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Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries

The practice of feeding babies infant formula, rather than breastmilk carries with it profound risks in modern, industrialized countries, as well as, in developing countries. While many are familiar with the well-publicized tragedies of formula-fed infants in developing countries, many are unaware of how the lack of breastmilk and the use of infant formula compromise the health and well being of children in the United States. These risks are well documented in the medical literature.

Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of many diseases in infants and mothers from developed countries.

Infants

Infections
Ear infections
50% reduced risk

GI infections
64% reduced risk
Pneumonia
72% reduced risk of hospitalization
Obesity
Reduces the risk of obesity by 4% for each month of breastfeeding

Allergies
Dermatitis ? 42% reduced risk
Asthma ? 40% reduced risk
Diabetes ? 39% reduced risk
Childhood Leukemia ? 19% reduced risk
SIDS ? 36% reduced risk

Preterm Infants
Necrotizing Entero Colitis ? absolute 5% reduced risk
Reduced risk range ? 4% to 82%
Because of the high case fatality rate, this 5% difference is a meaningful clinical outcome

Mothers
Cancer
Breast ? 28% reduced risk
Ovarian ? 21% reduced risk
Diabetes ? 12 % reduced risk

Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries
http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/brfouttp.htm
 

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Breastfeeding Flyers: English and Spanish, Easy to read, Great graphics. Developed by the South Los Angeles Health Projects WIC Program, 2004.

 

English:

• Extreme Fullness

• Feeding Decisions

• Getting a Strong Start with Breastfeeding

• Hand Expression of Breastmilk

• Breastfed Babies Don't Need Formula

• Breastfeeding Your Older Baby or Toddler

• How to Handle a Fussy Baby

• How to Pump Your Breastmilk

• How to Store Breastmilk

• Sore Nipples

Spanish:

• Almacenaje de Leche Materna

• Beb?/span>s Amamantado No Necesitan Fόrmula

• Cόmo Atender A Un Beb?/span> Molesto

• Cόmo Extraerse la Leche Materna

• Dando Peche A Un Ni?/span>o Mayor De Un A?/span>o

• Decisiones Sobre Alimentaciόn

• Hechazόn Extrema

• Pzones Adoloridos

• Sacar A Mano La Leche Materna

• Un Buen Comienzo Dando Pecho

 

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Use of Breastfeeding Fact Sheets developed by The Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles: The Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles has developed the Breastfeeding Fact Sheets as a service, and site visitors are welcomed and encouraged to use them. If the Breastfeeding Fact Sheets are used "as is", we request that the Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles be credited. If the Breastfeeding Fact Sheets are modified or adapted, we request that we be credited as "adapted from ...", and that a copy of the adapted material be sent to us. Site visitors are also encouraged to draw upon and use the information contained in the Breastfeeding Fact Sheets as resource material to support their efforts to promote, support and protect breastfeeding.