Knowledge is powerful. The prevalence of obesity is continuing to rise. For this reason, the topic is of great relevance in the setting of pregnancy care. In this context, it is important not only to consider body weight before and during pregnancy, but also during birth and for breastfeeding. Our hope is that this information gives you power to choose how you’d like to care for yourself and fuel your infant.
WHO Breastfeeding Recommendations
The WHO, World Health Organization, recommends: start breastfeeding in the first few hours after birth. Breastfeed exclusively until baby reaches 6 months. From 6 months baby eats safe foods along with breast milk until age 2 or beyond.
Why Breastfeed?
There is an increasing number of studies that report on associations between cognitive and psychological benefits of breastfeeding and long-term protection against disease for both mother and child. Chronic diseases that are reduced by breastfeeding include obesity, gestational, type 1, and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, and some types of cancer.
Pregnancy + Obesity Put Mother and Child at Risk.
Obese women: are at risk for developing gestational diabetes during their pregnancies. Onset of lactogenesis phase II milk production (mother creates 48-72 hours after baby is born) varies however, delayed milk production is common among mothers with higher body mass index, older age, first-time mothers, and larger infant birth weight. When obesity impairs milk production, these women breastfeed less and their breastfeeding period is shortened.
Children Born of Obese Mothers: are at risk for hypoglycemia (high blood sugar) after birth. High blood sugar is also known as pre-diabetes.
Mother and Child Benefit from Breastfeeding
Benefits of Breastfeeding For mothers: include decreased risk of chronic diseases, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and postpartum depression and increased mood and maternal care. If mother breastfeed for more than three months, this leads to long-term changes in their metabolism and helps prevent type 2 diabetes. Breastfeeding also protects mothers from cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and hyperlipidemia. Plus, mothers who breastfeed have lower rates of obesity.
Benefits of breastfeeding for Children: Early colostrum feeding, the thick mother’s milk that is produced 30 minutes after the baby is born, is the best prevention to high blood sugar in newborn baby. Breastfeeding impacts children’s brain, cognitive and socio-emotional development, and studies reveal breastfed children have a higher IQ later in life. Infants who are breastfed experience fewer incidences of infectious and noninfectious diseases, have a decreased risk of atopic dermatitis (eczema) and gastroenteritis (infection in the stomach and intestines that causes diarrhea and sometimes vomiting), and less severe cases of respiratory infections, and ear infections. The obesity prevention rate for breastfeed children is incomparable. Infants who are breastfed have significantly lower rates of obesity.
Recommendations:
- Book a prenatal appointment with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) https://uslca.org/resources/find-an-ibclc/.
- Seek the assistance of a Health and Wellness Coach trained specifically in self care, pregnancy, children, and breastfeeding care. RestorativeSource.com
- Focus on real, simple, recognizable ingredient foods. Find and eat foods that have been consumed for thousands of years: fruits, vegetables, whole intake grains, and nuts, seeds, beans and other clean proteins. This will crowd out the processed lab calories and refined options and support you and your families health.
- Contact your Ob/Gyn for support and other recommendations.
Remember:
Finding the right team for you is possible. You are worth the care and your baby will thank you. Not all self care cost money! Gather friends, pick a social media group to join, make your own accountability team that will support you and your dreams of a happy healthy life and family. You got this!
References:
Binns C, Lee M, Low WY. The Long-Term Public Health Benefits of Breastfeeding. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2016 Jan;28(1):7-14. doi: 10.1177/1010539515624964. PMID: 26792873.
Department of Health and Human Service Office on Women’s Health. Benefits of breastfeeding. Nutr Clin Care. 2003 Oct-Dec;6(3):125-31. PMID: 14979457.
Krol KM, Grossmann T. Psychological effects of breastfeeding on children and mothers. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2018 Aug;61(8):977-985. doi: 10.1007/s00103-018-2769-0. PMID: 29934681; PMCID: PMC6096620.
Nommsen-Rivers LA, Dolan LM, Huang B. Timing of stage II lactogenesis is predicted by antenatal metabolic health in a cohort of primiparas. Breastfeed Med. 2012 Feb;7(1):43-9. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2011.0007. Epub 2011 Apr 27. PMID: 21524193; PMCID: PMC3546359.
RestorativeSource.com
https://uslca.org/resources/find-an-ibclc/.
von der Ohe G. Benefits of Breastfeeding. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018 Jun 29;115(26):453. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2018.0453a. PMID: 30017029; PMCID: PMC6071303.
Westerfield KL, Koenig K, Oh R. Breastfeeding: Common Questions and Answers. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Sep 15;98(6):368-373. PMID: 30215910.
Restorative Source 