Breastfeeding: Foundation of Life
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from August 1 – 7 across the globe to encourage breastfeeding and promote healthy practices from the earliest stages of life. This campaign is led by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), a global network of organizations and individuals who work to promote and support breastfeeding practices worldwide. The 2018 slogan is “Breastfeeding: Foundation for Life”.
“In a world filled with inequality, crises and poverty, breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong good health for babies and mothers.”
Latest Research on Breastfeeding
ASN’s four nutrition science journals often publish new research on breastfeeding, and there were many sessions on the topic at ASN’s annual meeting, Nutrition 2018. ASN also ensures the representation and support of breastfeeding research within our membership and scientific programs through a dedicated research interest section, Maternal, Perinatal, and Pediatric Nutrition. Members who belong to this group focus on the biology of nutrition as it impacts human development, and the role of nutrition on both short-and long-term outcomes in the mother, fetus, infant, and child.
New Research on Breastfeeding from American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Breastfeeding newborns and infants: some new food for thought about an old practice
“Feeding newborns and infants is hardly a new topic, but these 2 articles provide some important new food for thought, and hopefully might stimulate appetite for studying how breastfeeding and human milk confer unique advantages on infant growth and development, as well as prevention of later life diseases such as obesity, which are programmed early in life.”
Infant feeding and growth: putting the horse before the cart
Current Knowledge on Micronutrients in Human Milk: Adequacy, Analysis, and Need for Research
This free supplement was published with the May 2018 issue of Advances in Nutrition. Articles included are:
Overview of Nutrients in Human Milk
Micronutrients in Human Milk: Analytical Methods
Iodine in Human Milk: A Systematic Review
Vitamin B-12 in Human Milk: A Systematic Review
Breastfeeding and the Microbiome
ASN Fellow Dr. David Heber recently published a video Microbiome #3: Getting it Started. This is what he says:
“The Microbiome is established in the gut during breast feeding. While some bacteria enter the body during delivery and from the mother’s skin, the majority are formed from a special group of complex carbohydrates called Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO’s). There are about 150 HMO’s and they feed a single bacterial species called Bacteroides Infantilis which has a series of pumps on its surface bringing these sugars called oligosaccharides inside the cell to be digested. This bacteria is called an “inside” eater and does not share the HMO’s with other bacteria so it becomes the dominant bacteria in the gut Microbiome setting up the baby’s immune system. The breast milk has protein, fat, and lactose (the same sugar in cow’s milk) but is unique in having the 150 HMO’s. This is another reason why it is so important for women to breast feed their babies. Breastfeeding also removes 500 Calories per day from the Mom’s body helping with reducing pregnancy weight gain. During breast feeding women need to get extra protein, Calcium, vitamin D and B vitamins to replace what is being put out in breast milk!!”
