Risks of Not Breastfeeding

When we start talking about the risks of not breastfeeding, we might as well throw a grenade in the room or open the proverbial "can of worms."

Formula companies worldwide have done an excellent job at brainwashing the public - sometimes with less than ethical practices - as have our very own culture:

"Formula is closest to breastmilk."

"Formula is pretty much the same as breastmilk."

"It is a mother's choice."

"Some babies do not like breastmilk."

"My breasts are too big/too small."

"Breastfeeding hurts."

"Your breasts will hang down to your knees."

Etc.

Usually, all one needs to mention is choice and the topic of the costs of not breastfeeding - to mother, baby and society - is dropped. But we ask you, how can anyone make a valid choice without all the information needed to make an informed choice? Moreover, like breathing and eating, breastfeeding is biologically pre-programmed. You give birth....you make milk. Pretty clear cut.

What about the women who truly cannot breastfeed? Great question! The facts are that less than 2% of women truly cannot biologically breastfeed and certainly these women should not be made to feel guilty. Formula was created for these women and their infants. It was never intended to be used by all...well until someone saw dollar signs. Big dollar signs! We are talking about a multi-BILLION dollar industry. Someone has a lot to gain by misinforming women.

But truly what are the risks of not breastfeeding? There are plenty! The risks to your baby are well known - and we will cover them but what about the cost to you and to society at large?

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: To You

Did you know that there are risks of not breastfeeding to you the mother?

Fact!

Women who do not breastfeed are at higher risks of:

Breast cancer

Ovarian cancer

Uterine cancer

Endometrial cancer

Retained pregnancy weight gain

Type 2 diabetes

Heart attack

The metabolic syndrome.

Osteoporosis

Depression

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: All Types of Breast Cancers

April 17, 2007 - "Breastfeeding offers protection against breast cancer for all women, even those who have their first full-term pregnancy later in life," says Giske Ursin, MD, PhD, associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

A collaborative study involving data from 47 epidemiological studies in 30 countries and including 50,302 women with breast cancer and 96,973 women without the disease concluded:

"The longer women breast feed the more they are protected against breast cancer. The lack of - or short lifetime duration - of breastfeeding typical of women in developed countries makes a major contribution to the high incidence of breast cancer in these countries."

A study by Yale University researchers showed that women who breastfed for two years or longer reduced their risk of breast cancer by 50 percent. The risks decrease the longer your breastfeed and yes there is a cumulative effect!

Here is another bonus of breastfeeding: If your baby is a girl, by breastfeeding her, you also reduce her chances of having breast cancer!

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: Ovarian Cancer

While you breastfeed, your estrogen levels are kept at lower levels. This is one of the reasons for the cancer-fighting effects of breastfeeding and its effect on ovarian cancer.

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: Uterine Cancer

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: Endometrial Cancer

Due to the reduction of estrogen levels during lactation which have a direct effect on the endometrial lining, breastfeeding offers a protective effect from endometrial cancer.

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: Retained Pregnancy Weight Gain

In a study published in 1993 in "The Journal of American Dietician Association," breastfeeding moms showed a significantly larger reduction in hip circumference and more fat loss by one month postpartum when compared with formula-feeding moms. Breastfeeding mothers tend to have an earlier return to their pre-pregnant weight.

However this should be no big surprise when you discover that making milk takes energy - burns calories. In fact, breastfeeding burns 600 calories per day. This is equivalent to two hours of aerobic exercise per day. Two hours of sweating and working hard versus sitting there and making milk!

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: Type II Diabetes

According to a study published in "The Journal of the American Medical Association" - JAMA - in 2005, mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Previous studies had already demonstrated an improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in breastfeeding moms compared to formula feeding mothers.

The conclusion of this extensive study was that an increased duration of breastfeeding was associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. The longer one breastfed the better.

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: Heart Attack

It seems that your metabolism after birth is positively affected by breastfeeding. Your triglyceride profile is especially positively affected is this reflects your cardiovascular well-being. It is also said that breastfeeding offers you protection against future cardiac events.

Against it seems that the longer the better: "Myocardial infarction rates {heart attack rates] were lower in those who breastfed longer, probably because of a 'resetting' of maternal physiology during the puerperium [after birth] because of the redistribution of fat metabolism."

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: The Metabolic Syndrome.

First, what is "metabolic syndrome?"

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of metabolic risk factors that predispose a person to increased risks of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque buildups in the artery walls - stroke and peripheral vascular disease - and type 2 diabetes. These risks factors include:

Abdominal obesity

Blood fat disorders such as high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol - atherogenic dyslipidemia - that foster plaque buildups in artery walls

Elevated blood pressure

Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance

Prothrombotic state - meaning high fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in the blood

Proinflammatory state - meaning elevated C-reactive protein in the blood

In the United States, this syndrome now affects over 50 million Americans and the numbers are rising..

In a study published in the ScienceDaily in 2009, breastfeeding was shown to lower a woman's risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Depending on the duration of the breastfeeding relationship, risks were reduced by 39 to 56 percent in women with no gestational diabetes and 44 to 86 percent in women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes!

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: Osteoporosis

It is a fact that breastfeeding moms may experience a decrease of bone mineral. This means that while breastfeeding your bone mineral density may be reduced - usually by 1 to 2%. HOWEVER, this same density is gained back and not only that but studies actually show that your bone density may actually increase after weaning! And these results were not dependant on additional calcium supplementation.

Even though you will commonly hear that you need 400 to 800 mg. of extra calcium per day while breastfeeding, this has not been backed up by science. As a matter of fact a study published in 1997, showed that breastfeeding moms do not need added calcium.

Yes! Breastfeeding has been shown to protect against osteoporosis. Again in "The New England Journal of Medicine," Dr. Anne Prentice of the Medical Research Council stated:

Risks of Not Breastfeeding: Depression

Some researchers asked this question: "With her [the mother] breasts enlarged and hormones flowing, what happens if no newborn appears to suckle? How will her body - and brain - react?"

First let's look at what happens to your body shortly before and after birth. The levels of certain hormones - prolactin, lactogen, estrogen, progesterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and growth hormone - increase are cause your breasts to swell - amongst other bodily changes. After the birth of your baby, the birth of the placenta signals your body that the birth is over and a baby has been born and therefore it is time to go into milk production. Your baby's suckling will further stimulate your breasts. In time, just your baby's cry or thinking of her will activate your milk glands and release the milk. All this happens by design.

So what happens if this process is halted? According to psychologist Dr. Gordon Gallup from the University of Albany, the only time in human history that a mother would have not breastfed would have been after a miscarriage or a death. In his opinion the decision to bottle-feed produces for a mother's psyche the same results as if she were mourning the loss of her child. Bogus you say. Well, research actually says this doctor has a point.

There is indeed evidence to support this claim. In a paper presented earlier this year at the annual meeting of the "Northeastern Evolutionary Psychology Society," Dr. Gallup and his colleagues reported their findings: Among a sample group of 50 mothers who had given birth in the previous 4 to 6 months, those who chose to bottle feed scored significantly higher on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale than breastfeeding mothers did. This effect panned out even after controlling for the mother's age, education, income and relationship status with her current partner.

Part II: The risks of not breastfeeding your baby.

To find out what breastfeeding had to do with your baby's behavior Click Here.

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