Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Would boosting the oxytocin system lead to longer breast-feeding?

There's little controversy about the benefits of breastfeeding infants over giving them formula. Mother's milk is the perfect food, providing exactly the correct nourishment for newborns, while protecting them from many illnesses.

There also are good economic and maternal health reasons that would seem to make a compelling case for breastfeeding for the six-to-12 months recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"However one major reason why women stop breastfeeding is low weight gain and growth rate of their baby," Steven L. Bealer of the University of Utah points out. His team of researchers decided to find out what factors might cause low weight gain.


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