Breastfeeding and Stem Cells Oh My!
Originally published at Sacred Pathways Doula Services. Please leave any comments there.
“Breastfeeding should never be expendable. Only under extraordinary circumstances should breastfeeding be interrupted. It is too important to the physical and mental health of the child and the mother for them to give it up the way one might give up ice cream.” The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers, Jack Newman M.D. & Teresa Pitman
Many people might disagree with this statement, but when you consider some research that came out last year there is even more power in it. Doctor Mark Cregan of the University of Western Australia is a molecular biologist who made this discovery. And it’s an exciting one for everyone, advocates of breastfeeding and those who just simply do it. What’s more is it may eventually help to explain why breastfed babies consistently have higher IQs than formula fed children. The full article was published in February of 2008 and has made the rounds since then.
While some might consider this old news, being a year old, it is something worth thinking about when you are considering formula versus breastfeeding. No formula has, or likely will have, stem cells. The fact that breastmilk -has- stem cells leads researchers to believe that it is meant to take over development after the placenta. When you consider that humans are one of the only species born still needing to develop significantly in terms of cognitive and motor skills this is an important consideration. These stem cells could be an important link in our ability to fully realize our mental capacity.