Breastfeeding Good for Kids' Mental Health

More on the mental health front today as new research shows breastfeeding may be linked to better mental health for kids. I'll say, it's always worked for me.

According to an Australian study out of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in West Perth, children who are breastfed for longer than six months could be at lower risk of mental health problems later in life. Breastfeeding could help babies handle stress better, and may also signal a stronger mother-child attachment, researchers say, and these benefits may last.

The study looked at over 2,300 children, each undergoing a mental health assessment at 2, 5, 8, 10, and 14 years of age. Eleven percent were never breastfed, 38 percent were breastfed for less than six months, and just over half were breastfed for six months or longer.

Mothers who breastfed for less than six months were younger, less educated, poorer, and more stressed, and were also more likely to be smokers, than the moms who breastfed for longer. They were also more likely to suffer from postpartum depression, and their babies were more likely to have growth problems.

The children who were breastfed for the shortest amount of time had the worst behavior. This was qualified as internalizing behavior, in which negativity is directed inwards, for example depression; and in externalizing behaviors, such as aggression.

Behavior improved successively for every additional month of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding for six months or longer had the most positive behavioral results with regard to mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. The results were adjusted for social, economic and psychological factors as well as early life events.

I like this study as I am a huge advocate for breastfeeding. My eldest daughter was breastfed for two years, and my 15-month-old is still on the breast. And I'm certain of the many health benefits attached to the practice. It doesn't surprise me that breastfed children feel more secure, I mean, think about it: The suckling/oxytocin response is as much security blanket as it is food cart. It allows baby to know that there is a nurturing protector there when they need support. And it's instinctual. Deny that to Junior and I'd expect him or her to be...well...unsure.

No guilt trip on moms who have opted out early, really. It's just that breastfeeding provides one more benefit to those who choose it for their young, that's all. However, if you are a mom to be and on the fence about it--just know that mental well-being and self-assuredness later in life is one more thing you can help provide your kid with a year at the boob.

Pregnancy Stress Linked to Schizophrenia

Severe stress during pregnancy may help cause schizophrenia. So says a study out New York University School of Medicine. According to researchers, severe stress--like wars, natural disasters, terrorism, or sudden bereavement--can lead to epigenetic changes, which are changes in gene expression, not changes to the DNA itself.

The study looked at data from 88,829 people born in Jerusalem from 1964 to 1976. They wanted to see if an increase in schizophrenia occurred in babies born to women during the height of the 1967 Arab-Israeli Six-Day War. What they found is astounding: babies born to mothers who were two months pregnant in June of 1967 were significantly more likely to develop schizophrenia. The height of bombing in Jerusalem was a three day period from June 5-7.

Females born during this period (January 1968 to be exact) were 4.2 times more likely to develop schizophrenia than the 1.1 % of the population which is the global norm. Males born during this period were 1.2 times more likely to develop the mental illness. Wow! Although the researchers didn't rule out a genetic link--that is, the babies had a high family risk for developing schizophrenia--it is unlikely. While schizophrenia in the general population has some family ties, the majority of cases do not. So epigenetics seems to be the logical mechanism.

I find these results fascinating, because I'm a firm believer that we all have every gene, but it's whether or not it's expressed that counts. This would explain some seemingly random human variations, like gender identity disorders, psychopathy, and schizophrenia. And it makes complete sense that a strong connection exists between Mom's experiences during gestation and how baby forms.

In epigenetics, as it is understood and discussed today, we are talking about a narrow form of gene expression, a once in a lifetime event. In other words, humans are not susceptible to environmentally induced genetic changes multiple times in their lifetime; major genetic variations occur during gestational development only. In the case of severe stress, the stress hormones can affect the placenta, ultimately changing the environment of the fetus, which then changes in response.

But wait! Don't freak out, soon to be mom's: we're talking about severe stress here, not simply getting in a fight with baby's daddy. I reported in an earlier post that this just isn't the case, so unless you're involved in a major trauma, you probably have nothing to worry about. But I think we will learn in the near future just how much severe stressors during pregnancy can affect the unborn child. Any thoughts?

Nicole Richie is Pregnant???

My wife asked me today, "Can you believe that Nicole Richie is pregnant? How can she hold a baby?" I presumed she meant the skinny, anorexic, drug user thing.

"Why wouldn't she be able to?", I asked.

"Because she's so skinny?"

That question reminded me of something I found very interesting and, quite frankly, peculiar during our own pregnancy with our daughter Delilah. I noticed that an enormous amount of fear and caution is circulated among new, expecting mothers. Downs syndrome, Tay-Sachs, birth defects, emotional scarring, miscarriages, preschool enrollment - you name it, there was a precaution for it. Quite the bit of nail biting involved.

I have to say that I find it a bit counterproductive. I see where it comes from; liability is a grave concern among doctors, especially OB/GYN docs. As I understand it, obstetricians have the highest malpractice premiums of all doctors simply because they are the most often sued. Think about it: a child is born with a birth defect - gotta blame somebody, right? That's the American way. Couldn't be destiny or have greater, let's say, spiritual meaning now could it? Nor could it possibly be a blessing - for the child and the parents. Nah - it's gotta be the doctor's fault. Sue him!

Here's what I always say: It's true, things do happen. And it's always better to be safe than sorry, so testing is o.k. But let's lighten up a bit. Don't go through your pregnancy freaked out. Consider this: There are starving women in Africa having babies, and many survive. The human body is incredibly resilient, so for the most part, everything should be o.k. If you happen to fall within the small percentage of there being "a problem", then I think it's wiser to look at the deeper implication; the deeper meaning, if you will. It's still a blessing. You just have to see it as such.

As far as Nicole Richie is concerned, I have a confession to make. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to say Nicole Richie in my blog. Paris, you're next.