Benefits to Breastfeeding?

We hear all the time about the benefits of breastfeeding. A benefit by definition is something that is advantageous or has an advantage over something else. This language leads to the thinking that breastfeeding is better than "something" else. Now, in North America and most of the world, that something else is infant formula or artificial infant feeding. Again this language suggests to us that formula is good and acceptable but breastfeeding has advantages and benefits.

Is this how we should be thinking about breastfeeding? I would like to challenge that we should be changing this language, as language affects perceptions strongly. Is breastfeeding not what humans, like all mammals, are biologically programmed to do? Breastfeeding is the normal. If this is the case, how is it that something else has replaced the normal, expected biological act of infant feeding to the point that artificial feeding is the norm and it is an advantage, a bonus of sorts, to breastfeed?

I suggest it is partly to do with language. Be aware there is a multitude of factors that has lead to this normalization of formula feeding but right now I will focus on the language aspect. If I want to focus on language and I want to switch the normals around, so that breastfeeding is the normal, I now need to substitute the opposite from advantage or benefit to describe what the impact of not breastfeeding would be. What would be a word to describe an act that is the opposite? Harm, risk, disadvantage, damage, injury; these all could be used.

If we Google the benefits of breastfeeding we find lists that include concepts like:

•Higher IQ in breastfed children
•Higher visual acuity
•Breastfed babies get fewer ear infections
•Breastfed children are less likely to require tonsillectomies
•Breastfed babies have fewer and less severe upper respiratory infections, less wheezing, less pneumonia and less influenza
•Breastfed children may have lower cholesterol as adults
•Heart rates are lower in breastfed infants
•Less diarrhea, fewer gastrointestinal infections in babies who are breastfeeding
•Six months or more of exclusive breastfeeding reduces risk of food allergies
•Less risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in adulthood
•Breastfeeding decreases the risk of childhood cancer
•Reduced risk of getting diabetes
•With less salt and less protein, human milk is easier on a baby's kidneys
•Fewer urinary tract infections in breastfed infants
•Less allergic eczema in breastfed infants
•Breastfed babies are leaner at one year of age and less likely to be obese later in life
•Less constipation; stools of breastfed babies have a less-offensive odour

Sounds good doesn't? Why would I think this is a not a great thing? Well, simply because when we change the language it looks a little ridiculous and raises questions for me.

•Higher IQ in breastfed children. Are humans intended to normally have a lower IQ?
•Higher visual acuity. Are the majority of humans born to need glasses?
•Breastfed babies get fewer ear infections. Are children expected to have ear infections?
•Breastfed children are less likely to require tonsillectomies. Were we given tonsils simply so a surgeon could remove them?
•Breastfed babies have fewer and less severe upper respiratory infections, less wheezing, less pneumonia and less influenza. Should children struggle with infections, breathing difficulties and influenza?
•Breastfed children may have lower cholesterol as adults. Are adults expected to have high cholesterol?
•Heart rates are lower in breastfed infants. Are infants expected to have high heart rates?
•Less diarrhea due to fewer gastrointestinal infections in babies who are breastfeeding. Are we expecting children to have gastro issues?
•Six months or more of exclusive breastfeeding reduces risk of food allergies. Do we expect humans to be allergic to common foods?
•Less risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in adulthood. Do we expect most adults to develop bowel illnesses over time?
•Breastfeeding decreases the risk of childhood cancer. Is it normal for children to suffer cancer?
•Reduced risk of getting diabetes. Is diabetes another expected illness?
•With less salt and less protein, human milk is easier on a baby's kidneys. Is human milk easier?
•Fewer urinary tract infections in breastfed infants. Do we expect to see children with UTI's?
•Less allergic eczema in breastfed infants. Is eczema a normal infant allergy?
•Breastfed babies are leaner at one year of age and less likely to be obese later in life. Is the normal to be less lean and possibly obese?
•Less constipation; stools of breastfed babies have a less-offensive odour. Are babies expected to be constipated and have offensive odours?

With the new language these concepts could read

•Lower IQ in artificially feed babies
•Poorer visual acuity in artificially feed babies
•Artificially feed babies suffer more ear infections
•Artificially feed babies are more likely to require tonsillectomies
•Artificially feed babies have more occurrences and more severe upper respiratory infections, more wheezing, more pneumonia and more influenza
•Artificially feed babies may have higher cholesterol as adults
•Heart rates are higher in artificially feed babies
•More diarrhea and more gastrointestinal infections in babies who are artificially feed
•Six months or more of non-exclusive breastfeeding increases risk of food allergies
•More risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in adulthood
•Artificial feeding increases the risk of childhood cancer
•Increased risk of getting diabetes
•With more salt and more protein, formula is harder on a baby's kidneys
•More urinary tract infections in artificially feed babies
•More allergic eczema in artificially feed babies
•Artificially feed babies are heavier at one year of age and more likely to be obese later in life
•More constipation; stools of artificially feed babies have a more-offensive odour

These lists are not exhaustive by any means and there could be pages more to add to the both lists depending on the language and concepts we were choosing to use, such as the impacts breastfeeding or not has on the mother herself. I was simply highlighting some examples to show how the use of language is powerful and influences our perceptions of what is normal, what is acceptable, what is beneficial and what is risky.

I encourage you to keep this idea in mind when you are speaking to future parents, parents to be, parents, grandparents, health care providers, anyone you are discussing infant feeding practice with.