Better Hearing, Breathing and Hearts

The Breastfeeding Book: Everything You Need to Know About Nursing Your Child
by Martha Sears, R. N., William Sears, M. D.

(Page 3 of 9)

Better Hearing

Not only do breastfed infants think, grow, and see better, but they are also likely to hear better. Being able to hear well is necessary for language development, so this benefit of breastfeeding is very important. The reason breastfeeding promotes healthier hearing is that breastfed babies have fewer ear infections. Because breast milk is a human substance, babies are not allergic to it (but they can be allergic to cow's-milk protein or other proteins in mother's diet that piggyback into the breast milk). Allergies to soy or cow's-milk proteins can cause fluid to build up behind the middle ear. This fluid not only dampens the vibration of the eardrum, decreasing hearing, it also provides a culture medium for bacteria and thus is a breeding ground for middle-ear infections. A history of frequent ear infections is common in children who are experiencing language delays.

A Nicer Smile

Pediatric dentists report that breastfed babies have better jaw alignment and are less likely to need orthodontic work. The sucking action used in breastfeeding involves more complex motions of the facial muscles and tongue. This improves the development of facial muscles, jawbones, and palate, leading to better jaw alignment and more room for teeth. The tongue-thrusting action bottle-fed infants use to control the flow of formula can contribute to malocclusion. Experienced pediatric dentists are often able to tell whether or not a baby was breastfed by the shape of the mouth and hard palate. Thus a baby's breastfeeding efforts will be reflected in her face.

Better Breathing

Another benefit pediatric dentists have noticed is that breastfed babies develop a larger nasal space, which can lessen problems with snoring and sleep apnea later in life. Breastfed babies grow a rounder, U-shaped dental arch, whereas bottle-fed babies develop a narrower, higher, V-shaped arch, which not only contributes to the misalignment of teeth but also infringes on the nasal passages directly above the hard palate.

Better Hearts

Formula is cholesterol-free, but you won't find formula manufacturers advertising this fact, even though you might expect a low-cholesterol diet to be good for babies - after all, many adults concerned with good nutrition try to limit their cholesterol intake. The cholesterol that is naturally present in cow's milk is removed during the formula-manufacturing process and replaced with fats from plant sources. Cholesterol is not only present in breast milk in moderate amounts, but it is most likely there for a heart-healthy reason. Some heart researchers theorize that a breastfed baby's liver learns to metabolize cholesterol better than a formula-fed infant's does. Breastfed babies may then have lower blood-cholesterol levels as adults and may thus enjoy a lower risk of heart disease. Supporting the heart-healthy theory, studies show that although breastfed infants tend to have higher blood-cholesterol levels than formula-fed babies do, adults who were formula fed as infants tend to have higher blood-cholesterol levels and be more likely to have atherosclerotic plaque that can lead to heart attacks.

Breastfeeding has an additional perk for infant hearts: the resting heart rates of breastfed babies are lower. The significance of this is unclear, but it could be a situation similar to the lower heart rate in the physically fit body of an athlete. A lower resting heart rate is an indicator of overall physical and emotional health.

© 2000 by Martha Sears, R.N., and William Sears, M.D.

About the Author

Martha Sears is a registered nurse, childbirth educator, and breastfeeding consultant.

William Sears, M.D., received his pediatric training at Harvard Medical School's Children's Hospital and Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. He has practiced as a pediatrician for more than thirty years.