission, a hospital accrediting agency, hospitals may be evaluated on their efforts to ensure that newborns are fed only breast milk before they're sent home.
"One thing that can really help is the breast pump. For both working moms and busy moms at home who may have other kids, pumping can be a great way to continue to breast feed," Ashton said. "Women who pump can stock up on their breast milk and possibly extend the period of time their babies receive it."
The pediatrics academy says babies should be given a chance to start breast-feeding immediately after birth. Bartick said that often doesn't happen, and at many hospitals newborns are offered formula even when their mothers intend to breast-feed.
"Hospital practices need to change to be more in line with evidence-based care," Bartick said. "We really shouldn't be blaming mothers for this."
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And P.S., if you call yourself a scientist, that doesn't mean squat since there are plenty of clueless scientists and doctors. Talk to me if you research and study human lactation. Otherwise, for all we know your science is limited to the study of lab rats.
As well, they say breastmilk is BEST, it's the PERFECT food for baby. Not true! If it was the BEST and PERFECT I wouldn't have had to give my 3 girls a vitamin D supplement for the 1st 6 months. And after 6 months, I would not have had to give the girls an Iron supplement. Never once in all of my reading about breastfeeding, my breastfeeding class that I took before my first child was born or when the lactation consultant came to my hospital room to help with breastfeeding did anyone ever mention that I would have to give my baby vitamin supplements.
The last thing that I found to be untrue (in my personal experience) is the "major" health benefits. The child I nursed for the least amount of time had the least amount of ear infections and colds. The child I nursed for over a year had so many ear infections that she had to have tubes put in.
I'm not against breastfeeding in any way, shape or form. I am against the breastfeeding community NOT telling the TRUTH to new moms. Like I said, I breastfed each of my 3 girls (minimum was 8 months) and I am giving my opinion based on my personal experience. Whatever a new mother chooses, she should be able to make that choice without any guilt or pressure.
I fully support nursing a child for mom and childs' benefit.It assisted my healing after a c-section and made life so much easier than having to make bottles of "milk"(if that's what you call that stuff in a can you mix with water- I can't even pronounce most of the ingredients) My youngest never got baby food either, everything we ate we put in a processor and fed him! He was allowed to play outdoors in the sand and build mud pies, I didn't shelter him from playing with bugs on the sidewalk or running through the yard with a hand full of night crawlers. I believe if you're introduced at an early age we build immunities and also obtain them from our mothers. If you doubt my ideas, ask any doctor if a mother has a child had had cmv (mono) will your child obtain those immunities from the mother- answer is Yes!
God gave women breast for a reason, they weren't designed for sexual purposes but for women to lactate. Its not difficult, in fact its the easiest thing to do, plus the bonding is immeasurable.
I don't understand the anger and whining about breastfeeding. Human babies need human milk. Calves need cow/bovine milk"
No, humans simply need FOOD, calories and fat, it doesnt matter what the food is as long as it has the vitamins, minerals, fats etc
I find this study highly suspect, and I don't think that new mothers need any more pressure put on them to do or not do anything other than trying to care for their babies to the best of their abilities.
I would like to see the data that shows that adopted babies have significantly higher risk to the listed illness. That MIGHT start to show me some real correlation between breastfeeding and formula. Until the myriad of factors that cause these diseases can be sorted out, don't lay it at the door of new mothers.
Finally, if breastfeeding exclusively is so imperative to the lifelong health of our children, let's see 6 months of fully paid maternity leave for new mothers. I'll bet you see a lot more women that breastfeed their babies.
I have personally seen undernourished babies that fail to thrive because their mother insists in breast feeding. These babies end up having multiple problems including respiratory problems. It is sad that the breastfeeding movement are not open to a real discussion about pros and cons and will mislead women at any cost. It is almost like a cult, and those of us who watch children suffer are tired of this kind of pseudoscience.
Dr's and journalists cant stand the fact that as of today there is no one or nothing to blame on Sudden Infant Death. Therefore they will grab and grasp at anything they can. They feel the need to place the blame on something/someone and this is very unfortunate.
People need to be informed correctly about SIDS and the methods that can REDUCE the risks, not prevent. There is no such thing as preventing SIDS. If there was I know more than a dozen babies that should not have died because all of the so called "preventive" methods were used. I feel bad for uninformed people like the one that has written this article. Sad to say, unless you have lost a baby to SIDS you will never understand.