Archive for March, 2011
Exclusive prolonged breast-feeding linked to improved cognitive development
The Archives of General Psychiatry just published results from the largest randomized trial ever conducted in the area of human lactation. The aim of the study compared IQ scores and academic ratings in reading, writing, mathematics and other subjects in children who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months and to 12 months of age. Their results showed that those children who met the breastfeeding criteria had higher IQ’s than those children who did not.
The study encompassed over 17,000 children followed over a 9 year time span. Compared to control groups the breastfeeding group had higher means on all measurements of IQ and teacher ratings. The verbal IQ was 7.5 points higher, the performance IQ was 2.9 points higher and the full scale IQ was 6 points higher. The authors state that “these results provide strong evidence that prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding improves children’s cognition development.”
In our office I encounter the question all the time of when to introduce solid foods. Every time I answer 6 months, someone tells me their “other” doctor told them that they could start at 4 months. In my previous newsletters I’ve sent out studies showing that if we introduce solid foods before the age of 6 months the incidence of food allergies rise. It is at six months, and not before, that the nutritional demands of a newborn child change so that solid foods needs to be introduced. It is also the time that the intestines have properly formed the barrier lining and all the required digestive enzymes are present. This study just adds to my pile that again backs up the notion that when possible please exclusively breast feed your child until 6 months of age. This study did look at exclusive breastfeeding for shorter periods but found no positive correlation. Again, exclusively breastfeed when possible (there are always exceptions, so just try your best) until 6 months of age, and do not wean your child from breast milk until 12 months of age.
Breast Augmentation And Its Associated Plus points
Breast size is a really important concern for a woman’s beauty. In case of a woman’s breast size not being symmetrical to her body, there are feelings of depression, self consciousness, low self confidence which set in her personality. This causes a huge dip in a woman’s confidence in social, business and intimate adjustments. In fact even the fit of clothes is really improper creating a negative attitude. These causes lead one to go through breast augmentation .On the other hand at times because of a genetic deformity too, a woman indulges into breast augmentation.
There are various positive aspects which a woman enjoys caused by breast augmentation. A few of them include:
. Breast augmentation allows in the entire look of a woman. At times after pregnancy or breast feeding, one looses the shape of their breasts. Thus enlargement of the breasts leads to adding a positive to one’s aesthetics and proportions of the body. It increases the charm of one’s body profile in order for restoration of balance. Moreover it gives a more feminine look to one’s body. Breasts lose volume because of certain activities in life. Breast augmentation helps get them in shape once again. Due to varying sizes of breast implant shapes, a surgeon can provide one with a perfect fit.
Fenugreek, Breast feeding, and Increasing Breast Milk Supply
Mothers have been breastfeeding their young since the beginning of time. Generally speaking, breastfeeding goes well. Sometimes though, breastfeeding mom run into issues. One of the most common problems is low breast milk supply.
With all the pressures that moms have on them in this day and age, it’s not surprising that they don’t have all day to devote to strictly breastfeeding. At the same time, this can hurt their milk supply. To make breast milk, you have to breastfeed or pump often.
Present day moms have all types of resources available to them including modern day medicines and breast pumps. In the past though, breastfeeding moms didn’t have these things. Yet they managed to breastfeed successfully. I’m sure that they had many of the same issues we did. Somehow though they were able to make enough breastmilk without using modern day medicine.
Fenugreek seeds is one of the most well-known products to use when experiencing low breast milk supply. And our ancestors knew just how well herbs such as these worked. Fenugreek seeds have been used traditionally to increase breast milk supply, and they are still recomended and used to this day because of how well it works. Even wet nurses in the past were known to use these herbs to increase milk supply due to having to breastfeed more than one baby.