Eat Smart El Paso | Connecting nutrition and health

Thank a Breastfeeding Mom: Why Every Ounce Counts

Bridget Swinney MS, RD, LD

 

World Breastfeeding Month-August- is coming to a close; time to celebrate the many benefits of breastfeeding and its importance to worldwide health. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be breastfed until 1 year of age and that babies are breastfed exclusively (meaning no other foods or drinks) for the first 6 months. While the majority of women start breastfeeding at the hospital, many quit due to lack of support from family or not feeling confident about her ability to breastfeed. Why?

 

Breastfeeding provides many health benefits for both moms and babies:

 

• Breastfeeding is good for mom: is linked to a lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes, breast and ovarian cancer and postpartum depression. Mothers who breastfeed also miss less work because their infants are sick less often. Breastfeeding also helps moms get back into shape.
• Breastfeeding is good for babies: linked to lower risks of ear and respiratory infections, asthma, necrotizing enterocolitis (a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract of preterm infants.)
• Breastmilk is specifically made for your baby; as he grows, breastmilk changes to meet his nutritional needs.
• Breastfeeding has been linked to improvements in cognitive development.
• Breastfeeding saves money: an estimated $1,500 a year!

Supporting Breastfeeding Moms: It’s Everyone’s Job 

 

You don’t have to be a mom to be a breastfeeding advocate! Lack of support from family and employers is one large barrier to breastfeeding, so join in the cause. Help a breastfeeding mom today or tomorrow by:

 

• Giving moral support to a breastfeeding mom. Having a new baby is tough. And because the “grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” breastfeeding moms may think that breastfeeding is harder, more time consuming and not much different from formula feeding. Here’s how to help a daughter, friend, or sister:
  • Give an encouraging word; it can go a long way in supporting a mom that is teetering on the edge.
  • Offer to take an older sibling to the park or outside to play to give mom a break.
  • Offer to pick needed items up at the store.
  • Offer to help around the house.
  • Be a good listener; new moms sometimes need to “vent.”
• Giving support at work: Another large barrier to breastfeeding is returning to work. Employers need to know that breastfeeding helps the bottom line: supporting breastfeeding helps in employee retention, in reducing sick leave and health insurance costs. Moms who want to continue nursing after being back at work need to take several breaks during the day to pump—and that means they need the support of co-workers. Ways to help nursing moms at work.
• Sometimes lack of support is silent—unfriendly glances, the silent treatment and other signs of resentment. Instead tell a breastfeeding mom that you think her choice is great!
• If you have a private office that can be used for pumping, try to make it available for a nursing mom when she needs to pump.
• Develop policies that support breastfeeding at your workplace.
• For resources on returning to work while breastfeeding: http://www.llli.org/nb/nbworking.html
• The Business Case for Breastfeeding: educating employers on the value of breastfeeding. http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/government-in-action/business-case-for-breastfeeding/index.cfm

 

Another barrier to breastfeeding: the impression there is not enough milk. Unfortunately, many health professionals feed into this myth. Recently, clients have told me that their health care providers told them to supplement with formula “in case they don’t have enough milk.” This advice insures a mom won’t have enough milk! Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand basis. When babies nurse more often, moms make more milk. The opposite is also true, so by supplementing with formula (unless you pump at the same time) the milk supply will decrease.

 

How much do babies typically eat?

A newborn’s tummy is very small, especially in the early days. How small? The pictures below show the typical size of a baby’s stomach. At birth, the stomach can only hold about 1-2 teaspoons. (That’s why colostrum, the first milk, is made in very small amounts. In the first week, a baby’s stomach grows to hold about 2 ounces, or what can fit in a walnut! Smaller and premature infants have even smaller stomachs!

The Newborn Tummy Holds as much as a hazelnut.

The One Week Old Tummy:  Holds as Much as a Walnut

Once breastfeeding is established, exclusively breastfed babies from 1 to 6 months of age take in between 19 and 30 ounces per day. If you breastfeed 8 times per day, the baby would eat around 3 ounces per feeding. Older babies will take less breastmilk as other food is introduced.

Where Does Formula Fit In?

Is it always possible for working moms to continue breastfeeding exclusively? No, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop nursing. It’s possible to do a combination of breastfeeding and formula feeding by breastfeeding in the morning and in the evening (or when you are around your baby) and giving formula while he is away from you. That way, your baby still gets some of the benefits of breastfeeding and you can know that you are still providing for your baby. If this is your plan, it is best to do that later, once breastfeeding is well established and closer to your return to work date.

On a personal note, I breastfed both of my sons and I think they are healthier (and smarter!) as a result. I suggest all new moms give it a try; you’ll never know what the benefits will be unless you do.

My favorite breastfeeding resources

US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health (also contains information en espanol)

http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/why-breastfeeding-is-important/

 

Breastfeeding: Your Legal Rights http://www.llli.org/law/lawmain.html

 

La Leche League: An international organization that supports breastfeeding

http://www.lalecheleague.org/resources.html

 

Kellymom.com: evidence based information by a certified Lactation Consultant

http://kellymom.com/

 

 

 

Keeping Kids Well this School Year

 
Bridget Swinney MS, RD, LD

My colleague Griselda was recently complaining about the long list of school supplies required this year for her children. We were especially perplexed by the request for 5 boxes of Kleenex for each child, which adds up to 125 boxes for the whole classroom! It got me thinking. If we put as much emphasis on keeping kids healthy as we do on school supplies and homework, all that Kleenex wouldn’t be necessary!

 

So in the spirit of getting kids off to a great start in school, here are my

 

Eight Tips for Keeping Kids Healthy

 

1. Pick lots of produce. Fruits and vegetables are the source of Vitamin C and antioxidants that ward off disease. They also contain fiber and water, which helps digestion. Half your kid’s plate (as well as yours) should be filled with fruits and veggies—that adds up to about 6 servings a day. Vitamin C rich foods include mango, melon, citrus fruit, pineapple, kiwi, cabbage, broccoli, tomato and peppers.
2. Iron Up for Good Health. Iron deficiency anemia can have profound affects on the brain and can affect concentration, learning, and even appetite. So make sure iron rich foods are front and center on your child’s plate—especially during a growth spurt when kids need more iron. Lean beef, lentils and other dried beans, the dark meat of poultry and fortified cereals are the best sources. Keep in mind that to improve iron absorption from plant based foods include a source of vitamin C rich food too.
3. Offer a multivitamin. We all know that try as we may, kids may not always eat like we’d like them to. That’s where a multi-vitamin mineral supplement comes in. Kids sometimes don’t get enough iron—which can affect concentration, appetite and wellness. A multivitamin is a good way to get iron and zinc, another mineral needed for the immune system.
4. A Yogurt a Day keeps the doctor away. Did you know? Most of the immune system is in the gut! That means to keep the rest of the body healthy, you need to keep the GI tract happy. You’ve probably heard about the “good bacteria” that can be found in yogurt, kefir, probiotic drinks and supplements. So make sure your child has one of the probiotic rich foods mentioned above—especially while if he is taking antibiotics.
5. Get enough sleep. Kids from 5-12 need about 11 hours of sleep. Yep, that means if your kid has to get up at 7 for school, he should be in bed by 8.  Sleep provides a tiny vacation for the body and brain. Too little sleep affects the immune system—and it can also affect growth! Kids need sleep to be alert so they can learn at school.
6. Wash your hands. Germs in the classroom are spread by hands and by mouth. Teach your child at the earliest age to cover coughs and sneezes with the inside of the elbow.  Emphasize the importance of washing hands or using a hand sanitizer before eating, after blowing the nose and using the restroom. Also help your kids be aware of other kids who are spreading germs in the classroom and how to avoid them. Kids are notorious for not washing hands thoroughly enough, so teach your kid to sing a slow verse of “Happy Birthday to You” while washing hands.
7. Stay Hydrated. The body is made of about 2/3 water; dehydration can affect all parts of the body, including the brain. While most of the country is still in a drought, you can avoid a personal drought for your child by making sure he drinks plenty. What’s best for kids to drink? Milk, water, and a small amount of juice. Kids need 2-3 servings of dairy a day. Four to eight ounces of juice should be the limit for kids, depending on age—choose one rich in antioxidants like purple grape juice, orange juice, pomegranate or one of the fruit-vegetable juice mixes. The rest of your child’s fluids should come from water. Encourage him to drink a cup of water before he leaves for school. Send a water bottle to school with your child and have him fill it up at the water fountain when it’s empty.
8. Keep stress to a minimum. Stress affects health and everyone feels stress in different ways. Teach your kids to be organized to avoid the stress of forgetting homework, being late for school etc. Parents need to be organized too so that kids are on time for school, sports practice, etc. Try to keep dinner time a stress-free zone by avoiding arguments and nagging. Murder and violence has no place in a child’s life so avoid letting children see the news, violent or adult themed video games or shows. Have a calming bedtime routine so that your child slips easily off to sleep and has sweet dreams.

 

 

Very Early Exposure to Foods May Explain Why Some Toddlers Prefer Chilé

 

Bridget Swinney MS, RD, LD

If you want your kid to eat his veggies (and other favorite foods), you may want to eat your own—starting while you’re pregnant.

 

Researchers have known for quite a while that amniotic fluid carries the flavors of foods that mom eats. We know from previous research that it carries garlic, vanilla, carrots, anise and mint. Research by Dr. Julie Mennella, from the Monell Chemical Senses Center, published in Pediatrics, confirms that  exposure to carrots during pregnancy or breastfeeding actually translates into babies liking the taste of carrots when introduced to carrot juice mixed with cereal.

 

That may explain why some toddlers prefer broccoli over cantaloupe, and love their chilé—because they got to taste it before they were born—or while nursing. Personally I think this might explain why my youngest son likes grapefruit so much. I’m not normally a huge fan of grapefruit, but while pregnant with him, I craved them and ate them pretty often. Now it's one of his favorite fruits.

 

Research into a baby’s taste preferences could have long reaching implications for childhood obesity because a lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet translates into higher calorie intake from other foods. And many chronic diseases—diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure—have roots in the inflammatory process. Fruits and vegetables with their rich antioxidant content fight inflammation. So by eating a diet rich in vegetable and fruits,  pregnant and breastfeeding women could give the best gift of all—a shot at lifelong good  health from eating a healthy diet. (Of course, setting a good example goes a long way too!)