Both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that infants exclusively breastfeed during their first six months of life, but only 24.9% in the United States do, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. In Florida, the rate is 18.2%, above only Mississippi (15.6%) and West Virginia (13.8%).
“I worry that Florida’s low breastfeeding rates are due to the belief that infant formula provides the same health benefits of breast milk,” said Diana Taft, assistant professor of nutrition science in the UF/IFAS food science and human nutrition department. “I also worry the rates are a reflection of our failure to support the women who don’t understand the importance of breastfeeding.”
Due to numerous societal and biological barriers, not every child has access to breast milk, but its immunity benefits are significant and should be considered, Taft said. She outlines the numerous health benefits of breastfeeding to both mother and child in a series of newly published Ask IFAS guides.
Taft is an expert on the infant gut microbiome, the community of microbes in the intestines that influences health throughout life. Her guides describe how breast milk — unlike infant formula — provides microbes that fight pathogens. If a baby becomes sick, the mother’s body produces antibodies, proteins to specifically target the pathogen- causing illness. The antibodies are shared with the baby through breast milk, and they can protect against diarrhea, respiratory infections and ear infections.
Babies exclusively breastfed during the first six months of life are less likely to develop asthma, type 1 diabetes, allergies, autism and obesity, according to research Taft cites. They also are less likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby under a year old.
“All reasonable efforts to provide breast milk to a baby are potentially lifesaving,” Taft said.
Breastfeeding can help keep mothers healthy, too. It eases recovery from pregnancy by helping to shrink the uterus and reduce bleeding, and it promotes postpartum weight loss.
Research shows women who breastfeed have a lower risk of high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart attack. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer – even among carriers of a mutated BRCA1 allele gene, the presence of which greatly increases breast cancer risk.
It also reduces the chances of postpartum depression and may promote sleep; breastfeeding mothers sleep an average of 30 minutes more than mothers who feed their babies formula.
Not every mother is physically able to breastfeed, however. Taft encourages anyone struggling with breastfeeding their baby to seek help from a certified lactation consultant. They may also benefit from galactagogues, substances believed to increase breast milk production, though research of their effectiveness is limited.
Donated breast milk from reputable sources is another option, though supplies are limited and often reserved for premature or sick infants. Taft provides detailed information for mothers able to share excess breast milk.
“Every donation of milk helps save lives,” Taft said. “I dream of the day when every mother in Florida has access to the breastfeeding support she needs and the knowledge and time to donate to milk banks. Then, even infants born at term whose mothers are unable to nurse can access human breast milk – at least for the first six months of life.”
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ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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