I am curious about what we may eventually find out about how much of an impact the skin to skin intimacy of breast-feeding affects all health parameters.
In 50 (?) years we may start having a handle on the microbiome and how to help it and what hurts it. What we know now is the tiniest drop in the bucket. I wrote this piece during the pandemic, with Margery Smelkinson, and I stand by it. :) https://slate.com/technology/2022/05/pandemic-microbiome-immunity-health.html
The pandemic IMO did enormous damage to our microbiomes, at least for people who really did not socialize/mingle with other humans.
"There are also few-to-no downsides to breastfeeding if mother and family can make it work."
This doesn't seem accurate. There is a significant cost to the mother's time and ability to control her own schedule (not to mention serious pain for some women). Commentators should acknowledge that breastfeeding does not come free and has real downsides, in order for their pro-breastfeeding message to be credible.
The ideal should be informed choice with all information available to women who want to know more.
Information related to women’s health seems to be promoted or hidden based on political objectives. It’s hard to find a balanced understanding of anything.
This is when “follow the science” becomes an unpopular position. On some things it’s our duty to question the science and push back against experts.
There’s no pushback on the laundry list of substances and activities determined to be dangerous during pregnancy. Are we being over cautious? Why ask that question? Experts have said these things are dangerous.
But simply sharing facts about breastfeeding is something that needs to be stopped.
Maybe we just tell the truth and let adults make up their minds.
We don’t have any good data comparing those fed homemade formula of condensed milk, water, and Karo syrup in the 50s and early 60s vs breast milk vs the various gradually improving iterations of formula? Amazing. This article is fascinating and I enjoyed it, but I’m less convinced of its importance. So very much goes into raising healthy children who become healthy adults. Breast is best? Yes. But there are many other really good options and the marginal benefit of breast feeding vs formula always need to be weighed against any anxieties or stresses it places on the mother and rightfully compared to the marginal benefits of a thousand other decisions that a parent makes that affect a child’s development. What’s the overall benefit of marginally improved levels of circulating Igs and resistance to helminthic infections vs the rest of childhood diet, exposure to TikTok, the reliable presence of a stable home life, the exposure to books, the frequency of outdoor exercise, drugs in the home, guns in the home, safety of transportation, safety of neighborhood , etc, etc? If breastfeeding works for the mother that’s wonderful. If it doesn’t please don’t worry as there are many good options that can be given w love, and there’s lots of time to make up for what little ground was lost, if any. There’s so much more to health than what’s being studied here.
Agree completely. What is the point in examining these microscopic differences between breast feeding and bottle feeding. It is obvious on a macro level that both work. My concern is that these tiny differences will be used to shame mothers into trying to do something they either can't or don't want to do. Everyone should mind their own business on this topic.
Investigating the effects of breastmilk on the development of the infant/child's immune system and the intestinal microbiome is a fascinating and important field.
One of the research questions that is so important is to what degree any beneficial immunoregulation and microbiome development conferred by breastfeeding can withstand subsequent hits to the microbiome, such as repeated antibiotics, overuse of chronic acid suppressant medications in infants and children, and high intake of high sugar, ultraprocessed foods with multiple additives which can adversely modify the microbiome later in life.
Very interesting I agree. There are some good rodent studies looking at whether ab use during gestation decreases immune transfer to the infant. I didn’t have space to include this material. :(
Very interesting, thank you. However, as we have seen this very week from the NHS’s “transgender chest feeding is just as good as breastfeeding” study, I doubt we will ever get honest, rigorous research on nursing, it is simply too charged of an issue.
To give one more example, breastfeeding studies serve to highlight the medical mystery of IQ. In almost every other area of research, you’d be forgiven for thinking IQ didn’t even exist. Most researchers will lose their careers if they start investigating the IQ of children as it applies to school outcomes, college and job performance, etc, to the point even that all companies had to get rid of IQ testing for job applicants altogether, it was simply too much of a minefield. In fact, looking at 99% of pediatrics research, you’d think there was no such thing as IQ. But just when you are about to tell yourself that IQ must not exist, you stumble upon the “breast is best” research literature - and can’t throw a rock without hitting a paper on how nursing raises IQ scores! My current hypothesis is that IQ exists, but only in infants studied by breastfeeding researchers…
This topic and Dr Bienen’s training as a veterinarian make me think of my hobby for the past 35 years, breeding and showing dogs.
We are instructed by our veterinarians that we are not to start immunizing our puppies until the mother’s protective immunity has waned after the weaning process. The first DHPP vaccine is typically given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks so that we can be sure to “hit” a good window of opportunity to create maximum protective effect for the growing dog, and to allow time for the immune system to mature adequately so the vaccine can be effective.
This is certainly different than the recommendations for human babies, breastfed or not. I look forward to following this research as it continues.
I am curious about what we may eventually find out about how much of an impact the skin to skin intimacy of breast-feeding affects all health parameters.
In 50 (?) years we may start having a handle on the microbiome and how to help it and what hurts it. What we know now is the tiniest drop in the bucket. I wrote this piece during the pandemic, with Margery Smelkinson, and I stand by it. :) https://slate.com/technology/2022/05/pandemic-microbiome-immunity-health.html
The pandemic IMO did enormous damage to our microbiomes, at least for people who really did not socialize/mingle with other humans.
"There are also few-to-no downsides to breastfeeding if mother and family can make it work."
This doesn't seem accurate. There is a significant cost to the mother's time and ability to control her own schedule (not to mention serious pain for some women). Commentators should acknowledge that breastfeeding does not come free and has real downsides, in order for their pro-breastfeeding message to be credible.
Yes, this. Try breastfeeding as a waitress with a two week maternity leave and no access to clean pumping station.
The ideal should be informed choice with all information available to women who want to know more.
Information related to women’s health seems to be promoted or hidden based on political objectives. It’s hard to find a balanced understanding of anything.
This is when “follow the science” becomes an unpopular position. On some things it’s our duty to question the science and push back against experts.
There’s no pushback on the laundry list of substances and activities determined to be dangerous during pregnancy. Are we being over cautious? Why ask that question? Experts have said these things are dangerous.
But simply sharing facts about breastfeeding is something that needs to be stopped.
Maybe we just tell the truth and let adults make up their minds.
We don’t have any good data comparing those fed homemade formula of condensed milk, water, and Karo syrup in the 50s and early 60s vs breast milk vs the various gradually improving iterations of formula? Amazing. This article is fascinating and I enjoyed it, but I’m less convinced of its importance. So very much goes into raising healthy children who become healthy adults. Breast is best? Yes. But there are many other really good options and the marginal benefit of breast feeding vs formula always need to be weighed against any anxieties or stresses it places on the mother and rightfully compared to the marginal benefits of a thousand other decisions that a parent makes that affect a child’s development. What’s the overall benefit of marginally improved levels of circulating Igs and resistance to helminthic infections vs the rest of childhood diet, exposure to TikTok, the reliable presence of a stable home life, the exposure to books, the frequency of outdoor exercise, drugs in the home, guns in the home, safety of transportation, safety of neighborhood , etc, etc? If breastfeeding works for the mother that’s wonderful. If it doesn’t please don’t worry as there are many good options that can be given w love, and there’s lots of time to make up for what little ground was lost, if any. There’s so much more to health than what’s being studied here.
Agree completely. What is the point in examining these microscopic differences between breast feeding and bottle feeding. It is obvious on a macro level that both work. My concern is that these tiny differences will be used to shame mothers into trying to do something they either can't or don't want to do. Everyone should mind their own business on this topic.
Investigating the effects of breastmilk on the development of the infant/child's immune system and the intestinal microbiome is a fascinating and important field.
One of the research questions that is so important is to what degree any beneficial immunoregulation and microbiome development conferred by breastfeeding can withstand subsequent hits to the microbiome, such as repeated antibiotics, overuse of chronic acid suppressant medications in infants and children, and high intake of high sugar, ultraprocessed foods with multiple additives which can adversely modify the microbiome later in life.
Very interesting I agree. There are some good rodent studies looking at whether ab use during gestation decreases immune transfer to the infant. I didn’t have space to include this material. :(
Excellent read that is very informative and expands on the research into links between mother child microbiome seeding during birth and nursing.
Very interesting, thank you. However, as we have seen this very week from the NHS’s “transgender chest feeding is just as good as breastfeeding” study, I doubt we will ever get honest, rigorous research on nursing, it is simply too charged of an issue.
To give one more example, breastfeeding studies serve to highlight the medical mystery of IQ. In almost every other area of research, you’d be forgiven for thinking IQ didn’t even exist. Most researchers will lose their careers if they start investigating the IQ of children as it applies to school outcomes, college and job performance, etc, to the point even that all companies had to get rid of IQ testing for job applicants altogether, it was simply too much of a minefield. In fact, looking at 99% of pediatrics research, you’d think there was no such thing as IQ. But just when you are about to tell yourself that IQ must not exist, you stumble upon the “breast is best” research literature - and can’t throw a rock without hitting a paper on how nursing raises IQ scores! My current hypothesis is that IQ exists, but only in infants studied by breastfeeding researchers…
If someone wants to know more about the NHS’s transgender chest feeding report, I recommend Milli Hill’s post: https://open.substack.com/pub/millihill/p/dear-bbc-youve-got-your-facts-wrong.
Disgusting people
Ew, really? What a disturbing thought. Guess I shouldn't expect more from the NHS.
This topic and Dr Bienen’s training as a veterinarian make me think of my hobby for the past 35 years, breeding and showing dogs.
We are instructed by our veterinarians that we are not to start immunizing our puppies until the mother’s protective immunity has waned after the weaning process. The first DHPP vaccine is typically given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks so that we can be sure to “hit” a good window of opportunity to create maximum protective effect for the growing dog, and to allow time for the immune system to mature adequately so the vaccine can be effective.
This is certainly different than the recommendations for human babies, breastfed or not. I look forward to following this research as it continues.
Indeed. ! Thanks for reading.