Is it really true that babies who are breast fed are healthier?

Question

I was breast fed for 2 months and I'm healthier than my brother who was breast fed for 8 months (or more).

How about you?

well it can't be 100%...cuz I'm not one of them o_O

He does exercise and all of the stuff I do. He even eats healthier than I do. He gets a lot of colds, he has had asthma and an operation of the gallbladder, the flu and stuff like that and when he has a cold or a sore throat he is prescribed antibiotics.

I guess it really depends on the baby.

Oh he's 15 by the way. So he doesn't do sports that risk his life or anything. Just P.E. at school. He doesn't drink or smoke. Maybe it's genetics?

Answer 1

Yes, it's true. But you can't compare *any* two children.

It's true that men are taller than women. But I know a *lot* of short men and tall women. That doesn't mean it's not true; it just means that the explanation doesn't work for *every* combination of 2 people.

A baby who is exclusively breastfed is less likely to die during the first year of life. They are less likely to suffer from a number of different types of cancer (including Hodgkin's Disease, breast cancer, and leukemia) *throughout* their lives. They are less likely to develop diabetes. That doesn't mean that *no* baby who is breastfed will ever die of cancer or become diabetic. In fact, many do. But it *does* mean that *some* (and it's not even possible to determine *which*) non-breastfed people who die of cancer or diabetes may never have had it if their mothers had chosen to nurse them.

Answer 2

I don't know if how true or accurate all the studies are but to me it's common sense, you simply cannot synthetically reproduce mother's milk. Formula is man made. I always wonder if anyone really, I mean REALLY knows what is in formula? My boys were nursed for 1 year each (they self weaned). One had some environmental allergies, the other didn't. Neither are overweight at all no matter how much they eat. They are both extremely active. My oldest son is an extremely picker eater, my youngest son will try and usually eat anything and everything. My oldest son scores very high on cognitive testing, my youngest son is too small to even want to test him but is 2 1/2 and counts to 30 own his own, knows the entire alphabet, can spell his first name by himself and says grace at the dinner table (it's a fairly long prayer roughly 8-10 lines), there are some other things, but you see where I'm going. On the flip side, of my three cousins (same parents) only the youngest was breastfed for about 3 months. The oldest and middle children are high honor students while the youngest is...well....not so smart. I don't think nursing alone will make superkids, but there are benefits.

Answer 3

It all depends on so much. Whether 2 months or 8 months, the more breast milk they get from a healthy mom is better. Even if you can't breast feed it because of it not latching on well, you can pump. The more healthier you are the better the milk will be and if you pump and save some when you become (uncomfortable from time to time then you will have some for back-up) sore from filling up and needing to feed when the baby isn't quite ready.

Answer 4

Oh my....Breastfeeding is SO MUCH healthier for babies. Even the formula companies state in their advertisements that breastmilk is BEST. No questions. There is not a research study that will tell you that formula is up to par or even close to reaching the same standard as a mother's milk.
Breastfeeding is HARD. It is a commitment and it is a sacrifice. It is the right thing to do... Some mothers and fathers choose not to do this for various reasons, which is their right and I even understand how and why they give up. But, that does not mean they are doing what is medically, congnitively and emotionally best for their child. We are so afraid in our society to paint a picture that is black and white... we want gray. Unfortunately, formula feeding is never going to be as good as breastfeeding.
In the United States, however, we are lucky and children don't die from being given formula. Babies on formula grow up fine usually. What is not known is how many diseases such as cancer, etc. that adults get because they were never given breastmilk as a child.
Remember a little breastmilk is always better than no breastmilk at all. Breastfeed for as long as possible in the first year and congratulate yourself for however long that is.

Answer 5

The studies show that breast feed babies are healthier. You have to think about the environmental situations that might have been different from you and your brother. Boys have a tendency to be a little free at heart and do things that compromise their health. The first couple of weeks are the most vital weeks of breast feeding, I believe. Different people have different immune systems although they can be born in the same house and family.
Hope you and your brother stay healthy
: )

Answer 6

At one time that was very true. Formulas are now a good source of nutrition for babies. However, I was told the first six or so weeks the baby gets anti-bodies from mom. I breast fed my daughter and not my son..... but they both are about equal in health as teens.

Answer 7

I look at breastmilk and formula like this...formula is a man made subsitute like a vitamin pill, breastmilk is like those green leafy veggies. Studies have shown that getting nutrients from a green leafy vegetable is much better for you than the nutrients in a vitamin pill. The human body absorbs and processes the green leafy vegetable better than the vitamin pill. I believe this is why the American Association of Pedriatrics reccomends breastfeeding for at least 6 months. Babies start eating solids at 6 months.
As for your brother. His health condition may have nothing to do with him being breastfed it could be genetics, it could be environment. You have to look at other factors too.

Answer 8

Absolutely!

Breast feeding is the very best a woman can give to her baby. It builds up and reinforces the immune system of the baby during the 1st 6 -9 months.

Answer 9

I formula fed my three children.. and I had always heard that breast fed babies are healthier but on my last one my sister n law and I had a baby three weeks apart from one another and she breastfed and I didn't ... Her son was sick all the time and still is.. he is always sick my son was premature and was on a ventilator for two weeks and is way healthy now... so I don't think that is true at all..

Answer 10

I was never breastfed, and I have all sorts of food allergies and immune difficulties, as well as constant resperatory issues.

My son was breastfed for two years, and he's healthier than anyone else I know.

The facts are, though, that breastfeeding 1)gives the child immune factors from the mother and 2) allows the baby's digestive system to mature enough to thoroughly digest anything it eats. Children who are given soy formula have depressed neural development, and children who are given solid foods too early develop food allergies.

Answer 11

My step son who's 9 now when he was a baby he had constant ear infections and fevers his mom bottle fed him. I nursed my 3year old for 15 months and he has had only 1 ear infection and no fevers the only thing hes ever gotten was croup. I have a 4 1/2 mo. old who is also nursed and hes never been sick. I think its 100% true and a added bonus of nursing their poop doesn't smell so bad.