Breast Is Best? Why Breastfeeding Is Declining, And Should Be Protected
Photo by Ave Calvar on Unsplash
Breastfeeding, or not breastfeeding - that is the question. An evolutionarily ancient practice still in the midst of debates: what's the best way to feed infants? Should mothers be ashamed because they choose formula milk? Is breastfeeding really better for kids' health?
An old practice that is also gradually decreasing. Numbers show that 2 out of 3 infants are not exclusively breastfed for six months, that 60% of mothers never meet their breastfeeding goals, and another survey links breastfeeding as a direct factor leading to postpartum depression.
Let's shed some light on the many dynamics surrounding breastfeeding!
Disclaimer: We acknowledge the struggles surrounding breastfeeding, and we honor all women - breastfeeding or not - because, in the end, all that matters is a fed baby and a happy mother.
The benefits of breastfeeding
According to many studies, breastfeeding is the safest way to feed our babies. After all, that's how nature designed our bodies! Breast milk is also clean, meaning that there is no risk of infection, as it comes straight from the mother's body into the baby's mouth. It's one of the best ways to keep babies healthy, as we'll see, it contains all the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, proteins that an infant needs to grow.
International organizations, such as WHO and UNICEF, keep on tirelessly promoting breastfeeding to save more lives. Apparently, infants who were breastfed perform better at intelligence tests, have fewer chances to develop obesity issues or have diabetes. In brief, they have fewer health problems in general.
And the benefits don't stop here: women also have better chances to avoid postpartum depression, breast and ovarian cancers. Finally, it has been proved that breastfeeding enhances deeper bonding between mother and child over time, even after infancy.
What does breast milk contain?
Breast milk is naturally composed of all the nutrients necessary for the first six months of life. After six months, it still constitutes half (and more) of the nutrients needed, and after two years, it drops to one-third - which is still impressive! After six months, it's recommended to start introducing complementary solid food.
Human breast milk is made of water (90%), proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates (the milk sugar, called lactose), hormones, enzymes, micronutrients - vitamins and minerals. But that's not all: through their milk, our mothers transfer plenty of antibodies, which protect us against infant illnesses such as cold, ear infection, diarrhea… among others. Indeed, breastfeeding is associated with fewer viruses in the gut of infants, compared with formula-fed babies.
Breast-feeding vs. formula-feeding
Formula milk has been a fabulous invention, as it allowed mothers - and parents as a whole - to feed their children safely, even when mothers can't breastfeed.
It led to more inclusivity within modern relationships (I mean here, all those that don't match the dominant heteronormative model): caretakers, single dads, same-sex couples, and parents who opted for adoption, for example, have now the possibility to be independent and share the responsibility of feeding their infants. It took parenting to the next level! Formula milk is also a lifesaver for mothers who need (or want) to go back to work, can't stay nursing at home, or don't have a baby-friendly work environment.
However, it seems that science knows very little about breast milk. That's what Katie Hinde, a lactation researcher and professor at Arizona State University, declares (with a lot of humor) in her Ted Talk: "Scientists know more about what’s in a tomato than what’s in human milk".
In this regard, making a perfect replication of breast milk sounds like a tough one. Hence, there is a possibility that formula milk is missing something that we aren't even aware of.
Let me give you a few concrete examples:
It's difficult to replicate the immune effect of breastmilk
Some of the bioactive components aren't found in formulas because they can only be passed on from the mother
Proteins in breast milk are easier to digest
Biological milk may be different when produced for girls or boys. In comparison, formula milk is the same for all
In 2015, researchers found out that the unique mix between baby saliva and breast milk produces a chemical reaction: creating hydrogen peroxide!
Breast milk contains a myriad of bioactive molecules which many are not fully understood by modern medicine yet
Science doesn't know about milk supply, such as why some women have little milk while others have a lot
Research is still ongoing concerning what exact hormones and enzymes are present in breast milk, and their functions.
Breastfeeding & modern lifestyle
The arrival of artificial milk on the market
The first formula milk was invented in 1865 by the chemist Justus von Liebig. He created a powder made of cow milk, wheat flour, malt flour, and potassium bicarbonate. Needless to say, most of the formulas at the time had very little nutrients… It's only in the 1950s that safe and quality formula milk appeared in people's homes.
Breastfeeding: less and less popular?
WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, before incorporating solid food for up to two years. However, numbers show that mothers breastfeed for less long than what is recommended.
Let's get into numbers. According to the US National Immunization Surveys of 2018/2019, while most American infants born in 2017 were breastfed, the period of breastfeeding didn't last for as long as it's usually recommended. Numbers also revealed an increase of 2% in bottle-fed newborns, in one year time.
On the other side of the world, in China, a study investigated the main reasons why Chinese mothers choose to switch to formula milk: a lot of misconceptions and misunderstanding about the benefits of breastfeeding, a general lack of confidence, inadequate breastfeeding facilities, and work environments that are not baby-friendly.
Researchers concluded that antenatal education, medical advice in hospitals, as well as more breastfeeding-friendly work environments, are essential to increase breastfeeding rates.
Gender, breastfeeding & earning gap
As beautiful as it is, breastfeeding is a charge that automatically falls on women's shoulders. And as much as we want equal rights for all, it's not that easy to share that one...
In this regard, the invention of formula milk has been a game-changer, particularly for career-oriented mothers. But even if women choose their career over breastfeeding, there is another obstacle on the road to equality: a study revealed the main reason concerning the gender wage gap. Child care penalty. To understand that, economists compared earnings over time of men and women with similar work experience, and they noticed that one difference arises: women's earnings drop after the birth of their first child.
Breastfeeding decline & consequences on infant health
Since the 1970s, breastfeeding has been declining consistently all over the world. From that time, the medical profession started denouncing the aggressive advertising practices of formula milk manufacturers, which were interfering with proper medical advice, to the point that it negatively influenced the perception of breastfeeding over time - according to a statement released by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
To give you an idea: 90% of women were breastfeeding in the 20th century. A century later, it dropped to 42%.
A series of studies, including some conducted by Lancet, affirm that the use of formula milk seems to be connected to illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and atopy. They also suggest that breastfeeding can naturally prevent all these conditions, and more than that, could prevent the death of over 800,000 children a year - according to a paper released by WHO.
The global infant formula market
But… It's not in the industry's interest to tell you that breastfeeding is more beneficial than formula milk! Despite the substantial amount of research that proves its benefits, there are conflicts of interest in the game.
This article published in the Guardian in 2018 reveals that the Trump administration had repeatedly bullied other governments to avoid international support and promotion of breastfeeding. The reason? It wouldn't be that good for the multibillion-dollar formula milk and dairy industries... Especially as the milk formula industry weighs $70 bn per year.
Another investigation led by the Guardian and Save The Children reported that formula milk companies use illegal methods to promote powdered milk over breastfeeding in the poorest parts of the world, including the Philippines.
Taboo, shame & guilt surrounding breastfeeding
Breastfeeding in public: an ongoing debate
In 2017, senator Larissa Waters was the first woman to breastfeed in the Western Australian Federal Parliament. Before that, it was literally banned from the house.
A few days ago, an Australian mum was asked to "go breastfeeding somewhere else" (and not in front of luxury shops) by staff from the Golden Coast's Pacific Fair shopping center.
In April 2020 in China, a statue was removed after a public outcry. It represented a scene from a traditional story, one of The Twenty Four Filial Exemplars, written during the Yuan Dynasty. The statue was showing a woman breastfeeding her mother-in-law because she lost all her teeth. And it was judged… inappropriate.
In France, a woman got insulted and slapped for breastfeeding in public. In Los Angeles, the French actress Marion Cotillard created a scandal by breastfeeding in a restaurant. These are not isolated events, as more and more famous women denounce the culture of shame surrounding those who breastfeed in public!
As a friendly reminder, it's perfectly legal to breastfeed in public: in all 50 states in the USA, in France, in the UK, and many other countries.
The common thread of all these events? The over-sexualization of women's breasts.
Motherhood: lack of support & education
Breastfeeding is at the intersection of many dynamics.
The lack of support in the community reflects society as a whole: as we saw previously, breastfeeding is highly valued as long as it's not… "in public". Otherwise, it's considered obscene. According to the Australian Breastfeeding Association, many women don't know about their rights in public spaces, and avoid breastfeeding in public due to fear of people's reactions
The image of the "ideal mother" is the one who breastfeeds AND enjoys it. While it comes easy for many women, this picture doesn't always fit the reality of working mums. As breastfeeding is a practice as old as humanity, there is the misconception that it should come naturally - but it's hard work! In the UK, 8 out of 10 women drop breastfeeding before they planned to, thus leading to a sense of failure, and sometimes postpartum depression, experienced by 1 in 8 women in the USA.
Lack of support in hospitals: this study shows that medical staff lack knowledge of breastfeeding's benefits, proper training, skills, and a general understanding of the struggles mothers experience, such as dealing with pain and milk supply, for instance.
Breastfeeding: what's next?
Perhaps it would be time to recontextualize the experience of failure: breastfeeding goes beyond an individual decision. It sounds like the whole system is to blame, making it even harder for women to experience breastfeeding in a healthy way.
Perhaps it would be time to stop sticking the "bad mother" label on those who choose not to breastfeed, or to breastfeed in public, or do not enjoy the experience.
Perhaps it would be time to grant women authority over their own body, instead of sexualizing it.
Perhaps it would be time to provide access to information, education, and support to all mothers from all backgrounds.
Perhaps it would be time to pay more attention to women's experiences during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. As Katie Hinde says in her Ted Talk, "we know twice as much on erectile dysfunction." If we were to understand better breast milk composition, we could also make better formula milk, and enhance the health of bottle-fed children.
Sending our love to all mammas ♥
Resources
Why Breastfeeding Has Become A Privilege, Not A Right, Ted Talk by Sascha Mayer
Milk - The Food That Helped Evolve Humanity, Ted Talk by Laurel A. Wilson
Breastfeeding Is Everyone's Business, Ted Talk by Jenn Anderson
Breastfeeding And The Modern Woman, Ted Talk by Vilia Tosio
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