Breastfeeding is BEst - Oregon Environmental Council

source: http://www.oeconline.org/our-work/healthier-lives/pollutioninpeople/report/breastfeeding

something written by the Oregon Environmental Council. nothing too incredible but at the same time, its nice that public works are recognizing this to be normal.

Breast Feeding Is Best

Breast Feeding Is Best. Despite concerns over the presence of environmental contaminants in breast milk, breastfeeding is still by far the best option for the baby’s health and mother-baby bonding, when possible. Infants who do not breastfeed or do so for only a short time have more acute illness such as ear, lung, and urinary infections. Exposure to foods other than human milk in the first few months of life can increase the risk of life-long autoimmune illnesses. Without breastfeeding, infants do not receive optimal nutrition, important hormones, protective immune factors, and promoters of brain development. Formula feeding does not eliminate children’s exposure to toxic chemicals and may increase exposure due to contaminants and leaching of chemicals from plastic baby bottles. According to the World Health Organization, “the accumulated data overwhelmingly support the positive health value of breastfeeding infants.” For more information, see Why Breast-Feeding is Still Best for Baby, by Physicians for Social Responsibility. [PDF]