outline of breastfeeding essay

• Environment
• Information Science
• Social Issues
• Argumentative
• Cause and Effect
• Classification
• Compare and Contrast
• Descriptive
• Exemplification
• Informative
• Controversial
• Exploratory
• What Is an Essay
• Length of an Essay
• Generate Ideas
• Types of Essays
• Structuring an Essay
• Outline For Essay
• Essay Introduction
• Thesis Statement
• Body of an Essay
• Writing a Conclusion
• Essay Writing Tips
• Drafting an Essay
• Revision Process
• Fix a Broken Essay
• Format of an Essay
• Essay Examples
• Essay Checklist
• Essay Writing Service
• Pay for Research Paper
• Write My Research Paper
• Write My Essay
• Custom Essay Writing Service
• Admission Essay Writing Service
• Pay for Essay
• Academic Ghostwriting
• Write My Book Report
• Case Study Writing Service
• Dissertation Writing Service
• Coursework Writing Service
• Lab Report Writing Service
• Do My Assignment
• Buy College Papers
• Capstone Project Writing Service
• Buy Research Paper
• Custom Essays for Sale

Can’t find a perfect paper?

• Free Essay Samples
• Breastfeeding

Essays on Breastfeeding

Breast-milk is one of the essential requirements in newborns since it contains all nutrients that an infant requires to grow healthy. For a child to obtain the nutrients from the mother, the mother should feed with nutritious food which is balanced. By this it means that the food should contain,...

Breastfeeding: The Best Food for Babies Breastfeeding is a cheap and easily accessible activity. It is absolutely necessary for both people and creatures. A first-time mother is exposed to the idea that "breastmilk is the best food" the moment she enters the obstetrician's waiting area. (Fridinger 230). Normally, she receives complete...

Words: 1191

Found a perfect essay sample but want a unique one?

Request writing help from expert writer in you feed!

New mothers and breastfeeding New mothers frequently struggle with the arduous chore of nursing their newborn (Pillitteri & Ovid Technologies, Inc., 2014). It is therefore not unusual that a mother may choose not to breastfeed her child and instead feed him or her formulas. As a registered nurse, you are responsible...

Introduction Since the collapse of man in the Garden of Eden, procreation and breastfeeding the resulting children has been important for the survival of all animals in the Animal Kingdom. It is one of the normal things that all females must be comfortable doing without shame or humiliation. However, in today's...

Words: 1511

Related topic to Breastfeeding

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essay Examples >
• Essays Topics >
• Essay on Breastfeeding

Free Argumentative Essay On Breastfeeding

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Breastfeeding , Family , Health , Infant , Risk , Parents , Women , Mother

Words: 1250

Published: 11/19/2020

ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS

Breastfeeding is a recommended method of feeding infants, as its proven positive effects can improve the health and well-being of both the mothers and their children. Human milk can improve the immunity system of the infant and help develop the infant’s digestive system, as well as reduce the risk of certain diseases in both the mother and the infant. Breastfeeding can also be economically beneficial to the families and to the country, as it can help save money on health care in the long run. Despite the possible negative effects it can have on the health of the mother and the infant, its positive impact surpasses the potential risks. Breastfeeding is one of the most important periods in life of infants and their parents, especially mothers, primarily because it helps strengthen the infant’s immunity system, as well as establish the attachment between a mother and her child. At the same time, breastfeeding also has economic benefits for the family and the society, as it can help reduce family spending on expensive infant formula and reduce national budget spending on medical care aimed at treating the diseases, whose increased risk is associated with the lack of breastfeeding. Nonetheless, the studies show that many American mothers either absolutely avoid breastfeeding or introduce it for a period of time that is too short to be beneficial for the infant and mother, with the rate of initiation of breastfeeding being only 75%, according to the National Immunization Survey data (“Breastfeeding and the use of human milk,” 2012, p. e828). Such rate can be explained by the perceived disadvantages of the process, including the decreased level of the mother’s comfort, complications connected with the attendance of school or workplace and with the pursuit of personal goals, as well as by the intensely marketed infant formulas and related products, etc. Nonetheless, apart from the cases, when breastfeeding puts the infant or mother at risk, it is a recommended method of feeding, as its benefits for the health and general immediate and long-term well-being of the infant, the mother, the family and the society exceed its disadvantages. First and foremost, breastfeeding is the easiest and cheapest method of providing almost all necessary nutrients to the infant. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, breast milk contains the exact amount of vitamins, protein, and fat for the infant (“Breastfeeding your baby,” 2013, p. 1). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, this mix reduces the risk for tract infections and otitis media by 72%, while the risk for sudden infant death syndrome is reduced by 36%, the risk for gastrointestinal tract infections is reduced by 64%, and the risk for celiac disease is 52% lower for the breastfeeding infant; infants, who receive breast milk for over 3 months, are also less exposed to obesity, allergies, type 1 diabetes mellitus, childhood leukemia and lymphoma, as well as neurodevelopmental problems than children, who either received formula or received milk for less than 3 months (“Breastfeeding and the use of human milk,” 2012, pp. e828-e830). Despite the aforesaid benefits, the opponents of breastfeeding argue that as breastfed infants need to be provided with milk every couple of hours, breastfeeding can affect their sleep patterns. At the same time, infants can have allergic reaction to milk, if a mother consumes certain food or uses certain medications. Meanwhile, the latter may not be researched enough, and for this reason they can produce negative long-term impact on a child’s health. These arguments are reasonable, as, indeed, health of the infant is of the utmost importance; however, if mothers take necessary precautions, the negative risks can be significantly reduced, while the positive effects from breastfeeding certainly surpass the said risks. Breastfeeding is also considered to be extremely beneficial for mothers, unless they have certain adverse health conditions. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfeeding mothers have decreased blood loss after having given birth, the uterus returns to its normal size faster, and the risks for breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis are also greatly reduced; moreover, breastfeeding mothers have shown less neglectful and abusive behavior towards their children than the non-breastfeeding ones (“Breastfeeding and the use of human milk,” 2012, pp. e831-e832). These short-term and long-term positive effects on a mother’s health have been proven through studies and are accompanied with the positive psychological changes, as mothers establish a long-term, strong bonding with their children through the process of regular holding and breastfeeding. At the same time, the opponents of breastfeeding state that breastfeeding mothers experience numerous inconveniences, including the lack of sleep and rest, constant fatigue, nipple pain, engorgement, blocked milk ducts and mastitis (“Breastfeeding your baby,” 2013, pp. 2-3). Also, certain medications are unavailable to them during breastfeeding because of the risk of their transfer to the infant. Another important disadvantage is the inconvenience connected with the breastfeeding mother’s return to work or school because of the necessity to constantly pump the breasts to prevent engorgement. However, often, mothers, who make a decision to give birth, take into account the aforesaid inconveniences and their responsibilities, and given the positive effects of breastfeeding, the latter is often more preferable and appealing to them than securing a certain level of comfort. Finally, the economic benefits of breastfeeding are evident, as families with a breastfeeding mother ultimately spend less money on infant formula and related materials, and, in the long run, the government can possibly spend less budget money on medical care and support of families, where the members have good health and immune system because of being breastfed during early childhood by healthy mothers. According to the data provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics, if 90% of American mothers exclusively breastfed for at least 6 months, the savings could reach about $13 billion, not including savings related to diabetes, asthma, obesity and absenteeism from work(“Breastfeeding and the use of human milk,” 2012, p. e832). At the same time, the opponents of breastfeeding state that it can be an obstacle for mothers to get back to work or school and, thus, can put a strain on a family budget in the long run. However, given that breastfed infants are stronger and healthier, family spending on health care of a breastfed child can be a lot lesser than that on the formula-fed one. For this reason, given the advantages on a family and national levels, breastfeeding is economically more beneficial than formula-feeding. Breastfeeding is beneficial for health of infants and mothers, as well as for the financial situation in the family and in the country. It strengthens the child’s body and can make a mother healthier and exposed to less health risks. Moreover, families and tax-payers can save huge amounts of money, if women follow the recommendations for breastfeeding. While the opponents state that it can have certain negative effects and impose risks on the health and well-being of infants and mothers, the positive effects from using this method greatly exceed the possible adverse effects. For this reason, breastfeeding should be recommended and promoted in the society to achieve the positive long-term effects on the well-being of each individual and the nation.

Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. (2012). Pediatrics, 129(3), e827-e841. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3552 Breastfeeding your baby. (2013, June 1). Retrieved July 4, 2015, from http://www.acog.org/~/media/For Patients/faq029.pdf

Cite this page

Share with friends using:

Removal Request

Finished papers: 748

This paper is created by writer with

ID 282805059

If you want your paper to be:

Well-researched, fact-checked, and accurate

Original, fresh, based on current data

Eloquently written and immaculately formatted

275 words = 1 page double-spaced

Get your papers done by pros!

Other Pages

Creative writing on sentence level revision, the 3d additive layer manufacturing research paper example, organizational research methods term paper examples, product portfolio management case study example, example of define poverty can it be eradicated essay, team activity term paper examples, case study on sony corporation, why people lie research paper example, course work on the change and transition, essay on the graduate school, free macroeconomics us debt ceiling article review sample, good how corporate americas acceptance of greed influences the way we behave in capitalist essay example, prostitution in the united states essay sample, good example of essay on fiction literary analysis, normative theory 1 and social responsibility essay sample, good example of research paper on economic development in ghana and nigeria, free research paper on plastic surgery and self esteem, islamic art essays example, free research paper on harmful household items, u s intelligence essay, holism reports, beauty reports, business model reports, segmentation reports, products reports, censorship reports, invention reports, moon reports, bullguard research papers, indentured servitude research papers, giza plateau research papers, hippocampus essays, knitwear essays, penitentiary essays, interdependence essays, tracing essays, electronics industry essays, imperialist essays, public defender essays, shock treatment essays, cummers essays, accentuating essays.

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it's official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings
• Browse Titles

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation. Nutrition During Lactation. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1991.

Nutrition During Lactation.

• Hardcopy Version at National Academies Press

1 Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

During the past decade, the benefits of breastfeeding have been emphasized by many authorities and organizations in the United States. Federal agencies have set specific objectives to increase the incidence and duration of breastfeeding (DHHS, 1980, 1990), and the Surgeon General has held workshops on breastfeeding and human lactation (DHHS, 1984, 1985). At the federal and state levels, the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has produced materials designed to promote breastfeeding (e.g., Malone, 1980; USDA, 1988). Furthermore, the Office of Maternal and Child Health has sponsored breastfeeding projects (e.g., The Steering Committee to Promote Breastfeeding in New York City, 1986), as have state health departments and others. However, less attention has been given to two general topics: (1) the effects of breastfeeding on the nutritional status and long-term health of the mother and (2) the effects of the mother's nutritional status on the volume and composition of her milk and on the potential subsequent effects of those changes on infant health. The present report was designed to address these topics.

This summary briefly describes the origin of this effort and the process; provides key definitions; reviews what was learned about who is breastfeeding in the United States and if those women are well nourished; discusses nutritional influences on milk volume or composition; and describes how breastfeeding may affect infant growth, nutrition, and health, as well as maternal health. It then presents major conclusions, clinical recommendations, and the research recommendations most directly related to the nutrition of lactating women in the United States.

• Origin Of This Study

This study was undertaken at the request of the Maternal and Child Health Program (Title V, Social Security Act) of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In response to that request, the Food and Nutrition Board's Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation and its Subcommittee on Nutrition During Lactation were asked to evaluate current scientific evidence and formulate recommendations pertaining to the nutritional needs of lactating women, giving special attention to the needs of lactating adolescents; women over age 35; and women of black, Hispanic, or Southeast Asian origin. Part of this task included consideration of the effects of maternal dietary intake and nutritional status on the volume and composition of human milk, the appropriateness of various anthropometric methods for assessing nutritional status during lactation, and the effects of lactation both on maternal and infant health and on the nutritional status of both the mother and the infant.

• Approach To The Study

The study was limited to consideration of healthy U.S. women and their healthy, full-term infants. The Subcommittee on Nutrition During Lactation conducted an extensive literature review, consulted with a variety of experts, and met as a group seven times to discuss the data and draw conclusions from them. The Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation (the advisory committee) reviewed and commented on the work of the subcommittee and helped establish appropriate linkages between this report and the reports on weight gain and nutrient supplements during pregnancy contained in Nutrition During Pregnancy —a report prepared by two other subcommittees of this advisory committee (IOM, 1990). Compared with earlier reports from the National Research Council, Nutrition During Pregnancy recommended a higher range of weight gain (11.5 to 16 kg, or 25 to 35 lb, for women of normal prepregnancy weight for height). In addition, it advised routine low-dose iron supplementation during pregnancy, but supplements of other vitamins or minerals were recommended only under special circumstances.

In examining the nutritional needs of lactating women, priority was given to energy and to those nutrients believed to be consumed in amounts lower than Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) by many women in the United States. These nutrients include calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, folate, and vitamin B 6 . Careful attention was given to the effects of lactation on various indicators of nutritional status, such as measurements of levels of biochemical compounds; functions related to specific nutrients; nutrient levels in specific body compartments; and height, weight, or other indicators of body size or adiposity. The subcommittee took into consideration that weight gain recommendations for pregnant women have been raised (see Nutrition During Pregnancy [IOM, 1990]) and that average weight gains of U.S. women during pregnancy have risen over the past two decades.

When possible, a distinction was made between exclusive breastfeeding, defined as the consumption of human milk as the sole source of energy, and partial breastfeeding, defined as the consumption of human milk in combination with formula or other foods, or both.

The nutritional demands imposed by lactation were estimated from data on volume and composition of milk produced by healthy, successfully lactating women, as done in Recommended Dietary Allowances (NRC, 1989). When it was feasible, evidence relating to possible depletion of maternal stores or to a decrease in the specific nutrient content of milk resulting from low maternal intake of the nutrient was also addressed. Because of the complex relationships between the nutrition of the mother and infant, the subcommittee examined the nutrition and growth of the breastfed infant.

The terms maternal health and infant health were interpreted in a broad sense. Consideration was given to both beneficial and adverse consequences for the health of the mother and her offspring, both during lactation and long after breastfeeding has been discontinued. For the mother, there was a search for evidence of differences in outcome related to whether or not she had breastfed. For the infant, evidence was sought for differences in outcome related to the method of feeding (breast compared with bottle). The possible influences of breastfeeding on prevention or promotion of chronic disease were addressed.

To the extent possible, this report includes detailed coverage of published evidence linking maternal nutrition, breastfeeding, and maternal and infant health. Because breastfeeding is encouraged primarily as a method for promoting the health of infants, considerable attention is also directed toward infant health even when there is no established relationship to maternal nutritional status. Recognizing the serious gaps in knowledge of nutrition during lactation, the subcommittee gave much thought to establishing directions for research.

The members of the subcommittee realized that nutrition is not the sole determinant of successful breastfeeding. A network of overlapping social factors including access to maternal leave, instructions concerning breastfeeding, availability of prenatal care, the length of hospital stay following delivery, infant care in the workplace, and the public attitudes toward breastfeeding are important. Given the goals of this report, the subcommittee did not specifically address those factors, but it recognizes that they should be considered in depth by public health groups that are attempting to improve rates of breastfeeding in this and other countries.

• What Was Learned

Who Is Breastfeeding

The incidence and duration of breastfeeding changed markedly during the twentieth century—first declining, then rising, and, from the early 1980s, declining once again. Currently, women who choose to breastfeed tend to be well educated, older, and white. Data on the incidence and duration of breastfeeding in the United States are especially limited for mothers who are economically disadvantaged and for those who are members of ethnic minority groups. The best data for any minority groups are for black women. Their rates of breastfeeding are substantially lower than those for white women, but factors that distinguish breastfeeding from nonbreastfeeding women tend to be similar among black and white women. Social, cultural, economic, and psychological factors that influence infant feeding choices by adolescent mothers are not well understood. In the United States, where few employers provide paid maternity leave, return to work outside the home is associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding, but little else is known about when mothers discontinue either exclusive or partial breastfeeding. Such data are needed to estimate the total nutrient demands of lactation.

How Can It Be Determined Whether Lactating Women Are Well Nourished

The few lactating women who have been studied in the United States have been characterized as well nourished, but this observation cannot be generalized since these subjects were principally white women with some college education. Women from less advantaged, less well studied populations may be at higher risk of nutritional problems but tend not to breastfeed.

To determine whether women are adequately nourished, investigators use biochemical or anthropometric methods, or both. For lactating women, however, there are serious gaps and limitations in the data collected with these methods. Consequently, there is no scientific basis for determining whether poor nutritional status is a problem among certain groups of these women. To identify the nutrients likely to be consumed in inadequate amounts by lactating women, the subcommittee used an approach involving nutrient densities (nutrient intakes per 1,000 kcal) calculated from typical diets of nonlactating U.S. women. That is, they made the assumption that the average nutrient densities of the diets of lactating women would be the same as those of nonlactating women but that lactating women would have higher total energy intake (and therefore higher nutrient intake). Using this approach, the nutrients most likely to be consumed in amounts lower than the RDAs for lactating women are calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B 6 , and folate.

Data for U.S. women indicate that successful lactation occurs regardless of whether a woman is thin, of normal weight, or obese. Anthropometric measurements (such as weight, weight for height, and skinfold thickness) have not been useful for predicting the success of lactation among the few U.S. women who have been studied. The predictive ability is not known for anthropometric measurements that fall outside the ranges observed in these limited samples.

Lactating women eating self-selected diets typically lose weight at the rate of 0.5 to 1.0 kg (˜1 to 2 lb) per month in the first 4 to 6 months of lactation. Such weight loss is probably physiologic. During the same period, values for subscapular and suprailiac skinfold thickness also decrease; triceps skinfold thickness does not. Not all women lose weight during lactation; studies suggest that approximately 20% may maintain or gain weight.

Biochemical data for lactating women have been obtained only from small, select samples. Such data are of limited use in the clinical situation because there are no norms for lactating women, and the norms for nonpregnant, nonlactating women may not be applicable to breastfeeding women. For example, there appear to be changes in plasma volume post partum, and there are changes in blood nutrient values over the course of lactation that are unrelated to changes in plasma volume.

Does Maternal Nutritional Status or Dietary Intake Influence Milk Volume

The mean volume of milk secreted by healthy U.S. women whose infants are exclusively breastfed during the first 4 to 6 months is approximately 750 to 800 ml/day, but there is considerable variability from woman to woman and in the same woman at different times. The standard deviation of daily milk intake by infants is about 165 ml; thus, 5% of women secrete less than 550 ml or more than 1,200 ml on a given day. The major determinant of milk production is the infant's demand for milk, which in turn may be influenced by the size, age, health, and other characteristics of the infant as well as by his or her intake of supplemental foods. The potential for milk production may be considerably higher than that actually produced, as evidenced by findings that the milk volumes produced by women nursing twins or triplets are much higher than those produced by women nursing a single infant.

Studies of healthy women in industrialized countries demonstrate that milk volume is not related to maternal weight or height or indices of fatness. In developing countries, there is conflicting evidence about whether thin women produce less milk than do women with higher weight for height.

Increased maternal energy intake has not been linked with increased milk production, at least among well-nourished women in industrialized countries. Nutritional supplementation of lactating women in developing countries where undernutrition may be a problem has generally been reported to have little or no impact on milk volume, but most studies have been too small to test the hypothesis adequately and lacked the design needed for causal inference. Studies of animals indicate that there may be a threshold below which energy intake is insufficient to support normal milk production, but it is likely that most studies in humans have been conducted on women with intakes well above this postulated threshold.

The weight loss ordinarily experienced by lactating women has no apparent deleterious effects on milk production. Although lactating women typically lose 0.5 to 1 kg (˜1 to 2 lb) per month, some women lose as much as 2 kg (˜4 lb) per month and successfully maintain milk volume. Regular exercise appears to be compatible with production of an adequate volume of milk.

The influence of maternal intake of specific nutrients on milk volume has not been investigated satisfactorily. Early studies in developing countries suggest a positive association of protein intake with milk volume, but those studies remain inconclusive. Fluids consumed in excess of thirst do not increase milk volume.

Does Maternal Nutritional Status Influence Milk Composition

The composition of human milk is distinct from the milk of other mammals and from infant formulas ordinarily derived from them. Human milk is unique in its physical structure, types and concentrations of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrate), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), enzymes, hormones, growth factors, host resistance factors, inducers/modulators of the immune system, and anti-inflammatory agents.

A number of generalizations can be made about the effects of maternal nutrition on the composition of milk (see also Table 1-1 ):

Possible Influences of Maternal Intake on the Nutrient Composition of Human Milk and Nutrients for Which Clinical Deficiency Is Recognizable in Infants.

• Even if the usual dietary intake of a macronutrient is less than that recommended in Recommended Dietary Allowances (NRC, 1989), there will be little or no effect on the total amount of that nutrient in the milk. However, the proportions of the different fatty acids in human milk vary with maternal dietary intake.
• The concentrations of major minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and potassium) in human milk are not affected by the diet. Maternal intakes of selenium and iodine are positively related to their concentrations in human milk, but there is no convincing evidence that the concentrations of other trace elements in human milk are affected by maternal diet.
• The vitamin content of human milk is dependent upon the mother's current vitamin intake and her vitamin stores, but the strength of the relationships varies with the vitamin. Chronically low maternal intake of vitamins may result in milk that contains low amounts of these essential nutrients.
• The content of at least some nutrients in human milk may be maintained at a satisfactory level at the expense of maternal stores. This applies particularly to folate and calcium.
• Increasing the mother's intake of a nutrient to levels above the RDA ordinarily does not result in unusually high levels of the nutrient in her milk; vitamins B 6 and D, iodine, and selenium are exceptions. Studies have not been conducted to evaluate the possibility that high levels of nutrients in milk are toxic to the infant.
• Some studies suggest that poor maternal nutrition is associated with decreased concentrations of certain host resistance factors in human milk, whereas other studies do not suggest this association.

In What Ways May Breastfeeding Affect Infant Growth and Health

Infant nutrition.

Several factors influence the nutritional status of the breastfed infant: the infant's nutrient stores (which are largely determined by the length of gestation and maternal nutrition during pregnancy), the total amount of nutrients supplied by human milk (which is influenced by the extent and duration of breastfeeding), and certain genetic and environmental factors that affect the way nutrients are absorbed and used.

Human milk is ordinarily a complete source of nutrients for the exclusively breastfed infant. However, if the infant or mother is not exposed regularly to sunlight or if the mother's intake of vitamin D is low, breastfed infants may be at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Breastfed infants are susceptible to deficiency of vitamin B 12 if the mother is a complete vegetarian—even when the mother has no symptoms of that vitamin deficiency.

The risk of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn is relatively low. Nonetheless, all infants (regardless of feeding mode or of maternal nutritional status) are at some risk for this serious disease unless they are supplemented with a single dose of vitamin K at birth.

Full-term, exclusively breastfed infants ordinarily maintain a normal iron status for their first 6 months of life, regardless of maternal iron intake. Providing solid foods may reduce the percentage of iron absorbed by the partially breastfed infant, making it important in such cases to ensure that adequate iron is provided in the diet.

Growth and Development

Breastfed infants gain weight at about the same rate as formula-fed infants during the first 2 to 3 months post partum, although breastfed infants usually ingest less milk and thus have a lower energy intake. After the first few months post partum, healthy breastfed infants gain weight more slowly than those who are formula fed. In general, this pattern is not altered by the introduction of solid foods. Differences in linear growth between breastfed and formula-fed infants are small if statistical techniques are used to control differences in size at birth.

Infant Morbidity and Mortality

Several types of health problems occur less often or appear to have less serious consequences in breastfed than in formula-fed infants. These include certain infectious diseases (especially ones involving the intestinal and respiratory tracts), food allergies, and, perhaps, certain chronic diseases. There is suggestive evidence that severe maternal malnutrition might reduce the degree of immune protection afforded by human milk, but further studies will be required to address that issue.

Few infectious agents are commonly transmitted to the infant via human milk. The most prominent ones are cytomegalovirus in all populations that have been studied and human T lymphocytotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) in certain Asian populations. The transmission of cytomegalovirus by breastfeeding does not result in disease; the consequences of the transmission of HTLV-1 by breastfeeding are unknown. There are some case reports that indicate that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be transmitted by breastfeeding as a result of the transfusion of HIV-contaminated blood during the immediate postpartum period. The likelihood of transmitting HIV via breastfeeding by women who tested seropositive for the agent during pregnancy has not been determined. Public policy on this issue has ranged from the Centers for Disease Control's recommendation not to breastfeed under these circumstances to the World Health Organization's encouragement to breastfeed, especially among women in developing countries.

In developing countries, mortality rates are lower among breastfed infants than among those who are formula fed. It is not known whether this advantage also holds in industrialized countries, in which death rates are lower in general. It is reasonable to believe that breastfeeding will lead to lower mortality among disadvantaged groups in industrialized countries if they have higher than usual infant and child mortality rates, but this issue has not been studied.

Medications, Drugs, and Environmental Contaminants

The few prescription drugs that are contraindicated during lactation because of potential harm to the infant can usually be avoided and replaced with safer acceptable ones. For example, there are a number of safe and effective substitutes for the antibiotic chloramphenicol, which is contraindicated for lactating women. If treatment with antimetabolites or radiotherapeutics is required by the mother, breastfeeding is contraindicated.

Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption by lactating women in excess of 0.5 g/kg of maternal weight may be harmful to the infant, partly because of potential reduction in milk volume. Furthermore, a single report (Little et al., 1989) associates heavy alcohol use by the mother with retarded psychomotor development of the infant at 1 year of age. Infrequent cigarette smoking, occasional consumption of small amounts of alcohol, and moderate ingestion of caffeine-containing products are not considered to be contraindicated during breastfeeding. Use of illicit drugs is contraindicated because of the potential for drug transfer through the milk as well as hazards to the mother. Since the limited information on the impact of these habits upon the nutrition of women in the childbearing years is reviewed in Nutrition During Pregnancy (IOM, 1990), they were not considered further by this subcommittee.

In the uncommon situation of a high risk of exposure to such environmental contaminants as organochlorinated compounds (such as dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane [DDT] or polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs]) or toxic metals (such as mercury), risks must be weighed against the benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and infant on a case-by-case basis. In areas of unusually high exposure, levels of the contaminant should be measured in the mother's blood and milk.

How Does Breastfeeding Affect Maternal Nutrition and Health

Breastfeeding substantially increases the mother's requirements for most nutrients. The magnitude of the total increase is most strongly affected by the extent and duration of lactation. Adequacy of intakes of calcium, magnesium, zinc, folate, and vitamin B 6 merits special attention since average intakes may be below those recommended. The net long-term effect of lactation on bone mass is uncertain. Some data associate lactation with short-term bone loss, whereas most recent studies suggest a protective long-term effect. Those data are provocative but of such preliminary nature that no definitive conclusions may be drawn from them.

Although most lactating women lose weight gradually during lactation, some do not. The influence of lactation on long-term postpartum weight retention and maternal risk of adult-onset obesity has not been determined.

A well-documented effect of lactation is delayed return to ovulation. In addition, some recent epidemiologic evidence indicates that breastfeeding may lessen the risk that the mother will develop breast cancer, but the data are not consistent across all studies.

• Conclusions And Recommendations

The major conclusions of the report are as follows.

Women living under a wide variety of circumstances in the United States and elsewhere are capable of fully nourishing their infants by breastfeeding them. Throughout its deliberations, the subcommittee was impressed by evidence that mothers are able to produce milk of sufficient quantity and quality to support growth and promote the health of infants—even when the mother's supply of nutrients and energy is limited. With few exceptions (identified later in the summary under "Infant Growth and Nutrition"), the full-term exclusively breastfed infant will be well nourished during the first 4 to 6 months after birth.

In contrast, the lactating woman is vulnerable to depletion of nutrient stores through her milk. Measures should be taken to promote food intake during lactation that will prevent net maternal losses of nutrients, especially of calcium, magnesium, zinc, folate, and vitamin B 6 .

Breastfeeding is recommended for all infants in the United States under ordinary circumstances. Exclusive breastfeeding is the preferred method of feeding for normal full-term infants from birth to age 4 to 6 months. Breastfeeding complemented by the appropriate introduction of other foods is recommended for the remainder of the first year, or longer if desired. The subcommittee and advisory committee recognize that it is difficult for some women to follow these recommendations for social or occupational reasons. In these situations, appropriate formula feeding is an acceptable alternative.

Data are lacking for use in developing strategies to identify lactating women who are at risk of depleting their own nutrient stores. Although nutrient intake appears adequate for the small number of lactating women who have been studied in the United States, evidence from U.S. surveys of nonpregnant, nonlactating women suggests that usual dietary intake of certain nutrients by disadvantaged women is likely to be somewhat lower than that by women of higher socioeconomic status. Thus, if breastfeeding rates increase among less advantaged women as a result of efforts to promote breastfeeding, it will be important to examine more completely the nutrient intake of these women during lactation.

If lactating women follow eating patterns similar to those of the average U.S. woman in sufficient quantity to meet their energy requirements, they are likely to meet the recommended intakes of all nutrients except perhaps calcium and zinc. However, if they curb their energy intakes, their intakes of several nutrients are likely to be less than the RDA.

Recommendations for Women Who Wish To Breastfeed and for Their Care Providers

Because of serious gaps in information about nutrition assessment and nutrient requirements during lactation and about effects of maternal nutrition on the wide array of components in the milk, the following recommendations should be considered preliminary. Although they reflect the best judgment of the subcommittee and advisory committee, these recommendations are open to reconsideration as the knowledge base grows.

Diet and Vitamin-Mineral Supplementation

Lactating women should be encouraged to obtain their nutrients from a well-balanced, varied diet rather than from vitamin-mineral supplements.

• Provide women who plan to breastfeed or who are already doing so with nutrition information that is culturally appropriate (that is, information that is sensitive to the foodways, eating practices, and health beliefs and attitudes of the cultural group). To facilitate the acquisition of this information, health care providers are encouraged to make effective use of teaching opportunities during prenatal visits, hospitalization following delivery, and routine postpartum visits for maternal or pediatric care.
• Encourage lactating women to follow dietary guidelines that promote a generous intake of nutrients from fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, calcium-rich dairy products, and protein-rich foods such as meats, fish, and legumes. Such a diet would ordinarily supply a sufficient quantity of essential nutrients. The individual recommendations should be compatible with the woman's economic situation and food preferences. The evidence does not warrant routine vitamin-mineral supplementation of lactating women.
• If dietary evaluation suggests that the diet does not provide the recommended amounts of one or more nutrients, encourage the woman to select and consume foods that are rich in those nutrients.
• For women whose eating patterns lead to a very low intake of one or more nutrients, provide individualized diet counseling (preferred) or recommend nutrient supplementation (as described in Table 1-2 ).
• Encourage sufficient intake of fluids—especially water, juice, and milk—to alleviate natural thirst. It is not necessary to encourage fluid intakes above this level.
• The elimination of major nutrient sources (e.g., all dairy products) from the maternal diet to treat allergy or colic in the breastfed infant is not recommended unless there is evidence from oral elimination-challenge studies to determine whether the mother is sensitive or intolerant to the food or that the breastfed infant reacts to the foods ingested by the mother. If a key nutrient source is eliminated from the maternal diet, the mother should be counseled on how to achieve adequate nutrient intake by substituting other foods.

Suggested Measures for Improving Nutrient Intake of Women with Restrictive Eating Patterns.

A Defined Health Care Plan for Lactating Women

There should be a well-defined plan for the health care of the lactating woman that includes screening for nutritional problems and providing dietary guidance. Since preparation for lactation should begin during the prenatal period, the physician, midwife, nutritionist, or other member of the obstetric team should introduce general information about nutrition during lactation and should screen for possible problems related to nutrition. Ideally, more extensive evaluation and counseling should take place during hospitalization for childbirth. If that is precluded by the brevity of the hospital stay, an early visit to an appropriate health care professional by the mother or a visit to the mother's home is advisable.

To implement routine screening economically and practically, the subcommittee considers it sufficient to continue the practice of weighing women (using standard procedures as described in Nutrition During Pregnancy [IOM, 1990]) at scheduled visits and to ask a few simple questions to determine the following:

• Are calcium-rich foods eaten regularly?
• Does the diet include vitamin D-fortified milk or cereal or is there adequate exposure to ultraviolet light?
• Are fruits and vegetables eaten regularly?
• Is the mother a complete vegetarian?
• Is the mother restricting her food intake severely in an attempt to lose weight or to treat certain medical conditions?
• Are there life circumstances (e.g., poverty, or abuse of drugs or alcohol) that might interfere with an adequate diet?

It is not necessary to obtain measurements of skinfold thickness or to conduct laboratory tests as a part of the routine assessment of the nutritional status of lactating women.

The subcommittee recognizes that establishing standard health care procedures for lactating women requires expanded training of health care providers. Activities to achieve this expanded training are being initiated by the Surgeon General's workshop committee comprising representatives from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and other professional organizations.

Breastfeeding Practices

Efforts to support lactation must consider breastfeeding practices.

• Because the early management of lactation has a strong influence on the establishment of an adequate milk supply, breastfeeding guidance should be provided prenatally and continued in the hospital after delivery and during the early postpartum period.
• All hospitals providing obstetric care should provide knowledgeable staff in the immediate postpartum period who have responsibility for providing support and guidance in initiating breastfeeding and measures to promote establishment of an ample supply of milk.
• Breastfeeding practices that are responsive to the infant's natural appetite should be promoted. In the first few weeks, infants should nurse at least 8 times per day, and some may nurse as often as 15 or more times per day. After the first month, infants fed on demand usually nurse 5 to 12 times per day.

Maternal Weight

Women who plan to breastfeed or who are breastfeeding should be given realistic, health-promoting advice about weight change during lactation.

• Advise women that it is normal to lose weight during the first 6 months of lactation. The average rate of weight loss is 0.5 to 1.0 kg (˜ 1 to 2 lb)/month after the first month post partum. However, not all women who breastfeed lose weight; some women gain weight post partum, whether or not they breastfeed. If a lactating woman is overweight, a weight loss of up to 2 kg (˜4.5 lb) per month is unlikely to adversely affect milk volume, but such women should be alert for any indications that the infant's appetite is not being satisfied. Rapid weight loss (>2 kg/month after the first month post partum) is not advisable for breastfeeding women.
• Advise women who choose to curb their energy intake to pay special attention to eating a balanced, varied diet and to including foods rich in calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B 6 , and folate. Encourage energy intake of at least 1,800 kcal/day. Calcium, multivitamin-mineral supplements, or both may be advised when dietary sources are marginal and it is unlikely that appropriate dietary practices will or can be followed. Intakes below 1,500 kcal/day are not recommended at any time during lactation, although fasts lasting less than 1 day have not been shown to decrease milk volume. Liquid diets and weight loss medications are not recommended. Since the impact of curtailing maternal energy intake during the first 2 to 3 weeks post partum is unknown, dieting during this period is not recommended.

Maternal Substance Use and Abuse

The use of illicit drugs should be actively discouraged, and affected women (regardless of their mode of feeding) should be assisted to enter a rehabilitative program that makes provision for the infant. The use of certain legal substances by lactating women is also of concern, including the potential for alcohol abuse.

• There is no scientific evidence that consumption of alcoholic beverages has a beneficial impact on any aspect of lactation performance. If alcohol is used, advise the lactating woman to limit her intake to no more than 0.5 g of alcohol per kg of maternal body weight per day. Intake over this level may impair the milk ejection reflex. For a 60-kg (132-lb) woman, 0.5 g of alcohol per kg of body weight corresponds to approximately 2 to 2.5 oz of liquor, 8 oz of table wine, or 2 cans of beer.
• Actively discourage smoking among lactating women, not only because it may reduce milk volume but because of its other harmful effects on the mother and her infant.
• Discourage intake of large quantities of coffee, other caffeine-containing beverages and medications, and decaffeinated coffee. The equivalent of 1 to 2 cups of regular coffee daily is unlikely to have a deleterious effect on the nursling, although preliminary evidence suggests that maternal coffee intake may adversely influence the iron content of milk and the iron status of the infant.

Infant Growth and Nutrition

The subcommittee recommends that health care providers be informed about the differences in growth between healthy breastfed and formula-fed infants. On average, breastfed infants gain weight more slowly than those fed formula after the first 2 to 3 months. Slower weight gain, by itself, does not justify the use of supplemental formula. When in doubt, clinicians should evaluate adequacy of growth according to the guidelines described by Lawrence (1989).

Regardless of what the mother eats, the following steps should be taken to ensure adequate nutrition of breastfed infants.

• All newborns should receive a 0.5- to 1.0-mg injection or a 1.0-to 2.0-mg oral dose of vitamin K immediately after birth regardless of the type of feeding that will be offered the infant.
• If the infant's exposure to sunlight appears to be inadequate, the infant should be given a 5- to 7.5-µg supplement of vitamin D per day.
• Fluoride supplements should be provided to breastfed infants if the fluoride content of the household drinking-water supply is low (<0.3 ppm)
• When breastfeeding is complemented by other foods, and by 6 months of age in any case, the infant should be given food rich in bioavailable iron or a daily low-dose oral iron supplement.

Infant Health

Health care providers should recognize that breastfeeding is recommended to reduce the incidence and severity of certain infectious gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases and other disorders in infancy. Breastfeeding ordinarily confers health benefits to the infant, but in certain rare cases it may pose some health risks, as indicated below.

• For mothers requiring medication and desiring to breastfeed, the clinician should select the medication least likely to pass into the milk and to the infant.
• Although medications rarely pose a problem during lactation, breastfeeding is contraindicated in the case of a few. Such drugs include antineoplastic agents, therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, some but not all antithyroid agents, and antiprotozoan agents.
• In those rare cases when there is heavy exposure to pesticides, heavy metals, or other contaminants that may pass into the milk, breastfeeding is not recommended if maternal levels are high.

Recommendations for Nutrition Monitoring

The committee recommends that the U.S. government provide a mechanism for periodically monitoring trends in lactation and developing normative indicators of nutritional status during lactation.

• Monitoring of trends . Data are needed on the incidence and duration of breastfeeding among the population as a whole, and among some particularly vulnerable subpopulations. Exclusive, partial, and minimal breastfeeding should be distinguished; and data should be collected at several ages during infancy. Current or planned surveys by such agencies as the National Center for Health Statistics or the Nutrition Monitoring Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture could be modified to serve these goals.
• Developing normative indicators of nutritional status . There is a need for data on dietary intakes by, and nutritional status among, lactating women and their relationship to lactation performance. Identification of groups of lactating women who are at nutritional risk is a problem of public health importance.

Research Recommendations

In its deliberations, the subcommittee was well aware that many factors (such as hospital practices, social attitudes, governmental policies, and exposure to infectious agents) may have a great influence on breastfeeding rates and lactation performance and that there is a need for studies to examine approaches that hold the most promise for improving both of these. Similarly, the subcommittee recognized the great need for studies to examine the short- and long-term benefits of breastfeeding in the United States among mothers and infants in all segments of the population, but especially among disadvantaged groups, which currently have the lowest rates of breastfeeding. Research recommendations concerning several of these issues (infant mortality, growth charts for breastfed infants, possible transmission of HIV, indicators of infant nutritional status) are contained in Chapter 10 . They have been excluded from this summary, not because they are unimportant, but rather because they relate only indirectly to the nutrition of healthy U.S. women during lactation.

• Research is needed to develop indicators of nutritional status for lactating women. First, the identification of normative values for nutritional status should be based on observations of representative, healthy, lactating women in the United States. In addition, indicators are needed of both (1) risks of adverse outcomes related to the mother's dietary intake and (2) the potential of the mother or her nursing infant to benefit from interventions designed to improve their nutritional status or health.
• Research is needed to identify groups of lactating women in the United States who are at nutritional risk or who could benefit from nutrition intervention programs. In general, it has been difficult to identify groups of mothers and infants in the United States with nutritional deficits that are severe enough to have measurable functional consequences. Priority should be given to the study of lactating women in subpopulations believed to be at risk of inadequate intake of certain nutrients, such as calcium by blacks and vitamin A by low-income women. The potential influence of culture-specific food beliefs on nutrient intake of lactating women should be included in any such investigations.
• Intervention studies of improved design and technical sophistication are needed to investigate the effects of maternal diet and nutritional status on milk volume; milk composition; infant nutritional status, growth, and health; and maternal health. The nursing dyad (the mother and her infant) has seldom been the focus of studies. Thus, a key aspect of this recommendation is concurrent examination of the mother, the volume and composition of the milk, and the infant. The design of such research needs to be adequate for causal inference; thus, if possible, it should include random assignment of lactating subjects to treatment groups. Appropriate sampling and handling of milk for the valid assessment of energy density, nutrient concentration, and total milk volume are essential, as is accurate measurement of nutrient concentrations.

With regard to the energy balance of lactating women, the threshold below which energy intake is insufficient to support adequate milk production has not yet been identified. Resolution of this question will probably require supplementation studies of women in developing countries whose diets are chronically energy deficient. Although such deficient diets are not common in the United States, identification of the level of energy intake that is too low to support lactation will be useful in establishing guidelines for women who want to breastfeed but who also want to restrict their energy intake to lose weight. Although chronically low energy intakes by women in disadvantaged populations may not be completely analogous to acute energy restriction among otherwise well-nourished women, ethical considerations limit the kinds of investigations that could directly address the influence of energy restriction. In supplementation studies, measurements should be made of lactation performance and of any impact on the mother's nutritional status and health, including the period of lactation amenorrhea.

With regard to specific nutrients, the impact of relatively low intakes of folate, vitamin B 6 , calcium, zinc, and magnesium during lactation on the mother's nutritional status and health needs to be assessed in more detail. As a part of this assessment, studies of the absorption of calcium, zinc, and magnesium during lactation will be useful. There is also a need to identify a reliable indicator of vitamin B 6 status of infants and to document the relationships between this indicator, maternal vitamin B 6 intake, and vitamin B 6 content in milk. Finally, resolution of the conflicting findings concerning the impact of maternal protein intake on milk volume would be desirable.

• DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services). 1980. Promoting Health/Preventing Disease: Objectives for the Nation . Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 102 pp.
• DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services). 1984. Report of the Surgeon General's Workshop on Breastfeeding and Human Lactation . DHHS Publ. No. HRS-D-MC 84-2. Health Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Md. 93 pp.
• DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services). 1985. Followup Report: The Surgeon General's Workshop on Breastfeeding & Human Lactation . DHHS Publ. No. HRS-D-MC 85-2. Health Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Md. 46 pp.
• DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services). 1990. Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives. Conference Edition . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health, Washington, D.C. 672 pp.
• IOM (Institute of Medicine). 1990. Nutrition During Pregnancy: Weight Gain and Nutrient Supplements . Report of the Subcommittee on Nutritional Status and Weight Gain During Pregnancy, Subcommittee on Dietary Intake and Nutrient Supplements During Pregnancy, Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation, Food and Nutrition Board. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 468 pp.
• Lawrence, R.A. 1989. Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession , 3rd ed. C.V. Mosby, St. Louis. 652 pp.
• Little, R.E., K.W. Anderson, C.H. Ervin, B. Worthington-Roberts, and S.K. Clarren. 1989. Maternal alcohol use during breastfeeding and infant mental and motor development at one year . N. Engl. J. Med. 321:425-430. [ PubMed : 2761576 ]
• Malone, C. 1980. Breast-Feeding. Cumberland County WIC Program, People's Regional Opportunity Program, Portland, Maine . 13 pp.
• NRC (National Research Council). 1989. Recommended Dietary Allowances , 10 th ed. Report of the Subcommittee on the Tenth Edition of the RDAs, Food and Nutrition Board, Commission on Life Sciences. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 284 pp.
• The Steering Committee to Promote Breastfeeding in New York City. 1986. The Art and Science of Breastfeeding . Division of Maternal and Child Health, Bureau of Health Care Delivery and Assistance, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 74 pp.
• USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture). 1988. Promoting Breastfeeding in WIC: A Compendium of Practical Approaches . FNS-256. Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, Va. 171 pp.
• Cite this Page Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation. Nutrition During Lactation. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1991. 1, Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations.
• PDF version of this title (3.5M)
• Disable Glossary Links

In this Page

Related information.

• PubMed Links to PubMed

Recent Activity

• Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations - Nutrition During Lactation Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations - Nutrition During Lactation

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

Connect with NLM

National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20894

Web Policies FOIA HHS Vulnerability Disclosure

Help Accessibility Careers

Argumentative Essay On Breastfeeding

Show More Wallace, K (2014). Why are we still so squeamish about breastfeeding? Retrieved from: http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/29/living/breastfeeding-attitudes-parents/ In this article Kelly Wallace discusses why it seems the sight of a mother publically breastfeeding still makes so many people squeamish and uncomfortable. She interviews several mothers, bloggers, and discusses many news articles that have been written in 2014 about the attention public breastfeeding has gained. She also discusses the many cases of celebrities bringing attention to the issue via their own social media posts, writings and interviews. Kelly Wallace is a digital correspondent for CNN as well as a mother of two girls. She is using her passion for her children and parenting as a career path focusing on women’s issues, interviewing newsmakers to include First Lady Michelle Obama. As a mother she can relate to the concerns women have about breastfeeding in public. This article will be used in the research paper because it covers multiple women and their experiences and brings to light multiple current and relevant events relating to the topic. Trocola, M. G. (2005). …show more content… La Leche League is a highly reputable source when it comes to breastfeeding. They assist mothers in a variety of ways with breastfeeding. Educationally, physically, emotionally or financially La Leche League hosts a variety of resources available to all women when on the breastfeeding journey. In this article the author discusses cultural attitudes, preparation for breastfeeding, topics and suggestions as to what to do when out and about while breastfeeding. It also references breastfeeding and the law in the US, Canada and Scottland. This source is relevant to my thesis statement because it directly brings up some of the cultural attitudes towards public breastfeeding that are influencing women and their

Related Documents

The pros and cons of breastfeeding in public.

Over the previous years, our society as a whole has become very opinionated about what is acceptable and what is not. Things that were once appropriate are now being reconsidered and deemed inappropriate. The media has created controversial conversations by asking questions like "should breastfeeding be allowed in public? " Our society has started discussing and questioning whether or not it is indecent for a woman to breastfeed in public, even if they are completely covered, being discreet, and not disturbing anyone. Now there are special rooms being made in some places, like University’s for example, so women can breastfeed without being seen by anyone.…

Squeamish About Breastfeeding

The article entitled “Why Are We Still So Squeamish About Breastfeeding” by Kelly Wallace speaks on how we constantly hear about stories of women being asked to cover up or even asked to leave certain public places such as restaurants, stores, etc. when they happen to be breastfeeding their child. She goes on to mention a particular incident that occurred that got national attention. A mother in Beverly Hills was escorted to the bathroom at an Anthropologie store when she was breastfeeding her six week old child. The mother then took to social media to express her outrage over the incident.…

The Role Of The Joad Family In The Grapes Of Wrath

The act of breastfeeding is one reserved between a child and its mother. Many times breastfeeding is seen as sexual and society can frown upon this simple act. This is partly the reason for the controversy surrounding the ending of The Grapes of Wrath. “Society becomes sterialized, to the extent of deming certain human behaviors as uncivilized. ”(French)…

Socially Informative Essay: Breastfeeding In Public

Breastfeeding has been around for centuries, but has recently become a controversial topic. It has been considered immoral for a woman to breastfeed her child in public. Breastfeeding in public should be socially acceptable and continued to be protected by law. It is a natural action that is healthy for the child and the mother; it should also be socially acceptable because it is only considered immoral because of the constant sexualization of the woman’s body. Breastfeeding was normal for women in the U.S. society until the 1940s.…

Breastfeeding Argumentative Essay

Women need to look for ways to reduce their stress with this issue and one way is by getting the message that breastfeeding is best out into the community would be a good start. If we all had the ability to accept that breastfeeding is a norm in public, we would be well on our way to…

Breastfeeding In Developing Countries

If we talk about the breastfeeding laws that should they be present or not, it is important for women to feed their child when the kids need it. There has been cases when people do not find convenient that a mother feeding her son in public. This complaints and objections led states to formulate laws. Very regularly, then again, we read stories of ladies who have been advised to utilize a washroom to medical attendant their youngsters, requested that cover themselves and their child…

Persuasive Essay On Breastfeeding In Public

Natalie Rivera 11/22/17 English 1301 S06 Essay 3 Breast Feeding In Public Breastfeeding in public places has been a big controversy in today's society. Is it okay for women to openly breastfeed their baby when they need to? Many people have mixed feeling on this issue. People feel it is inappropriate for women to show their cleavage when breastfeeding and should hide and feel exposed, however, other people feel it's a women's right to feed their hungry baby.…

Argumentative Essay: Why Breast Is Best?

…Yet ‘Many times you will see more 'cleavage' in the name of fashion than you ever would from a mom feeding her child,’ said Raivon Lee, a breastfeeding mom of a 19-month-old” (Wallace). The struggle of being able to use breast the way they are intended for is very real and very hard. So many moms that don’t breastfed and even ones that do, seem to think that breastfeeding in public is a private matter, best for the bathroom, at home, or under a blanket. It makes breastfeeding come across as shameful. Some mothers claim they don’t want their younger children to witness a breastfeeding mom.…

Breastfeeding Debate

Although breastfeeding has been around since the beginning of time the breast is still a private part that is being exposed when one feeds in public. Many people and businesses who oppose nursing in public are concerned…

Sexy Vs. Breastfeeding In Public

My very first source, Salads video “Sexy vs. Breastfeeding in Public (Social Experiment)” was the first source I found and really set the tone for my project and I tried to focus the first half of my project on this breasts for sex vs. breasts for feeding contradiction. It want until the second half of my project that I started getting sources that really had me focusing on the mother and her perspective and how much influence society and the stigma around breast feeding has. The article “Public Perceptions on Breastfeeding Constraints” I think was the most shocking to me, it really forces you to understand what I problem this stigma is if mothers are choosing to not breastfeed their babies because of it.…

It is always an exciting time when mothers welcome new babies in to the world. With big plans for their little one’s future, mothers want the absolute best for their child. What some mothers don’t realize is by breastfeeding they can help protect and set up their child with a bright, healthy future. The ideal time a mother should breastfeed to gain all the benefits is at least six months, but they are encouraged to breastfeed for a longer amount of time. “The World Health Organization (WHO), along with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), identifies many benefits of breastfeeding for both the mother and baby” (Smith & Anolak).…

Breastfeeding: Article Analysis

The article stated facts about why breastfeed was important but went into depth on why women chose not to breastfeed. The article stated how while breastfeeding maybe be preferred, public shaming, including requests to cover up or move from the premises, negatively affects the breastfeeding experience by turning infant feeding practices into something perverse or shameful (Dillard, 2015). This issue turns mothers into thinking feeding their…

Essay On Breastfeeding In Public

Society have painted the image of the breasts as a sex symbol which represents attractiveness and the definition of a true woman. What happens when the ideal image of the breasts is suddenly shone by the act of a baby latching onto the nipples in public? Does the woman become less attractive or in violation of public nudity laws? Breastfeeding in public should be permissible for these various reasons. Breastfeeding in public is an act of natural and legal right given to women, breastfeeding in public also in general fosters the healthy growth of the baby along with the quick return of mothers to their pre-pregnancy weight and overall health and ultimately the process of breastfeeding also breaks social barriers which labels women as weak and incompetent.…

Breastfeeding Ethical Dilemmas

Introduction “WHERE’S THE BOOBIES” This paper is about women breastfeeding in public places. Breastfeeding has become one of the most controversial issues in our society today.…

'Argumentative Essay On Free The Nipple'

To gain access and information about the topic, I will not only research articles and or personal stories, I will be interviewing one or two people I am familiar with that have run into problem regarding this movement and had to go through some very disrespectful events that were completely uncalled for and rude. I will be asking in this interview questions such as; what does free the nipple mean to you, what is a personal account of being prejudiced for breastfeeding in public, who is it important to you that you be allowed to openly breastfeed your baby, why do you think this is an important movement for women, and what do you think this movement would accomplish if everyone agreed with it, what is the fine line between differentiation and double standards, etc.…

Related Topics

• Breastfeeding
• Breast milk

Ready To Get Started?

• Create Flashcards
• Mobile apps
•   Facebook
•   Twitter
• Cookie Settings

• Undergraduate
• High School
• Architecture
• American History
• Asian History
• Antique Literature
• American Literature
• Asian Literature
• Classic English Literature
• World Literature
• Creative Writing
• Linguistics
• Criminal Justice
• Legal Issues
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Political Science
• World Affairs
• African-American Studies
• East European Studies
• Latin-American Studies
• Native-American Studies
• West European Studies
• Family and Consumer Science
• Social Issues
• Women and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Natural Sciences
• Pharmacology
• Earth science
• Agriculture
• Agricultural Studies
• Computer Science
• IT Management
• Mathematics
• Investments
• Engineering and Technology
• Engineering
• Aeronautics
• Medicine and Health
• Alternative Medicine
• Communications and Media
• Advertising
• Communication Strategies
• Public Relations
• Educational Theories
• Teacher's Career
• Chicago/Turabian
• Company Analysis
• Education Theories
• Shakespeare
• Canadian Studies
• Food Safety
• Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
• Movie Review
• Admission Essay

Annotated Bibliography

• Application Essay
• Article Critique
• Article Review
• Article Writing
• Book Review
• Business Plan
• Business Proposal
• Capstone Project
• Cover Letter
• Creative Essay
• Dissertation
• Dissertation - Abstract
• Dissertation - Conclusion
• Dissertation - Discussion
• Dissertation - Hypothesis
• Dissertation - Introduction
• Dissertation - Literature
• Dissertation - Methodology
• Dissertation - Results
• GCSE Coursework
• Grant Proposal
• Marketing Plan
• Multiple Choice Quiz
• Personal Statement
• Power Point Presentation
• Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
• Questionnaire
• Reaction Paper
• Research Paper
• Research Proposal
• SWOT analysis
• Thesis Paper
• Online Quiz
• Literature Review
• Movie Analysis
• Statistics problem
• Math Problem
• All papers examples
• How It Works
• Money Back Policy
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• We Are Hiring

Benefits of Breastfeeding, Outline Example

Pages: 1

Words: 114

Hire a Writer for Custom Outline

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

Benefits of breastfeeding over formula and factors affecting infant’s nutrition

Introduction

• Explanation of the background behind the formula/breastfeeding debate.
• Thesis claiming breastfeeding is more beneficial than formula-feeding.

Risks associated with formula feeding

• Anderson et al (Contamination)
• Bongers et al (Constipation)
• Cattaneo (Infection, Hospitalization)

Benefits of Breastfeeding

• Colombo (Cystic Fibrosis Help) (Preventing Pulmonary dysfunction)
• Godfrey (Maternal Benefits)
• Hoecker (Nursing for a year important for immunity)
• Owen (breastfeeding leads to lower cholesterol in adult life)s

Arguments for Formula Feeding

• Badger (Soy Formula Study/Benefits)
• Hoecker (Formula justification for employed mothers or those who cannot lactate enough)
• High-Protein formula only makes babies gain weight up to age two (Koletzko)

Analysis and Comparison showing that the benefits of breastfeeding are greater than those of formula feeding

• Walker (Clinician’s guide that weighs the evidence)

Conclude that breastfeeding is better

Stuck with your Outline?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

Benefits of Breastfeeding, Annotated Bibliography Example

Outsourcing Human Resource Functions, Term Paper Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

Related Outline Samples & Examples

Effective communication, outline example.

Pages: 3

Words: 767

Millennium Development Goals, Outline Example

Words: 342

The Powerless Nature of Government Agencies, Outline Example

Words: 346

The Difference Between Feminism and Hating Men, Outline Example

Pages: 2

Words: 683

Master of Science Capstone Proposal, Outline Example

Words: 643

Advantages of Cycling, Outline Example

Words: 894

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples

How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples

Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.

At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.

Creating categories

Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.

Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.

Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.

As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.

Order of information

When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.

Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.

Consider these questions to order your material:

• Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
• Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
• Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.

In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.

The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.

• Thesis statement
• First piece of evidence
• Second piece of evidence
• Summary/synthesis
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement

You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.

Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.

Argumentative essay outline

This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.

Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.

• Importance of the internet
• Concerns about internet use
• Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
• Data exploring this effect
• Analysis indicating it is overstated
• Students’ reading levels over time
• Why this data is questionable
• Video media
• Interactive media
• Speed and simplicity of online research
• Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
• Evidence indicating its ubiquity
• Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
• Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
• Argument that it introduces students to citation
• Summary of key points
• Value of digital education for students
• Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet

Expository essay outline

This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.

The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.

• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
• Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
• Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
• Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
• Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
• Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
• Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
• Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
• Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
• Link to the Reformation.
• Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
• Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
• Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
• Summarize the history described.
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.

Literary analysis essay outline

The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .

The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.

• Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
• Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
• Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
• Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
• Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
• Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
• Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
• Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
• Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
• Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
• Answer the research question
• Indicate areas for further study

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-outline/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to create a structured research paper outline | example, a step-by-step guide to the writing process, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, what is your plagiarism score.

Breastfeeding Argumentative Essay

‘Breast milk is best’ is not just an advertising slogan. There’s medical proof backing up the claim that the benefits of breastfeeding your baby outweigh the benefits of formula. Breastfeeding helps your baby thrive and keeps them healthy. The Centers for Disease Control says it offers a wide range of advantages to your baby’s “health, growth, immunity and development.” Scientists say mama’s milk has antibodies that can help the baby fight viruses and bacteria. It also helps lowers a baby’s risk of developing allergies and asthma. Studies show babies have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses and bouts of diarrhea if they’re breastfed exclusively for the first six months. “It also helps dramatically cut down on colic,” says Dr. …show more content…

After six months, parents can slowly-introduce “iron-enriched” foods such as cereal to their baby’s diet to complement the breast milk . Some studies show breastfed babies may have a lower risk of childhood obesity. In a 2011 JAMA Pediatrics article, researchers say breastfeeding helps teach healthy eating patterns by eating only when hungry, and to eat enough to satisfy that hunger. Breastfeeding also offers psychological benefits for you and your baby. It helps strengthen the bond between mother and child. The AAP says your baby learns he is safe in your arms as you cradle him to feed him. That closeness also helps your mothering instincts kick in as your body releases hormones, like oxytocin, which helps in nurturing and relaxation. Doctors say oxytocin also helps your uterus shrink back to its pre-pregnancy size, and helping reduce postpartum bleeding. When a new mom chooses to breastfeed, she’s also helping her body recover from the stress of pregnancy. Not only can it help new moms drop those pregnancy pounds, but studies show it reduces stress levels and the risk of postpartum depression. Dr. Hart adds breastfeeding decreases the mom’s chances of developing diabetes and ovarian

Breastfeeding And Long Term Benefits Of Breastfeeding Essay

Studies have shown that breastfeeding has numerous benefits for mother and baby, including reducing the risk of common childhood infections. The protective antibodies found in breast milk helps to combat common infections that often leads to missed days from work and translates into lost productivity. In addition, breastfeeding has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of obesity in breastfed children verse children that were not breastfed. Breastfeeding also helps to

Essay on Breastfeeding and The WIC Program

• 2 Works Cited

incidences of diabetes and cancer. Furthermore, it can lessen the risk of childhood obesity; which

Persuasive Essay On Breastfeeding

Women in this world have a right to bear children and take care of them. As a new parent, there are millions of questions, worries, and decisions one deals with throughout the whole child's life. When a child is first born, a mother has to decide whether or not to breastfeed or formula feed. The nutrition a baby receives in the first months of life is what determines if the baby has a good or bad start. Women should breastfeed their children because breastfeeding boosts chances of success for their child, allows their baby to receive natural immunity from antibodies, mothers are less likely to develop diseases such as cancers or diabetes, and breastfeeding stimulates oxytocin to promote bonding between mother and child. Breastfeeding is the best choice for a baby.

Breastfeeding vs. Bottle Feeding Essay

• 7 Works Cited

no doubt that breastfeeding really is the best nutritional choice for a child as well as the mother.

Argumentative Essay on Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding protects babies against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as well as sepsis in pre-term babies. Breast milk contains antibodies that help babies fight off infections like otitis media and respiratory problems like meningitis and bronchitis. It has been found to reduce the incidence and intensity of atopic diseases. Babies who breastfeed tend to suffer from colds less frequently and have fewer incidents of colic. (Davis)

Breastfeeding v Formula Essay examples

• 4 Works Cited

Another incomparable benefit of breastfeeding is your baby’s intelligence. Studies show that exclusive breastfeeding is directly related to improving cognitive development. That’s right, breast milk can actually make your baby smarter! I’m not saying formula can in any way make your child dumb, I’m just saying if you want to give your child a boost that you are fully capable of doing so. Studies show that breast fed babies

Outline Of The Benefits Of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding provides unique nutrients for the baby, protects from disease, has health benefits for the mother, and provides a unique bond between mother and baby.

Essay On Breastfeeding

This paper will explain the benefits of breastfeeding and how it plays an extreme role in the long-term health of a child not only in the early stages of life but also into adulthood and how we as nurses can help promote this mode of nutrition.

Breast Feeding vs Formula Essay

Brain processing is also faster (Georgieff, par. 23). “The Journal of the American Medical Association, reported that adults who as babies were breast-fed for seven months had higher IQ’s than those who were breast-fed for two weeks or less. A direct link may not exist between breast-fed babies and higher IQ’s, but a correlation, between the amount of time that a mother spends breast-feeding and the amount of time she will spend with her child as he grows up is defiantly indicated. If a mother is willing to devote herself to being the sole provider of food for her baby when he is young then perhaps she will spend more time one on one with him as he grows (Gupta, par. # 2&7). “One oft-cited advantage of breast-feeding is the bond it promotes between mother and baby.” (“Giving your Baby...Diet.” par. #10) “Nursing is a valuable source of security and comfort for your baby... Your and your baby comfort each other. Your baby regularly needs your breast milk and physical closeness and your full breasts regularly need to be emptied. Breast-feeding develops an intimate relationship that can deepen the bond between you and your baby” (Neifert, par #6).

Argumentative Essay: What Is Breast Best?

From the moment that a child is born, the parents need to make difficult decisions, but the one choice that should be clear is to breastfeed. The controversy issue between breastfeeding and formula feeding is causing parents to question themselves and really have to decide what the best choice is for the child. Breastfeeding has been shown to be superior over formula feeding for many reasons. Breastfeeding is the preferred choice physically, nutritionally and economically for the mother and child.

Research Paper on Breastfeeding

Because of all the healthy components to breast milk, there is significant research showing that children who are breastfed have reduction in diseases, healthier bodies and mouths, and long-term health benefits as well.

Persuasive Essay On Breastfeeding In Public

Breastfeeding in public is one of the most controversial issues in society today. Breastfeeding has been around since before the 15th century. It is a bond shared between a mother and a child. Research shows that breastfeeding is the best choice over formula because breastfeeding provides the infant with essential nutrients, helps with recovery from childbirth, and protects the infant against a number of chronic conditions. Breastfeeding is abnormal, healthy, natural and need not be disguised, explained, or apologized. You should be able to breastfeed your baby wherever or whenever your child is hungry. Breastfeeding is not a choice it’s a responsibility. It may not be the right choice for some parents, but it’s the best choice for every baby.

The Benefits of Breastfeeding Essay

The first years of life are the most crucial years for brain, immune system and overall physiological development. This is why, it is extremely important to achieve optimal nutrition standards in these early years. Studies have shown that having optimum nutrition in infancy can lead to profound benefits throughout the lifespan of the person. Breastfeeding is extensively recommended, as the best way to achieve the

The Nutritional Advantages of Breastfeeding Essays

There is a wide array of benefits as a result of breastfeeding that specifically help a child survive and develop from the time they are born and throughout all stages of life. The more recognized and examined benefits during infancy and toddlerhood include, but are not limited to, increased intelligence, decreased risk of getting ear infections, lowered risk of Sudden Infant Death syndrome, better resistance to common illnesses and allergies (stronger immune system), lower risk for childhood onset diabetes, lower risk for asthma and eczema, increased cognitive development, higher IQ, and increased social maturity.

Informative Speech On Breastfeeding

Looking at Women’s Health.gov, when breastfeeding, a hormone called oxytocin is released. Oxytocin aids in shrinking down the uterus to pre pregnancy size and it also reduces uterine bleeding after birth. Breastfeeding also lowers a woman’s risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. It can even reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and it lessens the severity of postpartum depression.

Related Topics

• Breastfeeding
• Breast milk