News Round-up
December 11, 2006 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under advantages of breastfeeding, breast milk, health of the baby, scientific studies
I went out of town for six days last week (more on that tomorrow!) and a lot happened while I was away. Luckily some of my colleagues at b5media covered the stories!
Robyn at Inside Motherhood wrote about how Kati Kim saved her infant and preschooler by breastfeeding them for several days when they were trapped in their car in the snow. For more on the story, see the ABC News article “Breast Milk Ensures Children’s Survival.”
Kristina at Autism Vox discussed whether breastfeeding can reduce the risk of autism. Women with a particular gene variant produce breast milk with 40 percent more docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, an omega-3 fat. A deficit of DHA has been associated with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities and other developmental disorders.
Kate at Babylune reported on the discovery of how oligosaccharides in breast milk help protect infants from bacteria and viruses. Oligosaccharides, the third most prevalent component in breast milk after lipids and proteins, are complex sugars that bind to bacteria in the baby’s digestive system.
