This article is taken from http://www.modernmuslima.com/bffaq.htm.
A good reference and courage for Muslim Moms.
An FAQ for Muslim Moms taken from Modern Muslima.com
1. Why should I breastfeed? Isn't formula just as good?
No. As one breastfeeding mother put it, "Using formula because it is "just as good," when breast milk is free is like turning down a scholarship to Harvard to pay for community college."
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that: "The second choice [after breastfeeding] is the mother's own milk expressed and given to the infant in some way. The third choice is the milk of another human mother. The fourth and last choice is artificial baby milk (formula)."
Why is breast milk so highly preferred over artificial baby milk (ABM)? For many reasons, including:
-- Bottle fed infants are fourteen times more likely to be hospitalized than breastfed infants
-- Bottle fed infants are three to four times more likely to suffer from diarrheal diseases
-- Bottle fed infants are four times more likely to suffer from meningitis
-- Breastfeeding reduces the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
-- Children who were breastfed as infants have IQ scores which average seven to ten points higher than children who were formula fed.
-- There are one million white blood cells contained in each drop of breast milk.
-- Breastfeeding reduces the risk of juvenile-onset diabetes.
-- Formula fed babies have a higher rate of allergies than breastfed babies.
-- A breastfed baby often has smoother, softer skin than a formula baby.
-- Breastfed babies have a lower incidence of eczema than formula fed babies.
-- The mother who breastfeeds passes on her antibodies to an infant whose immune system is still developing.
-- Breast milk contains DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid which is widely considered to be vital for the growth and development of brain tissue. Formula does not contain DHA.
-- Breast milk is rich in cholesterol, while formula has none at all. Cholesterol helps build the brain and manufactures hormones and vitamin D.
-- Breast milk contains lactose, while formula contains glucose and galactose. Lactose is valuable for brain tissue development and promotes intestinal health.
-- Children who are breastfed are less likely to be obese during adolescence.
-- Breastfed babies have better jaw alignment than formula fed babies, and are less likely to need orthodontic work when they are older. This is because the suckling action for breastfeeding is more complex and involves more "work" than the suckling action for an artificial nipple.
-- Breastfed babies develop a larger nasal space, which can reduce problems of sleep apnea and snoring later in life.
-- Breast milk contains the easy-to-digest whey proteins, while formula contains harder-to-digest casein proteins. This means that breast milk is digested quicker and is less likely to be spit up by baby.
-- Breastfed babies have diapers which are much more pleasant to change than the formula fed baby. Because formula is harder to digest, their stools are harder and more foul smelling than the breastfed baby's.
But the advantages aren't just for baby. There are advantages for Ummi too, such as:
-- A faster post-partum recovery. The sucking action of the breastfeeding baby stimulates the release of oxytocin, which helps the uterus contract to its pre-pregnancy size.
-- Breastfeeding mothers normally have an easier time losing weight than formula feeding mothers.
-- There is a reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer in the breastfeeding mother.
-- The mother who breastfed her infant is less likely to develop osteoperosis in her older years.
-- Breast milk is free. With the costs of formula, bottles, nipples, and additional medical expenses, formula feeding can cost up to $1,200 a year.
-- Breastfeeding promotes Mother-Baby bonding.
2. Are there any spiritual benefits of breastfeeding my child?
Allah subhannahu wa ta'ala says in His Qur'an:
"The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years..." (2:233)
and
"The bearing of the (child) to his weaning is thirty months." (46:15)
In addition, Anas relates this hadith from al Tabarani:
Sallama, the nurse to the Prophet's (sallalahu aleyhi wa salaam) son Ibrahim said, 'O Messenger of God, you have brought tidings of all good things to men, but not to women.' He said, 'Did your women friends put you up to asking me this question?' 'Yes, they did,' she replied, and he said,' Does it not please any one of you that if she is pregnant by her husband and he is satisfied with that, she receives the reward of one who fasts and prays for
the sake of Allah? And when her labor pains come, no one in the heavens or the earth knows what is concealed in her womb to delight her? And when she delivers, not a mouthful of milk flows from her, and not a suck does she give, but that she receives, for every mouthful and every suck the reward of one good deed. And if she is kept awake at night by her child, she receives the reward of one who frees seventy slaves for the sake of Allah.'"
Clearly, Allah subhannahu wa ta'ala has designed breast milk for our babies. The fact that the superior benefits of breast milk and breastfeeding are constantly being discovered should be sign enough for the Muslima. If artificial baby milk was really "just as good" as breast milk, then all or most of the benefits of breast milk would be present in formula. If artificial baby milk was just as beneficial to the mother-child relationship, then the above
ayat and hadith (among others) would not be so clearly pro-breastfeeding. The existence of the milk mother (the one who suckles a child more than five times becomes as another mother to him) in Islamic law testifies to the fact that Muhammad (sallalahu aleyhi wa salaam), who himself had a milk mother named Halima, realized how extensive and important the bonding between a nursing woman and a baby is. And we know from the hadith in Bukhari that the
mother is the most deserving of her offspring's attention, because of the care that she gave him when he was a child.
3. Okay, so I'll breastfeed. But I don't even know how!
Breastfeeding is not something that necessarily comes naturally to the new mother. Those of us raised in the bottle feeding culture of the United States may never have even seen a nursing mother before. We have not been raised around women who learned this art from their women, and so we do not have any examples to go by when it is our turn.
The first thing you must do is say, "I am going to breastfeed my infant," not "I am going to try to breastfeed," or "I'm going to see how it goes." The latter two mindsets will set you up for failure. Do not rely on switching to formula when the going gets a little rough. Do not let it become an option and you will succeed, insha'Allah.
Fortunately, breastfeeding is enjoying a revival here in the United States, and there are numerous places the new mother can turn to for advice and instruction, as well as support. The foremost organization for supporting the new nursing mother is La Leche League International (LLLI). This is a group that was founded by seven mothers in the 1950's to help and support other nursing mothers, in a time when breastfeeding had all but disappeared in our
country. Today, they have chapters all over the world. You can contact your local LLLI leader / group by looking them up in the white (or yellow) pages, or by asking your midwife or obstetrician.
You may also enlist the support and advice of an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Many hospitals have lactation consultants on staff, but sometimes, these are no more than staff nurses who have taken a class on breastfeeding. You may not find her helpful at all. Remember that almost all hospitals in the U.S. receive money and promotional materials from the major formula manufacturers, and that it is not uncommon for the
nurses in the maternity ward to routinely give bottles to all babies, including those who are supposedly "breastfed."
If you don't have any access to these supports, then there are numerous websites (see Resources page) which show video and pictures of how to breastfeed properly, as well as books. Modern Muslima recommends The Breastfeeding Book by William Sears, M.D. and Martha Sears, R.N. If that particular book is unavailable to you, you will get the same information and instructions from the more widely available The Baby Book by the same authors. Also, The
Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International, and So, That's What They're For: Breastfeeding Basics by Janet Tamaro-Natt.
4. I'm trying to breastfeed, but I just don't seem to have enough milk. Should I supplement with formula?
The percentage of women who can biologically not breastfeed or make enough milk to satisfy their babies is very, very small. However, it is not uncommon for pediatricians, who also receive free goodies and money from formula companies, to tell new mothers that "you don't have enough milk," or even more outrageous fallacies ("your milk will spoil") and then encourage her to supplement or switch to formula all together. Rather conveniently, he or she
will recommend the brand of formula whose logo is splashed on notepads, pens, and other items throughout the office.
If your baby has six to eight wet diapers a day, is gaining weight, and has clear or pale colored urine, then she is most likely getting enough milk. Supplementing with formula may cause your baby to develop nipple confusion or nipple preference. Sucking on a rubber nipple is less work than suckling at the breast, and your child may refuse to take from you all together. Less suckling at the breast also means decreased milk production, which lead
to more supplementing, which will lead to even less milk production... you get the idea.
Almost all new mothers can produce enough milk to satisfy their babies, and with a little work, you can increase your milk supply within a short period of time. One suggestion is to take the herbal supplement fenugreek. (Check with your midwife or health care practitioner before taking any herbal supplements). However, the most sure-fire way of increasing your milk supply is to nurse more often. Nurse longer on each side and nurse as frequently as
two hours, or when baby needs it (cue-feeding). Nursing at night also stimulates the hormone prolactin, which in turn helps produce more milk. Do not let baby have any artificial nipples or pacifiers, and instead allow her to "comfort suck" with you. You may also want to pump milk with a breast pump in order to stimulate more milk production.
5. I've established a nursing relationship with my child, but I feel tied to the home. How can I, as a Muslim woman, think about nursing in public?!
Public breastfeeding is a hang-up that our sisters from the East do not have. It is not uncommon to see women publicly breastfeeding throughout the Muslim world. If there is any group of women that has successfully combined public modesty with public breastfeeding, it is Muslim women. Just because you are a Muslim woman, or a nursing mother, does not mean that you are tied to your house for as long as your child nurses! With a few modifications and practice, you will find that you are soon nursing in public like a pro -- discreetly and modestly.
The first thing you are going to want to do is evaluate your wardrobe. Jumpers, dresses, thobes, and other items which do not open in the front will no longer be practical, unless you can adapt them for nursing by adding slits to them. Two piece outfits, abayas, and jilbabs which open easily will be the easiest thing to wear. There are some jilbabs which have an extra panel over the chest. You can probably cut a nursing slit right under this flap and pin it or sew buttons onto it, without completely wrecking the style of the jilbab.
If you do not already, you may also want to consider wearing 60"x60" scarves, or a cape-style khimar (the 2-piece style which comes down to at least the wrist). I was never a fan of this style of khimar, but as a nursing mother, I have discovered that it is the easiest style to wear, and allows me to nurse discreetly. You do not have to worry about it sliding off, unlike a blanket that you toss over the baby. I have also noticed that you can now find these khimars in colors other than black and white, and sometimes with pretty designs at the hem (although I've yet to see any that aren't in a solid color). I myself own several, including grey, burgundy, and lavender. With a cape style khimar, no one will be able to see if you leak milk onto your clothes (as so often happens in the early weeks). Also, with the cape style khimar, you can leave your jilbab unbuttoned at the top, allowing for less hassle when baby wants to nurse while you are out and about. And hey-- all you sewing sisters out there! You can design your own cape-khimars in prints and various fabrics.
Finally, if you still feel a little shaky, try "practicing" in front of a mirror, your husband, or someone else. Have them walk about you and look at you from various angles, and point out if anything is showing. When you do go out in public, and you are getting ready to nurse your child, look at something other than the baby. If you are looking down and fumbling with the baby, other people's eyes will be drawn to this area of your body.
6. It's time to pray, but my baby is still nursing. What do I do?
This when the benefits of baby wearing become even more evident to the nursing mother. If you own a baby sling of some sort, with practice, you can learn how to nurse the baby in the sling, while still going about your daily activities. It is possible to pray with a baby in the sling, but remember that you should support baby's head and body when making ruku and sajda.
7. This is so hard! I am so tired, and I am ready to give up.
There is this idea, especially in our drive-thru society that everything should be easy and convenient. If it is not, then it should be abandoned. Breastfeeding is not easy...at first. And it is not convenient, at first. Establishing your milk supply and teaching baby to latch on properly is hard work. In addition, breast milk is more easily digestible to baby's little tummy than artificial substitutes, and so the breastfed baby will feed more often, during the day, and more noticeably at night. Remember that our foremothers had mothers, sisters, neighbors, and nannies who had themselves nursed. Expert help was available to them whenever they needed it. If you are feeling fed up and frustrated, then now is the time to find support and guidance from a group like La Leche League. Your local LLL leader can offer you valuable information and education, as well as experience, about breastfeeding. You may find that attending an LLL meeting, and hearing about how others dealt with the same experiences will encourage and strengthen your resolve.
Think of it this way: Breastfeeding is not a simple matter of choice. It is a commitment you are making to your child. Resolve to succeed, and to keep trying. Bottle feeding may seem more convenient, especially when you are nursing the little one for the third time in three hours, but remember that in the long run, it costs much more money in terms of supplies and medical bills, and that, in the long run, it takes up much more time in terms of sterilizing and preparing formula as well as cleaning the bottles and nipples. The breastfeeding mother can just get up and go anywhere, and know that her baby will have all the milk he needs at exactly the right temperature. The bottle feeding mother must make sure she has purified water, that the bottles are kept chilled, that she has a way to warm them up later. She has to worry about the milk spoiling, or running out. Eventually, you will see that ease and convenience are on the side of the breastfed family.
8. Some other tips for nursing success:
Do not accept any "free" samples of formula or bottles, etc. from your hospital or birthing center.
Many hospitals sell lists of their patients' names and addresses to formula companies. You may receive a "free" case or two of formula by the time you arrive home with baby. Either promptly send the case back to the company, or take it to a local food pantry, with instructions that it be given to mothers who are already formula feeding.
Give yourself at least four weeks to establish a nursing relationship. Don't worry so much about the house during this time, and devote as much of your energy as you can towards nursing your little one.
Share sleep with your little one. Sleep sharing is a practice which has been done for centuries and which is done in all cultures all over the world. Prolactin levels, which stimulate milk production, are said to be highest between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. You will find it much easier to nurse your baby at night if she is sleeping beside you in the bed. After a week or two, the two of you may not even wake up all the way while you nurse her back to sleep. Be sure there are no pillows, stuffed animals, feather comforters, etc. near your baby. Use a guard rail on the bed, or push the bed flush up to the wall. Do not allow baby to sleep between you and your husband. Rather, she should sleep between the railing / wall and you. See "The Family Bed" by Tine Thevenin, or "The Baby Book" by William and Martha Sears for more information about sleep sharing.
Get a good book. "So That's What They're For!" by Janet Tamaro Natt, "The Breastfeeding Book" by William and Martha Sears, or "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International are some good choices.
Get comfy. Set up a "nursing station" before you start. A tall glass of water, a snack, the phone, a book, a burping cloth, pillows, and perhaps a blanket are all items you should have on hand.
Some parting words...
Breastfeeding is not something that you should do with resentment. If you do not enjoy your nursing relationship with your child, that resentment will show in other aspects of your mother-child relationship. In our bottle feeding culture, we are often made to feel like breastfeeding is a hassle, while formula feeding is "more convenient," and more "modern." However, as Muslims, we should not be part of the mainstream culture, we should be like strangers. We should also be unconcerned with what the majority want, and look at what Allah wants. The superiority of breast milk over artificial baby milk is a clear indication that through His creation, Allah has given a gift to mothers and babies, one that we should be grateful for. The superiority of Allah created breast milk over man made formula is but one of the signs of His Majesty and Power, as well as His Mercy.
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