TIME to Claim Your Power, Mama

So much has already been written about the May 21, 2012 cover of TIME magazine, which featured Jamie Lynne Grumet breastfeeding her nearly 4 year old son. People are outraged by the headline and the subtext. Some are appalled that a mother would breastfeed a preschool-aged child and call it obscene. Others are happy that extended breastfeeding and attachment parenting (AP) is in the spotlight. And everyone has an opinion about the photo.

When social media sites first blew up over the cover I read some pretty astounding accusations that made me realize that many people don’t stop to think before they speak (or type). Most atrocious were the accusations that this was a model with a random 8 year old perched at her breast! What?! But surprisingly, even attachment moms were attacking the photo saying that “it didn’t illustrate attachment parenting.” The woman is breastfeeding her almost 4 year old son on the cover of a major magazine that circulates the world over! How much more AP can you ask for? Sure, it’s an artificial setting and likely a little awkward to be breastfeeding in front of cameras and lights and strangers on a set, but it’s still a picture of a real mom nursing her real child.

But rather than focus on the negative, I want to show you what I see.

Look at the cover photograph again. (Ignore the words for now.) Notice the expression on Jamie’s face. Notice the bend in her arm. Notice her blue shirt and how her hair is up. The first thing I see when I look at this photograph is Rosie the Riveter. I see a symbol of feminism and great resolve. I see a strong woman determined to give her child the best nutrition and comfort she has to offer no matter what anyone else thinks of it. All that’s missing is the yellow background and red and white polka dot bandana.  Not to mention that this photo will likely be viewed for many years to come as a source of strength and a call to action for parents who practice and advocate for attachment parenting.

Now look at the original photo again. Look at Jamie’s expression again. What do you see? Does she look happy? Angry? Determined? Content? Relaxed? Uncomfortable? Stubborn? Is she snarling? Smirking? Maybe she’s just waiting for someone to say something negative so she can pounce? Or she’s trying to imagine herself as anywhere but there? Or maybe she’s so comfortable with herself while breastfeeding her son that she doesn’t care who’s watching? It’s interesting that there’s a seemingly endless list of interpretations of her simple expression and posture. I can’t help but compare it to the many interpretations of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. She could be happy or sad; silently yearning to break out of her canvas prison or contentedly taking in the scenery while entertaining some simple Zen haiku.

It seems as though the individual interpretations of Jamie’s expression are but a reflection of the individual’s own view of extended breastfeeding and attachment parenting. The absence of any real expression allows the viewer to read more into the cover and ascribe emotions to the situation that are not actually there. If you’re uncomfortable with extended breastfeeding and feel like those who do it think you’re a quitter (which I assure you they do not), then perhaps you see a woman who’s challenging you and smugly looking down on you. If you breastfeed an infant and are unsure whether you’ll continue breastfeeding beyond the first year or two maybe you see a woman who’s urging you on, showing you that it can be done. If you practice extended breastfeeding (like I do) maybe you see a woman who cares more about her relationship with her son than what anyone else thinks.

Artistic manipulation by Angie Helwich

What do you see?

Brandy Van Vossen studied Environmental Biology at Saint Xavier University. She is currently a stay at home mom to her two beautiful breastfed children (C. nearly 3 years and P. 8 months) on Chicago’s south side. She is also on the Board of Advisors for Breastfeed, Chicago! and enjoys helping and encouraging moms to breastfeed their children for as long as is mutually desirable.

And a big shout out to the wonderful Angie Helwich who took my artistic visions and turned them into real pictures! Thank you for your hard work and for not laughing at me. You’re the best!

Chicago’s New Motto: Nurse Early, Nurse Often

Welcome to Chicago! The Windy Breastfeeding City!

In case you missed it, I started a petition to ask our Honorable Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago City Council to pass a breastfeeding ordinance.  Wait, don’t we already have state laws to protect breastfeeding in public?  Yes, we do but there are several reasons why we need a city ordinance.  First of all, Seattle just passed a pro-breastfeeding city ordinance on April 9.  Washington State also has breastfeeding laws on the books, but the Seattle city council cited the measure’s importance as a public-health issue that needed more protection.  The Seattle city council essentially took an issue that already has state and federal protection and made it a local issue.

I live in Wicker Park.  While out on my daily walk, I stopped in 10 local businesses located on Division Street.  Only one business was aware of a state law protecting breastfeeding in public.  So, that means nine (9!) local businesses had no clue!  Granted, this was not a scientifically controlled experiment, maybe management knew of the law but the employees I talked to were completely ignorant to the subject.  In fact, most of the male employees seemed uncomfortable with me even saying the word “breast.”  A city ordinance in Chicago would certainly bring awareness to local businesses especially if they would be forced to pay a fine for violating the ordinance.

A city ordinance can hold people accountable.  While we have state laws, it is always the more restrictive law that is followed.  Our city council could very well decide to send violators to sensitivity training and/or pay an exorbitant fine.  A city ordinance in Chicago would also set a precedent for smaller cities, towns and villages across the state (and country for that matter).  It would be a great way to generate revenue by fining people and businesses but it would also bring to light the main issue, public health.

Seattle cited the ordinance as a public health issue; we all know the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby.  Most people (myself included pre-pregnancy) do not know the health and financial benefits of breastfeeding.  By making it about a public health issue, it affects everyone.  A city ordinance would make breastfeeding a priority.  When the city council and the mayor pass a budget, breastfeeding education could make a difference in where the money is distributed.

Passing a breastfeeding ordinance is good for city tourism which in turn is good for taxpayers.  It’s like putting out a welcome mat for families.  “Hey! Come to Chicago! We love breastfeeding!”  I am always more comfortable in places where I know I am welcome.  Let’s face it, not all women and families are as comfortable as others.  Whether you cover up or let it all hang out, a city ordinance sends a message that breastfeeding is NOT about sexuality, it is about the best interests of mother and baby.

A city ordinance in Chicago would be one more link in the chain of events normalizing breastfeeding in public and changing society’s perception.  By encouraging breastfeeding in public, a new mother may just decide to throw out the formula and the lawmakers may decide that formula companies and lobbyists need to be thrown out as well.

We already have to fight tooth and nail for our breastfeeding rights and we have state laws, right?  The publicity and passing of a city ordinance in Chicago will put the law on the radars of every business owner, employer and bystander.  It should not be our responsibility to print out state laws for our employers. It should not be our responsibility to educate every person that walks by and makes a rude comment. However, it IS our responsibility to support this petition and what it will do for breastfeeding mothers everywhere.

Sign the petition now, and pass it on!

Thank you to Amanda McPhillips for creating and spearheading this project. Amanda is one of our Advisory Board members at Breastfeed, Chicago. She had a great idea, ran with it, and we are supporting her in every way we can! That’s what this group is all about. You rock, Amanda!

I’m Never Doing That!

A letter to breast feeders and lactivists (and really everybody): 

Before I had children of my own I knew that I wanted to breastfeed. I knew that this was the most important decision that I would make for them in their early years. I knew that breast was best. But my inexperience led me to come to some other conclusions as well.

I didn’t grow up seeing breastfeeding. As much as I babysat and even having a younger brother born when I was 16, I just didn’t see breastfeeding. It wasn’t until I was 25 and took a job as a nanny for a woman with newborn twins that I first saw a mother feed her baby (babies) at her breast.  I was in awe. It was a beautiful sight; baby cradled perfectly in his mother’s arms, suckling his little heart out. I watched as mom lost herself in loving gazes and baby peered back with wide eyes, his mouth full of breast and perfectly satisfied. They were the only two people in the world when they were nursing; unless she was tandem nursing both twins, then the whole scene would unfold around the three of them. It was magical.

When my older sister had her first baby a few months later I got to see this enchanted moment again with a new cast. I wanted that for my babies and for myself. But that was as much as I knew about it then.

I distinctly remember having a conversation with friends about my [not so enlightened] thoughts on breastfeeding when I was pregnant with my first child. I talked about how I just wanted to make it to a year and then cut him off because “breastfeeding beyond a year was just weird.” And I was not going to be one of those extended breastfeeding yahoos who finds it cute when a silly little toddler comes walking up and asks, with real words, for some “milkies” or some other cutsie word for breastfeeding. That totally gave me the willies. I’m sure I had this very conversation more than once and I shudder to think of who may have heard me say these things.

Then I had my first baby. Oh, I was in mommy heaven! He was perfect, plump, beautiful; just this gorgeous little person that I would throw myself in front of a bus for [if that was something I could do to prove my love for him]. This was my chance to have those magical moments of breastfeeding bonding all for myself.

Not without our own struggles we got to that place. We lived in the magical mommy and baby bubble of breastfeeding bliss, and something happened in there that I can’t quite explain. Somewhere between the sloppy milk drooling smiles and the burps of total contentment my baby turned into a walking and talking toddler with his very own cutsie word for my milk. He called it “bop.” Somewhere in that bubble my perception changed from what I expected to what I lived. In that bubble I became enlightened by my own experience and suddenly I understood that which I could not see before.

Breastfeeding a toddler is no stranger than breastfeeding a newborn baby. Nothing changes at a year or when a child learns to walk and talk, either in mom’s milk or in a child’s need for it, that should cause a mother to wean her child or to feel like a yahoo for continuing to breastfeed. The only thing that changes is society’s perception of the breastfeeding relationship. Somewhere around a year inexperienced people think that breastfeeding is no longer an important and nutritious way to feed and nurture a child.

As experienced breast feeders and lactivists we have an obligation and a golden opportunity to help educate and enlighten the public, our friends and family, and even professionals. As breast feeding is coming back into the mainstream we have a chance to show that we are compassionate and that we understand that not everyone sees things the way we do. How can they? They’ve never seen breastfeeding from our unique vantage point.

Brandy Van Vossen studied Environmental Biology at Saint Xavier University. She is currently a stay at home mom to her two beautiful, breastfed children (2.5 years and 6 months) on Chicago’s south side. 

Don’t Poo Poo Public Breastfeeding!

In response to people who oppose breastfeeding in public on the grounds of it being just as natural as urinating and defecating

I hear this response all too often when the subject of breastfeeding in public comes up. A breastfeeding supporter will comment that “nursing is natural” and thus should be allowed anywhere public or private that the mother is allowed to be (which by the way is protected by law in 45 states). Then an antagonist comes up with the brilliant retort that “so is urinating or defecating. So then why can’t people just relieve themselves whenever and wherever they please?” Here’s why:

Because when a woman nurses her child in public (and in private for that matter) she doesn’t leave behind a puddle of milk or a pile of curds. She leaves her little nursing nook just as clean as it was before she hiked up her shirt and latched her babe. When a mother gets up after nursing her child and walks away there is no remaining evidence that they were ever there and nothing for the janitor to clean up. There’s nothing there for you to slip on or step in. Nothing emitting a foul odor or attracting flies. Breastfeeding is clean and leaves no trace, save for a happy, healthy baby and a relaxed and relevant mama.

 

Brandy Van Vossen studied Environmental Biology at Saint Xavier University. She is currently a stay at home mammal mama to her two beautiful, breastfed children (2.5 years and 3 months) on Chicago’s south side.

Nurslings Say the Darnedest Things…

Chicago moms share their favorite nursling commentaries.

Beth C: Today [my 23 month old] says to me as we sit down to nurse, “Mommy, take shirt off. Me no like!”

Brandy V: When Charlie was about 18 months old he always asked for “alluvthum.” [Say that out loud.] Yes, he wanted both boobs at once! And the few times I obliged him (mostly because I was laughing too hard to decline) he would grab them like one big hogey and try to squeeze the nips together so he could, literally, have ‘alluvthum’ at once! It never quite worked but he had fun trying.

Amy C: Lately, [my almost 2 year old] started saying “Mama, want YOUR mimis.” This is in response to other members of the family pretending to offer when she asks. She’s learned to be specific now

Christel F: [My son] tells me to cover the side he isn’t eating…

Katrina P: If my 3 year old sees me naked, he points to my boobs and says, “Those are breasts. Are they for nursing a baby?” Awww, he misses nursing so much. Poor thing.

K.P: S (almost 2.5 yo) makes me take out my ENTIRE boob to nurse him. If I try to lift my shirt or be discreet at all, he freaks out and says, “Take your boobie out!!! Take it out! Don’t cover it!”

L.S:  My 20 month old does aerobics/yoga while nursing!

E.D: My 2 year old says, “mom, 2 boobs!” and I’m 37 weeks pregnant so I have very little milk at this point (if any?!) so he nurses for a short time, then stops and says “boob empty! drank all milkies!”

M.S: My son has been weaned for a year now and lately he has been peeking down the collar of my shirt and saying “hi boobs” or when we do the eyes, ears, nose (body parts, etc) he points and says “boobs.”

Beth C: Uh, this is kind of embarrassing but every time we nurse at home (same spot on the couch each time) Q picks up the remote and says “Here mama, mote for you.” Yeah, I still watch crap tv while nursing. Also, Q is a little confused sometimes. His “new” word, when he hurts himself is “boobie” instead of boo boo. He skinned his knee a few days ago and now all we hear is, “Momma, Dadda baby has BOOBIE.”

N.L: I would ask him if he wanted to nurse on the other side… So he started to ask for “more shide? More shide?”

Kristin P: Aubrey’s word for nursing is ‘yummy.’ Whenever he wants to nurse, he comes running to me and says ‘yum yum yummy!!!!’ while simultaneously giving the sign for milk. He has done this since about 18 mo – he is 28 mo now. He also alternates between calling me ‘mama’ and ‘yummy’. It’s a riot and I love that my milk is so delicious that ‘yummy’ is the word he feels most appropriately describes it

S.C: Darren will come off during let down sometimes and go “uuuuummm” and let the stream of milk flow in his mouth…lol.

E.H: My oldest used to try to unbutton my blouse and would furiously wiggle his fingers on the buttons, a little after a year old.

M.H: I have 2 – my daughter called nursing “dee-dees”, and her very first 2-word phrase came at 16 months old – she had just finished nursing and smiled up at me, drunk on breast milk, and said, “Mmm, dee-dees!” [Then] at about 19 months [she] was listening to my 3-year-old and me sing Wheels on the Bus – we sang the part about the babies crying, and then I asked “And what do the mommies do when the babies cry?” (thinking she would say ‘the mommies on the bus go shh shh shh’) – my breastfed toddler said, “give dee-dees!” We still sing it that way to this day – what a better version!

A.C: The other day was watching Diego with my girls, and Diego was giving baby polar bears a bottle. I asked my 3yr old if baby polar bears really drink from bottles in the wild. Much to my dismay, she said yes. So I asked her what was in the bottles. She replied “Pumped milk from the mama polar bear!”

C.J: My nephew (who was 3 at the time, but had been EBF) while I was breastfeeding my son (who was 2 months at the time). Nephew: “Is that where you keep his milk?” Me: “It is.” Nephew: “I keep mine in the fridge.”

Sharon K: My 22 month old curls up in my arms and with a smile says “nigh, nigh peas” Puts a smile to my face no matter what type of day I had!

Catherine M: I swear my almost 5 month old already has a word for breastfeeding. It seems that she says “meh! meh! meh!” when she wants to nurse.

Erin G: When my son was around two months he would make sounds like he was trying to get my attention by coughing and clearing his throat. “ah hehh ah hehh ah hehh”. I wish now that I got that on tape. Now he makes the milk sign. Sometimes I’ll get the cough. [It] was so funny. I miss it. I’ll get the cough now when he’s sleeping and nursing. He will wake up “ah hehh ah hehh” which means “hey ma where are you?”

M.S: One night when Nathan was a newborn, he started nursing while we were in bed asleep. My husband woke me up and asked if Nathan was ok…because he was gulping so loudly…Doug said that it sounded like he was stuck on the end of a fire hose trying to keep up! He’s been a ninja night nurser ever since.

 

 

Politics, Religion and Breastfeeding in Public… Oh no you di’int!

That’s right. You’ve just found yourself in a heated debate about public breastfeeding. You didn’t mean to get into this argument. You simply wanted to post an inspiring picture of some random mom (or yourself) nursing a baby in a restaurant or some other public locale with a caption that reads something like “It’s happy hour and milk is on tap.” And BAM! You get heckled by someone who finds breastfeeding in public repulsive and unnecessary. Or worse yet, they try to tell you (a breastfeeding mother) about how sacred the act of breastfeeding is and as such it should be kept private. Blech! So now you’re on a mission to educate this imbecile before he or she makes a similar comment to someone who’s teetering on the brink of giving up, thus pushing them into the formula abyss.

Or at least that’s where I found myself about 9 months ago and this was how it went:

SJ (a male friend of a friend on facebook):

As a man, I completely support breast feeding. I only ask that if a woman chooses to do it in public that she take appropriate steps to have a bit of discretion. Blanket? Most American males are conditioned to sexualize women’s breasts. We do not necessarily mean to consciously stare or ogle, but most straight men (and some others as well) will find themselves mesmerized by the act – as innocent & beautiful as it may be. We do not mean any disrespect but we ask that you consider its impact upon us as well.

Me:

As a nursing mother I appreciate your thoughts, [SJ]. And I’ll say that we don’t mind if you look at the nursing baby. We don’t even mind if you engage us in conversation or gesture with a polite nod while we’re nursing. But our main concern is meeting the needs of our children and some babies don’t like being under a cover or having something over their face while they eat. Have you ever tried to eat with a bandana over your face like a cowboy? It’s probably pretty uncomfortable. My son won’t nurse under a cover, never would. I have no choice but to feed him when he’s hungry and if that makes a few men uncomfortable then I just expect them to be adults about it and look the other way.

SJ:

…I would make every effort to look away, but I recall one time where due to a DR’s office layout I could not. I smiled & tried to speak with the mom, but I accepted my human limitations & apologized as I closed my eyes & told the young lady why I was doing that. She thanked me for my candor & understanding, but I must admit that I later felt like she failed to plan for her present reality. By the time my name was called, her child was sleeping & it was over. I wished her well & saw my DR. I try not to judge, but I also accept my own human weakness & try to adjust for that as well. I hope I can find good middle ground & not cause anyone pain or discomfort.

Me:

I think it sounds like the young mom planned very well for her present reality but failed to plan for yours. That’s the disconnect here, that everyone projects their own discomforts onto a mother who, very likely, has a hundred other things on her mind and cannot realistically take on the responsibility of managing the comfort levels of perfect strangers.

SJ:

I cannot counter the logic, nor would I necessarily wish to, but I think it a simple thing to pack a small cloth that could cover a nipple. No offense intended to anyone, but unless the nipple is enormous, it can be covered somehow. I apologize in advance, ladies, as childbirth & breastfeeding are two things which are both absolutely beautiful & absolutely amazing to most men.

Me:

I really respect your thoughts and I appreciate your honesty. But wouldn’t it be just as easy for you to pack a small blanket to put over your head (or a magazine or newspaper to use as a visual barrier if you prefer) just in case such a situation arises? I mean, YOU already KNOW that YOU are uncomfortable in such situations. So rather than project the responsibility to deal with YOUR own comfort level onto a complete stranger, you should do some additional planning before you leave for the day. Right? Then moms are free to deal with the needs of their children and everyone else can go on with their day.

SJ:

While I see your logic, moms are also free to choose where they travel, but I am NOT able to know beforehand when or where a nursing mom might travel. I cannot be expected to avoid them. Therefore, the onus to cover should be theirs as nobody could know beforehand – male or female – where a nursing mom might travel or choose to nurse their babe. Such an act is very intimate, and as such, should be private. I think that we need more places in public locations where moms could do such without massive attention or such. Most childrens’ needs could be addressed at home, although I accept how negative that might sound.

Me:

VERY negative! It’s a very isolating feeling to be a new mom who’s trying to figure out how to meet the needs of your child knowing that the American public thinks you’re an exhibitionist. It’s sad and disgusting. I guess nursing mothers should just stay at home where they belong so everyone else can comfortably go about their daily lives. I bet it’s not an issue to see attractive women in low cut tops selling cars, shopping at the mall or sitting at the next table at a restaurant, though. It’s just offensive when breasts are used for their intended purpose. Are you equally offended at beaches and pools? It’s a good thing that most states protect a woman’s right to breastfeed in public, because if it were left to the general public we wouldn’t be allowed anywhere.

I wonder if our society has made it acceptable for too long for grown men and women to behave negatively toward nursing moms and now might be the time to really start bombarding the public with images of nursing babies and put it BACK into the mainstream. It’s definitely time for me to become more active in the nursing in public movement. Thanks for the motivation. Good luck with understanding your human limitations.

Things I wish I would have said:

Really? There wasn’t a table piled with magazines in your doctor’s office that you could have used as a visual barrier? You really thought it was a better idea to announce your discomfort to someone who you didn’t even know and then close your eyes? How incredibly juvenile.

“Moms are free to choose where they travel?” I’m sorry but I wasn’t aware that there were grocery stores, banks, dry cleaners, post offices, etc, specifically meant for breastfeeding moms. Until now I was just going to the regular public versions of these establishments. Can you email me a list of these breastfeeding only places so I can make ‘the choice’ of where to go with my child while we’re still breastfeeding so as to not make anyone else uncomfortable with how I feed my child?   

If you just assume that there will ALWAYS be a mom (or several moms) nursing her children then you can always be prepared. We travel everywhere, just like you. Just expect it and plan for your present reality, taking all the necessary precautions to make yourself feel more comfortable, before you leave your house in the morning.

I’m not sure when the act of eating became intimate, nor was I aware that we were supposed to do it in private. Have you ever been to a restaurant? Or at least heard that they exist? People eat in public all the time. My child deserves the same freedom.

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

What are some come backs that you’ve used when confronted with negative nursing in public comments?

Brandy Van Vossen studied Environmental Biology at Saint Xavier University. She is currently a stay at home mom to her two beautiful, breastfed children (2.5 years and 3 months) on Chicago’s south side. 

 

**Editor’s Note: Thank you to the FB group “The Normalizing Nursing in Public League (NNIPL)” for the awesome cartoons!

Baby Brains and Breastfeeding: The effects of exclusive breastfeeding on cognitive development

The correlation between exclusive breastfeeding and intelligence or cognitive development has been observed in many studies.  Some infants who were breastfed exclusively were shown to have an advantage over non breastfed infants in terms of intelligence quotient (IQ).  Overall trends seem to identify a correlation; however there are many confounding factors involved that are inherent in this study.  Maternal IQ, maternal age, maternal race and socioeconomic status all have been shown to have an effect on the intelligence of the children studied.  In most studies, maternal factors have been disregarded; however it is difficult to eliminate all of these factors in a single study.

Breastfeeding gives infants a definite advantage in terms of nutrition, attachment and bonding, however it has yet to be linked exclusively to intelligence later on in life.  One area of study is the effect of the fatty acid Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the developing brain of infants.  It is known that DHA is present in human milk, and not present in cow’s milk nor in infant formulas (the DHA in infant formula is plant based and more difficult to absorb in the body when compared to that of the DHA in  human milk).  In the following literature review, I will try to decipher if the research shows a significant link between the length of exclusive breastfeeding and intelligence.

The five studies discussed herein have are longitudinal surveys that have been performed in five different countries: Poland, England, Australia, United States and New Zealand.  Direct links to these articles will follow this review.  The term exclusive breastfeeding means that the infant was only fed human milk for the reported duration of time: in this case; 3 months, 4-6 months or >6 months.  The child was not given any other form of food during the first 6 months of life, including water or table foods.

It is interesting to note that there are no agreed standards of measure in this area of human development.

Discussion:

The Effect of Breastfeeding on intelligence in children: prospective study, sibling pairs analysis and meta-analysis.  Geoff Der, G David Batty, Ian Deary.

This longitudinal study surveyed a group of females aged 14-22 beginning in 1979 annually and ending in 1994.  After 1994, the women were surveyed biannually and their children’s cognitive ability was measured from 1986-2002.  The children’s home environment, demographics and maternal characteristics were also measured.

Most of the association between breastfeeding and cognitive development was found to be the result of maternal intelligence.  Therefore this study has found that there is a stronger link between maternal intelligence and the child’s IQ, rather than a direct link to the effects of exclusive breastfeeding (in full term infants).

Confounding factors in this study were found to be of higher correlation to intelligence.  These factors are IQ and race of the mother.  “Hispanic mothers were less likely to breastfeed their children and black mothers were much less likely” (Der et al., 946).  Maternal IQ more than doubled the odds of breastfeeding.    This study failed to make a direct and significant connection to the hypothesis that breastfeeding promotes intelligence in full term infants.  However the researchers do not deny that breastfeeding “remains an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the health and growth and development of infants” (Der et al. 948).

Effect of exclusive breastfeeding on the development of children’s cognitive function in the Krakow prospective birth cohort study

Wieslaw Jedrychowski, Frederica Perera, Jeffry Jankowski, Maria Butscher, Elzbieta Mroz, Elizbieta Flak, Irena Kaim, Ilona Lisowska-Miszczyk, Anita Skarupa, Agata Sowa

This is also a longitudinal study showing the association between the cognitive achievements of preschool aged children who were exclusively breastfed as infants for given periods of time.  Major confounding factors are similar to the Der et al. study.  However this research study has concluded that children who were exclusively breastfed for 3 months had an IQ 2.1 points higher than those who were not exclusively breastfed, those exclusively breastfed for 4-6 months had an IQ 2.6 higher and those exclusively breastfed for greater than 6 months were found to have an IQ 3.8 points higher.  They also found that breastfeeding had beneficial results in the cognitive development even for a short duration of time.

A confounding  factor found in this study was found to be that the mothers of the children most likely to have been exclusively breastfed were better educated and had other children and gained less weight during pregnancy; indicative of better maternal nutrition and perhaps better overall health.  An increase in the duration of exclusive breastfeeding was “accompanied by a gradual increase in cognitive developmental score.  Moreover it was shown that the breastfeeding effect on children’s IQ trajectory was consistent and stable over the entire follow-up period” (Wieslaw et al.).  Furthermore, the influence of maternal characteristics are considered insignificant past one year of age, and therefore further support the hypothesis that infants who are fed only human milk for the first 6 months of life are given a better basis for the development of cognitive ability and function.

The effect of breastfeeding on child development at 5 years: A cohort study

PJ Quinn, M. O’Callagnan, GM Williams, JM Najman, MJ Andersen and W Bor

One focus of this study is the effect of the fatty acid DHA on a child’s cognitive development.  Human milk contains high levels of DHA and other “bioactive components essential to the brain development of infants” (Quinn et al.)  DHA is present in human milk and absent in cow’s milk and engineered infant formula.  The children who were exclusively breastfed for up to 3 months scored an average of 4-5 points higher on all psychometric tests when compared to those infants who were not.  Data derived from this study confirmed that children who were fed a mixture of formula and breastmilk achieved lower total IQ scored than those who were fed breastmilk exclusively.  Generally, it was found that an increase in the duration of breastfeeding correlated to a higher score on cognitive tests.  This may also suggest that early breastfeeding sets children higher on IQ scores and has a long lasting effect on cognitive ability into adulthood (Quinn et al.)

Moderation of breastfeeding effects in the IQ by genetic variation in fatty acid metabolism

Avshalom Caspi, B Williams, J Kim-Cohen, I Craig, B Milne, R Poulton, L Schalkwyk, A Taylor, H Werts, T Moffitt.

This study furthers the connection between the presence of fatty acids DHA and arachidonic acid (AA) in breastfed children and their higher IQ scores.  Infants who were exclusively breastfed were found to have higher levels of both DHA and AA when compared to infants who were formula fed.  “In humans, children who are breastfed have higher IQs than children not fed breastmilk and this advantage persists into adulthood” (Caspi et al.)

Confounding factors that were ruled out in this study include socioeconomic status, social class and maternal IQ.

The findings of this research has “implications for neuroscience and early child development as human milk is widely promoted as good for the brain, and further the assumption that DHA and AA may be needed for optimal intellectual development” (Caspi et al.).

Breastfeeding and intelligence of preschool children

RF Slykerman, JMD Thompson, DMO Becroft, E Robinson, JE Pryor, PM Clark, CJ Wild, EA Mitchell

The aim of this study is to investigate whether breastfeeding during infancy is a determinant of intelligence measured at 3.5 years of age.   A main component of this study has been noted that few studies successfully rule out potential confounding factors or use standardized measures of intelligence.  They also suggest that most previous studies involve full term average weight infants.  They focus their study on full term infants who are small for gestational age (SGA).  They found that “breastfeeding is significantly associated with higher intelligence test scores at 3.5 years of age in children who were small for gestational age at birth” ( Slykerman et al. 836).  The most significant finding of this study is the effect of exclusive breastfeeding being particularly important for the cognitive function of SGA children.

Conclusion

Most studies indicate the positive correlation between exclusive breastfeeding and cognitive development and IQ of infants later in life.  It is the goal of these studies to determine if the correlation is because of the actual human milk, or a result of the confounding factors inherently present.  Mothers who are more likely to breastfeed their infants exclusively for at least six months are usually educated, of a higher socioeconomic class, not of minority status and healthy themselves.  Another indication that breastfeeding has on infants is the amount of physical contact made with the infant when compared to bottle feeding.  Bottle fed babies are less likely to have the same amount of physical contact with their mothers.  Mother to infant eye contact is another factor involved that has yet to be studied exclusively.

It is difficult to rule out the above mentioned maternal factors in the study of the correlation between cognitive development and exclusive breastfeeding.  However, it is known that breastfeeding is the best and most effective form of nutrition for infants, especially those born small for gestational age.

There are some inconsistencies in the findings in terms of the overall impact on measurable cognitive function.  Longitudinal studies are inherently inconsistent at times because of the need for long term enrollment in the study itself.

A larger area of study would be consistent with the amount of fatty acid consumption and absorption in exclusively breastfed infants and those fed a mixture of infant formula and breastmilk.

Overall, the studies show that human milk for human babies is the best form of nutrition.  A link to intelligence is definitely made and is more than likely a combination of the chemical make-up of breastmilk, maternal factors and the inherent closeness and attachment that breastfeeding creates between mother and infant.

Molly Stepansky is a biologist turned SAHM mom to E (3 years) and N (8 months). She had to write a literature review for a class in graduate school, so she chose something near and dear to her heart.

References

1.     Slykerman, R., Thompson, J. M. D., Becroft, D. M. O., Robinson, E., Pryor, J., Clark, P., Wild, C. and Mitchell, E. (2005), Breastfeeding and intelligence of preschool children. Acta Paediatrica, 94: 832–837. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2005.tb01997

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2005.tb01997.x/full

2.     Wieslaw Jedrychowski, Frederica Perera, Jeffry Jankowski, Maria Butscher, Elzbieta Mroz, Elizbieta Flak, Irena Kaim, Ilona Lisowska-Miszczyk, Anita Skarupa, Agata Sowa (2011

Effect of exclusive breastfeeding on the development of children’s cognitive function in the Krakow prospective birth cohort study), Eur J Pediatr DOI 10.1007/s00431-011-1507-5

http://www.ccceh.org/pdf-papers/Jedrychowski2011.pdf

3.     Quinn, P. J., O’Callaghan, M. J., Williams, G. M., Najman, J. M., Andersen, M. J. and Bor, W. (2001) The Effect Of Breastfeeding On Child Development At 5 Years: A Cohort Study. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 37 5: 465-469.

http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:8593

4.     Avshalom Caspi, B Williams, J Kim-Cohen, I Craig, B Milne, R Poulton, L Schalkwyk, A Taylor, H Werts, T Moffitt. (2007)  Moderation of breastfeeding effects in the IQ by genetic variation in fatty acid metabolism.  PNAS November 20, 2007 vol. 104 no. 47 18860-18865

http://www.pnas.org/content/104/47/18860.short

5.      Geoff Der, G David Batty, Ian Deary (2006) The Effect of Breastfeeding on intelligence in children: prospective study, sibling pairs analysis and meta-analysis.  BMJ 333 : 945 doi: 10.1136/bmj.38978.699583.55 (Published 4 October 2006)

http://www.bmj.com/content/333/7575/945.short

Bras and Breastfeeding

This piece was originally posted on October 17, 2011 on Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions. Thank you to Patricia Berg-Drazin for allowing us to re-post!

Among the many concerns that arise with preparing for breastfeeding is the concern about bras. Let us start by taking a brief walk though the history of the bra in America. The bra replaced the corset during the 19th century. The movement from corset to bra was driven predominantly by fashion although some concern was expressed by health care professionals about the health risks of corset.

Understanding that bra wearing is driven by fashion, not “need,” is important. The mammary gland lays on top of the pectoralis muscles; therefore, there are no muscles that need to be supported to keep them from “stretching” as the breast changes size prior to and during lactation.

By the third or fourth week of pregnancy the breast starts developing in preparation for lactation. There is ductal branching and lobular formation that often lead to breast tenderness, which is often one of the first signs of pregnancy. These changes lead to breast growth that varies from woman to woman – some grow a little and some grow more. Most growth is usually completed by week 22. Some women find that they increase by 1-2 cup sizes and 1-2 band sizes as well.

Delivery sets in motion greater changes with a proliferation of secretory tissue, an increase in milk components, blood flow, oxygen uptake, and the closure of the junctures that allowed interstitial fluid flow to and from the breast. Again, there may be another 1-2 cup size difference.

By 8 weeks postpartum your breast sizes will have decreased, often to pre pregnancy sizes. Band size will have decreased as well. With this as a base, be aware that bras are optional. If you choose to wear one, make sure that you get fitted properly. There has been some theorizing that improper bra wearing can be hazardous to your health.

Underwire or not is a matter of fit and comfort. There has been controversy over breastfeeding women wearing bras with underwires and potential dire consequences. The most important factor is fit and making sure that when you put your bra on you lift the breast so that the wire is on your chest and not pinching breast tissue. Ductal structure is only 2 mm in diameter. This means that is can easily become compressed causing milk flow problems.

In terms of “sleep” bras – I don’t know how or why this “fashion” has developed. Some breastfeeding women find that they leak and choose to wear a bra in order to hold pads to soak up the milk. For these women it is important to wear a bra that is loose enough not to constrict the lymph vessels that carry toxins from our systems and “tight” enough to hold the bra pads. For everyone else, wearing a bra at night is not necessary.

Remember that each woman is an individual and what works or is “right” for one may not be for another.

Patricia Berg-Drazin, RLC, IBCLC, CST
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions
800.LACTATE (800.522.8283) or 847.512.7187
patricia@breastfeedingandparentingsolutions.com

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