[ad_1]
“I might have expected a difference to be apparent just before or during adolescence, but the fact that these differences were seen as early as age three indicates that breastfeeding is involved in metabolic programming. that spans the life cycle, ”Feldman-Winter wrote. , who is professor of pediatrics at the Cooper Medical School at Rowan University.
The study analyzed data on how long infants had breastfed and compared them to their blood pressure at age 3. Overall, breastfed children had lower blood pressure regardless of how long they were breastfeeding.
“We found, contrary to our expectations, that the duration of breastfeeding didn’t matter, whether it was two days, two weeks, two months or two years,” said Azad. “We have seen an improvement in blood pressure profiles after all breastfeeding. “
A “dose response” is often seen, which means “the longer the better” when it comes to protection against infections and asthma, Azad said.
The official recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics is to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and then continue with complementary foods such as infant cereals, fruits, and vegetables for a year or more.
The World Health Organization recommends the same for the first six months, with continued breastfeeding and complementary foods for up to two years or more.
Breastfeeding immediately after birth “crucial”
Previous studies attempting to examine the link between breastfeeding and children’s blood pressure have been inconsistent, possibly due to different definitions of breastfeeding, the study noted.
The researchers in the present study classified children according to the length of breastfeeding during the first days of life. One of these categories was “limited early breastfeeding”, defined as breastfeeding that took place only in hospital.
Unlike previous research on the subject, Azad said the study was unique because they had this very detailed information about breastfeeding during the hospital stay after birth. This information allowed them to conclude that even breastfeeding only for the limited one to three days in hospital is linked to a drop in blood pressure at the age of 3.
“The first few days are really crucial,” said Azad.
The reduction in blood pressure seen in breastfed children is significant when compared to blood pressure levels in adults that are associated with a lower risk of diseases such as hypertension and stroke, said the lead author of the study, Dr Kozeta Miliku, postdoctoral fellow at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and head of clinical sciences at the CHILD cohort study.
“The results we’re seeing on breastfeeding and blood pressure may be clinically relevant,” Miliku said. “As a future mom, this research means a lot to me because it is important to understand that every drop counts.”
While any amount will help, sustained breastfeeding should always be supported, Miliku added.
Azad recognized different reasons why women don’t breastfeed: they may not be educated about its impacts, they may feel ashamed of societal attitudes towards breastfeeding in public, and some may have clinical reasons for not breastfeeding. , among other factors. These all need to be recognized and addressed by policy makers and healthcare providers, she said.
In light of its findings, the study’s authors underscored the need for immediate postpartum breastfeeding support and increased breastfeeding education for new and expecting mothers.
Likewise, Feldman-Winter said the study argues for policies that “work to improve maternity care practices that support initiation into breastfeeding.”
Azad and Miliku hope to continue to follow this cohort and monitor whether these differences in blood pressure levels at age 3 impact the health of participants in adulthood. They are also looking to learn more about colostrum and breast milk to understand why they are linked to reduced negative health effects.
Breastfeeding Resources
- Make sure your baby’s mouth is wide open, with his chin and nose resting against the breast.
- The baby should take as many areola as possible in his mouth and suck rhythmically in short bursts.
- If you can hear your baby swallow regularly and your nipple is comfortable, you are breastfeeding well.
Signs of incorrect breastfeeding include your baby’s head not aligned with his body, your baby is sucking only the nipple but not the areola, and your baby’s cheeks are puckered inward.
[ad_2]
Source link