Breastmilk is an amazing thing. And the benefits of breastmilk form a long list. The more I have studied the make up of breastmilk, the more I see evidence of design. Man still hasn't, after years of trying, been able to copy the attributes of breastmilk. Though he keeps trying. Formula companies would just love to convince you that their product is equal. BUT IT ISN'T. Why is breastmilk is so superior to formula? Allow me to count the ways.
Omega-3s
It is an amazing thing to consider that Omega-3s have always been in breastmilk. Long before scientists discovered the many benefits of omegas-3 fatty acids, including anti-inflammatory effects and help with brain development, the omega-3s were there. As a creationist, this is what I would expect. God knows so much more than us finite humans. Of course they're there!
The USA just barely approved omega-3s in formula around the year 2000ish. When I was working on my Master's degree program at Loma Linda University (I graduated in late 1999), omega-3 fortified formula was available in Europe. Not so in the USA.
When I first started working as a dietitian for WIC in 2001, formula with omega-3s was brand new to the US market. Thank goodness God knew it was important long before this!
Benefits of Breastmilk – Antibodies and Immunity
Babies who breastfeed get the antibodies from their mother. This increases their ability to fight infection. In fact, it has been documented elsewhere that babies who are breastfed get sick less often. This is one of the main reasons why I pumped for 8 months with my son. I was determined that he get the benefits of breastmilk even if he couldn't latch on.
By the way, even if you breastfeed for the first few days after your baby is born, you have still helped to build her immune system. This is because just after birth, breastmilk is different and is called “colostrum.” Colostrum is thicker, which is why sometimes moms think their supply isn't there right away. Colostrum is higher in protein, fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and immunoglobulins (antibodies) than the milk that comes later. Thus, giving your baby colostrum at the very beginning will go a LONG WAY in helping her build her immune system.
Weight Loss
One of the reasons why it wasn't excessively difficult for me to pump for 8 months was because I lost weight. In fact, I was down to my pre-pregnant weight within a month or so of having my son. And I wasn't restricting my calories.
When you breastfeed, you use 500-1000 calories extra every day. If you are exclusively breastfeeding, the number is closer to 1000. This is compared to increased needs of 300 calories while pregnant. How's that for some benefits of breastmilk?
Risk of Postpartum Depression is Reduced
Two hormones are involved in the “letting down” process in response to your baby suckling. These two hormones are Oxytocin and Oxytocin Both hormones have a positive effect on mood. And Prolactin is the hormone that inhibits pregnancy.
Birth Control/Delay of Menstruation
Breastfeeding is not a trustworthy form of birth control. However, one of the benefits of breastmilk is that when a woman exclusively breastfeeds, she will almost always have a delay in the return of menstruation. I don't think I got my period until 1 1/2 years after my son was born, and like I said a minute ago, I breastfed/pumped for 8 months.
Less Chance of Your Child Being Overweight Later in Life
When your child breastfeeds she is in control of how much she eats. Getting milk from the breast actually requires effort and also strengthens the oral muscles. As soon as she stops suckling, the milk stops coming. Mom doesn't even have to be paying attention. Unfortunately, most nipples used with bottles have large holes, and the milk just drips into the mouth without any effort. Thus it is easy to overeat when using a bottle.
I used to think it was an old-wives' tale that our stomach stretches. But it's not. So, if your baby gets used to drinking large amounts of formula, his stomach will stretch. This will set him up for overeating later in life. With breastmilk, the baby has to work harder and he gets to decide when it's time to stop.
A note about the size of a baby's stomach.
When I worked for WIC, one of the most common issues I dealt with was people overfeeding their baby. There is no way that a newborn should be drinking 6 ounces of formula. This was amazingly common. And they would wonder why their poor baby was fussy!
A newborn baby's stomach is about the size of a marble. It isn't until the baby is about 1 month old that the stomach is big enough to hold 4 ounces. My suggestion, if you are going to bottle feed, is to use a smaller bottle. That's what I did. I used a 2 ounce bottle for my son at the beginning. And I also picked nipples that had a tiny hole so that he had to work harder to get his meal.
More Benefits of Breastmilk
Reduced Risk of Tooth Decay
This is partly related to the fact that babies often fall asleep while eating. If they fall asleep while on the breast, tooth decay is not an issue. However, if they fall asleep with a bottle in their mouth, the sugars from the formula can cause cavities.
Lower Risk of Ear Infections
Another side effect of allowing a baby to fall asleep with a bottle in his mouth is increased risk of ear infections. The formula from the bottle can leak into the ear canal and result in ear infections. Not only that, but the vacuum created by sucking on the nipple can cause irritation. If you are bottle feeding, the best thing to do is
1) Make sure you baby's head is upright when feeding the bottle.
2) Don't put your baby to bed with a bottle. Hold him while feeding him.
2) Use a positive pressure nipple that is similar to breastfeeding, like this one.
Click here for another risk factor associated with bottle feeding.
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT BREASTFEEDING
Is it okay to breastfeed when I'm sick?
YES!!! In fact, if you continue to breastfeed while you are sick, your baby will be getting the antibodies your body created in response to the illness. As a result, your baby will be LESS likely to get sick. Isn't that COOL?!
Why is my baby jaundiced? Should I stop breastfeeding if my baby gets jaundiced? Is this normal?
Jaundice is a common condition in all newborns. However, it tends to be more common and to last longer in breastfed infants. Jaundice is a condition caused by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. Most infants with jaundice can continue to breastfeed as long as bilirubin levels are monitored and your child is otherwise healthy and feeding well.
If my baby gets gassy, do I need to stop breastfeeding?
No, usually there's a food in your diet that you can eliminate that will help with that.
According to BreastfeedingBasics.com, all babies are born with the “lactase” enzyme (the enzyme that digests the sugar lactose) in their intestine. So your baby is most likely not lactose-intolerant. Lactose intolerance usually doesn't develop until 3-4 years of age. Therefore, gassiness is probably the result of something else in your diet.
Let me know if you have any other questions about breastmilk and breastfeeding. Talk to you later! 🙂
Oh, I almost forgot, here is a DELICIOUS vegetable tomato soup my hubby made a few days ago. This is his specialty. Unfortunately, he didn't get a picture and I couldn't find one acceptable online, but suffice it to say it also looks delicious!
After decades of thinking all fat is bad fat and causes us to get fat, it turns out that not all fats are created equal. Some of them are actually good for you and you need to consume fat to stay alive and healthy. Certain vitamins can only be absorbed by the body if consumed with some sort of fat. For example, vitamins A, D, E, and K require fat to be absorbed by the body.
And there are various parts of your body, including your heart that need fat to run smoothly and stay healthy.
At first glance it makes sense to cut fat from your diet when you want to lose excess body fat. That’s been the basis behind every single diet from 1950 to 1990. It lead to the development and sale of countless low fat and fat free foods that still populate our grocery stores today. The idea of eating low fat has become deeply ingrained into our collective cultural conscious. The only problem is that it didn’t work.
Yes, you can lose weight on a low calorie, low fat diet.
Plenty of people have done it. But it takes a lot of willpower, and the vast majority of people can’t stick to it long term. They end up giving up and gaining more weight back then they lost in the first place. Our bodies are genetically engineered to crave fat. It’s what keeps us going, keeps us warm, and keeps up our energy levels.
While fat does have a lot more calories than the same amount of carbs or protein, it takes a long time to digest fat. It keeps us full and satisfied much longer than any other type of food. Does that mean you should go on a bacon and butter diet with a sprinkle of deep fried foods? Of course not. First off, we need to strive for balance and shouldn’t compensate for our past low fat diets that only made us fatter by overindulging in fats. Balance is the name of the game when it comes to healthy weight loss. Secondly, not all fats are created equal.
There is Still a Lot to be Learned About Fats
While there is still a lot to be learned about fats and the role they play in the many chemical process that take place in our bodies, we know that some fats are better for us than others. I’m sure you’ve heard of saturated fats, unsaturated fats, trans fats, and mono-unsaturated fats. Stay away from mostly man-made Trans Fats. There’s been a big push in this direction and it’s a good thing.
The main fats you want to increase are mono-unsaturated and Omega-3 fats. These types of fats will help lower your bad cholesterol and increase the good one. They will help your body repair itself and run at its best. Think of it as high performance fuel for your body. You can find these healthy types of fats in avocados, almonds, coconut oil, peanut butter, peanut oil, canola oil olives, and olive oil for mono-unsaturated. And you will find lots of omega-3s in fatty fish such as salmon and canned tuna.
The most important lesson I want you to take away from this post is that fat isn’t bad for you. Some sources of fat are better for you than others, but overall, it’s not the enemy we so long thought it was.
Why Are Kids Picky Eaters? While training to become a Registered Dietitian, I learned all the “tricks” to deal with a picky eater.
OR SO I THOUGHT!
I was basically under the impression that picky eating was the result of poor parenting. HAAA! This is so much more of a complicated subject than I was led to believe.
Well, I'm here to tell you that reality finally set in the day my son was born.
That's right!
I couldn't breastfeed like I planned to because all of the book knowledge (AND WIC experience) didn't help me with my own unique problem. My son had a small mouth, a high palate, and it just wasn't going to work!
So, I dealt with it in the only way I knew. I pumped with a hospital-grade pump for 8 months (because the regular $200 pump wasn't effective, and I started to lose my supply). Breastmilk is so incredibly superior to formula (not to mention that Nathan projectile vomited the formula up the first and only time we tried to give it to him right after he was born), that I was determined he was going to get it one way or another.
WHY ARE KIDS PICKY EATERS?
The good news is that I learned things along the way that are helping me to encourage my son to eat a more healthy and varied diet.
It started with pumping for breastmilk for eight months to what I am continuing to do today. And I'm still learning.
My son, Nathan, is now 20 years old, and was diagnosed with autism at 12, after years of symptoms pointing to it. One of the symptoms being Sensory Processing Disorder.
Sensory Processing Disorder affects many areas. However, one area in particular is sensitivity to food textures. It took me a long time to realize how much of my son's pickiness was related to food texture, because prior to having my son, I had never even heard of Sensory Processing Disorder.
So, one of the most effective ways I have learned to help my son with his food-related sensory processing deficits is to:
Keep Foods Separate
Serving foods separately (as opposed to multi-texture casseroles, for example) encourages my son to try new foods. Foods, that when served as part of a mix, he wouldn't be willing to try.
A little more history…
When Nathan started eating solid foods, I did all of the “correct” things I was taught to do in school. I made everything from scratch, gave him whole grains, hid vegetables (at least tried to), made cute faces on bagels. You name it, I tried it.
Why are kids picky eaters?
My first clue that Nathan had texture issues with food was when I fed him pureed brown rice when he was six months old.
When Nathan was 6 months old, I gave him pureed brown rice and he gagged/spit it out. I thought it was simply because he didn't like it. In fact, it was one of my favorite stories for years. Because let's face it, pureed brown rice doesn't sound very tasty!
Obviously, he was too young to tell me any different. So, I left it as just “he doesn't like brown rice.” However, I'm convinced it was actually a texture issue that caused the gagging/spitting up. He actually likes rice now. Even though he complains when I give him brown rice, he will eat it as long as it has cheese on it.
And then there was the “trying to hide the vegetables trick.”
That was a good one! He could see the vegetables and he could feel them in his mouth. No way was that going to work. I have found one solution to this problem, though: Homemade pureed broccoli, potato or mushroom soups. He will eat these.
It's such a cute idea to make faces on your pancakes and bagels. However, my son was not impressed. He wouldn't touch the pancakes or bagels if they were decorated. Why? Because technically that makes them a combination food. So, if he wasn't interested in eating a bagel, putting a face on it only made it worse!
NO COMBO FOODS (or very few anyway)
Nathan is now 20 years old, and there are still many things he will not accept, especially if foods are mixed together. For example, Nathan likes broccoli, he likes pasta with alfredo sauce, and he likes chicken. However, I cannot serve the three as one dish. In fact, I can only serve two of those three things on the same plate (broccoli and chicken), and the pasta in a bowl.
Okay, okay! I COULD put those foods together.
However, he would loudly and vehemently complain, and it would add conflict to our already fragile-at-times relationship. Yes, I try to be happy that he eats those three things, even if it does mean more work for me.
So, I have discovered that separating most foods before serving goes a long way towards appeasing his pickiness. And it definitely increases the variety of foods he will eat.
There are exceptions to this rule, by the way. For example, he will eat the delicious rice casserole I make on Christmas. And he will eat the original Garden Burger, which is a combo of rice, oats, onions, mushrooms.
If it's healthy, stick with what they like.
For example, Nathan wants to eat broccoli every night. He also likes brussels sprouts and carrots, but brussels sprouts are expensive, so we don't have those all of the time. He complains when I give him carrots, though I still give them to him once a week or so. However, since broccoli is so good for him, I don't mind giving him broccoli most days.
And I give him lots of broccoli for the first serving, because I've discovered he'll never ask for more. In contrast, when I give him pasta or meat, I give him less, because I know he'll ask for more if he's still hungry. This is a great way to prevent excess weight gain.
Don't give up on trying new things.
Especially if there is an entire food group missing from their diet. I have been told that you have to try something like 30 times before you know whether you like it. In theory, that sounds great, so you should try it. I'm sure it works.
Because if you have, and you've succeeded, I am SERIOUS when I say I want to hear from you. Because I am not perfect and I definitely don't know everything. And I know that I can learn something from you, the readers.
Make sure your child is taking a good multivitamin with Iron.
Giving my son a multivitamin reassures me that he's getting at least most of the stuff he isn't getting through his diet. I just keep focusing on explaining why he should be eating this and that. And when he asks why he has to take that big old pill, I explain to him it's because he's not eating enough whole fruits and vegetables. I'm hoping eventually the light will come on.
A good multivitamin with Iron (one that is dye free, if possible) will supplement your child's diet and should be safe for most children. Taking individual supplements (for example, iron only or zinc only) can throw other vitamin and mineral levels in the body off balance.
I do not recommend taking a specific nutrient supplement, without talking to your doctor first.
Here is an example of a typical day in Nathan's diet:
Breakfast
Cheese Quesadilla – Cheese melted on flour tortilla in microwave
100% Juice
Lunch
Chicken Leg/Garden Burger/Fish Sticks (Van De Camps are the best/highest quality I have found); taquitos or mini tacos
Fruit or avocado (Nathan likes plain avocado, and avocado is really good for you, including being high in magnesium).
Did I mention that my son doesn't eat the perfect diet?
Well, you have to pick your battles, and even as a dietitian, this can be a struggle. That's why multivitamins are so important.
BALANCE IS KEY
Whole grain (as much as I can get away with) pasta or rice with cheese
I have started using lentil pasta because Nathan likes it better than whole wheat pasta. Adding lentil pasta is an excellent nutritional choice on many levels. Lentils are a type of bean (legume). Thus, they have additional nutrients that grains, even whole grains, do not.
The only problem for us is that we have found only one brand that is acceptable. The other brands we have tried were just way too starchy. The brand we use is Lensi, and they sell it at Walmart. They have it at Amazon as well, though it's a lot more expensive than at Walmart. It is super high in protein, and of course, gluten-free. Plus, there are other bean pastas on the market today. The more variety in your child's diet, the better.
Fruit – white grapes, strawberries, blueberries, or watermelon
100% Juice Box -it's important to make sure you are buying 100% juice
Dinner
Chicken Leg/Garden Burger/Fish Sticks/Cod or Salmon
Pasta or rice with cheese or cheese sauce
Broccoli – Fresh only; Nathan won't eat frozen
Milk – Horizon Organic chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry–no artificial colors, lower in sugar than store brand chocolate milk
Snacks
Nonfat frozen yogurt or no sugar added ice cream for dessert
Plain tortilla or multi-Grain chips or Pretzels with string cheese – 9:00 snack -he's very consistent about this
Unfiltered Apple Juice or 100% orange juice (one 4-6 ounce serving each)
So, there it is. I would love to hear what you think, and would like it even more if you shared some of your ideas and things that have worked for you in dealing with your kid's pickiness!
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