Diplomate, Board Certification of Emergency Medicine
Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine Ma'ayenei Hayeshua
Hospital
We now conclude our series on pediatrics with another topic
that I feel very strongly about.
It is a familiar scenario -- a woman is just after birth and
not feeling too well. She has many children at home and the
prospect of a crying child demanding to be fed at odd hours
is not the most attractive at this time. The pain of nursing
and the inconvenience are depressing. At the same moment, a
package arrives with many goodies as well as a sample of
Materna or one of the other formulas. Many mothers at this
point abandon the idea of nursing.
Let us start with the benefits of nursing. Nursed children,
according to a recent article in the Journal of the
American Medical Association, show better emotional and
mental development and IQ. This is thought to be because
recently we have discovered more and more components of
mother's milk that are not found in formula. Nursed children
have better resistance to ear, respiratory tract, urinary
tract and gastrointestinal tract infections, due to
antibodies that are not present in formula.
Nursed babies probably save their parents $1000 a month when
considering the costs of antibiotics and hospitalizations.
Nursed babies have a lower incidence of childhood cancers,
diabetes, Crohn's disease, and allergic disorders such as
eczema and asthma.
Mothers who nurse return more rapidly to their nonpregnant
state. They lose more weight and have a lesser incidence of
ovarian and mammary gland cancer, as well as less incidence
of osteoporosis.
Nursing done properly should not be painful. However, few
mothers know intuitively how to nurse, so counselors are
recommended. Need a rest? Pumping and occasional formula feed
by Abba can give you a good night's sleep and preserve all
the above benefits. To learn how to feed properly, a
counselor may be found by contacting your local chapter of
the LaLeche League.
Occasionally, there is an infection. Local cracking and pain
should not be treated with pads that have a plastic lining.
The area should be kept as dry as possible. Mastitis and more
intense infection with fever and pain should be treated with
antibiotics and nursing should not stop!
Another important point is that children should be fed when
they show signs of hunger such as putting their hand to their
mouth or making sucking motions. Waiting for crying is a late
sign.
Nursing is the right thing. Don't let anyone tell you
otherwise.
One of my British readers comments that eating liver in
pregnancy may be problematic due to an excess of vitamin A
which has been linked to liver failure. My article on anemia
was not geared for pregnant ladies. They rarely get enough
iron through diet alone, so they routinely are given iron
supplements. Also, too much liver in a nonpregnant individual
is also not good, for the same reasons. Liver can be eaten in
pregnancy and by all people, but in moderation, but probably
more so in pregnancy. I thank you for writing.
Another issue noted in this letter is that the writer
addressed me as Mr. Leibman. Unlike other columns in some
very prestigious newspapers, the articles under my name are
all written by me, a physician, and are based on what I
believe is the most accurate information available at that
time. Many other newspapers have a health editor who is a non-
physician. Another reason to keep reading the
Yated!
A message from Glaxo, sponsor of this column. Chicken
pox in adults can be very dangerous, and as we know in kids
it is no fun either. Valtrex can help. Unlike other viruses,
in chicken pox and in shingles, we have an antiviral that
works.
