It is thought that the protective components in human milk are directly responsible for reducing the incidence of many illnesses in infancy and childhood including acute diarrhoea, lower respiratory tract infections, and ear infections. In addition, there is evidence that breastfeeding protects against less common illnesses such as necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), bacterial meningitis, botulism, urinary tract infections and sudden infant death syndrome. In the longer term, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease and childhood lymphoma are also less common in children who were breastfed.
Why is breastfeeding important?
Breastfeeding is important for the health of babies because they have immature immune systems and breastmilk provides the baby with its mother's antibodies and other defence factors. Human milk provides many protective factors that can enhance the immune system of the newborn child against infection, offering the immediate protection of antibodies and cells involved in fighting infection, as well as growth factors that continue to develop the baby's own immunity.
The antibodies in breastmilk are important in the protection against infection because they are directed against bacteria, fungi, viruses and other antigenic substances to which the mother has been recently exposed. In addition, mother's milk contains lactoferrin that has an anti-inflammatory action; lysozyme that attacks the walls of certain bacteria; oligosaccharides (complex sugars) that prevent binding of toxic substances to the cells lining the airway and fats that have an antibacterial action. As well, breastmilk contains a number of specific factors that promote growth and maturation of the baby's immune system. Thus breastfeeding provides health benefits for all infants in ways that infant formula cannot.
Where does MIL get off giving such false advice - and him taking her old wives tales over your own, evidence-based choice?!
Can you make an appointment with a family GP or Paed with DH, and let them explain to him why breast is the best choice, and why it is ESPECIALLY important when they are teething etc?
And - if he doesn't learn to tell his mother to shove it asap, you may be in for a world of pain for many years to come...
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