The Qur'an and breastfeeding

The Qur'an and breastfeeding

Allah said in the holy quran : " The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term" ( SURAH ABAQARAH:233)

Allah's Messenger (my peace be upon him) said "You must nurse your baby even with your tears." as he recommended Asmaa Bent AbI Bakr (may God be pleased with him) to nurse her baby at the breast.

What has been mentioned above assures that women should nurse their babies at breast, without using any other method such as the artificial suckling, cow's milk or others. This raises the argument about the reason for this.

Comparing the natural suckling to artificial one proved the following:

The milk's composition: The composition of mother's milk changes from feeding to another depending on the nutrient needs of the newborn, its endurance, and what suits its instinct and body's organs, which develop day after day. In the contrast, the artificial milk has a constant composition. For instance, the breast releases colostrum in the early days of lactation which contains many times as much protein and mineral element as the artificial milk. But mother's milk has poor cream and sugar, besides to the antibodies which sustain the baby's immunity. So, it is the perfect nutrition for the baby. The production of the breast milk's density decreases from feeding to another in natural way to displace the gastrointestinal tract of the baby then it changes to fulfill the baby then it changes to fulfill the child's needs.
Digestion: The mother's milk is easily digested because it contains digestive enzymes that aid the child's stomach enzymes in this process. The stomach gets rid of its content through one hour and half .Besides, the gastric acidity becomes normal and proper to kill germs that reach it, while it takes time in digesting the cheese's curdles of cow's milk up to 3 or 4 hours. Salts, which exist in cow's milk, modify and decrease the gastric acidity. This allows germs especially the colonic ones to reproduce then they cause diarrhea and vomit.
Cleaning (purging): Mother's milk is pasteurized while the artificial milk is contaminated with bacteria as this occurs through the process of milking or when the bottle is contaminated.
The temperature of mother's milk is constant and proper for the child's. The mother's milk is always the right temperature and it suits the child's temperature, while it is not always available in the artificial milk.
Breast feeding is less expensive and even it costs nothing to mention economically.
The mother' milk contains variety of autoimmune antibodies that aid in the development of baby's immune system against diseases. The varieties of autoimmune antibodies are much less existed in cow's milk .It is proved that breast fed babies are less exposed to have skin infection than bottle fed ones.
The breastfeeding supports the natural bacteria that exist in the intestines. It has an effective role in absorbing vitamins and others nutrient elements, while the artificial milk irritates the natural bacteria.
Cow's milk causes the effects of non endurance and sensitization, while it is not found in breastfeeding cases. These effects are diarrhea, colick, black stool and the symptoms of the common sensitization. Breast fed babies have less chance of having stomach ach and eczema.
The acceptance of having different diseases: Bottle-fed babies are much more expected of affecting with different ailments such as aspiratory tracts infection and chronic atlactesis which is connected to the sediment of the milk's protein in the child plasma. While omitting the cow's milk from the child's feeding leads to his recovery from disease. Bottle feeding in creases babies risk of otitis media because when he makes first swallowing after suckling, lying on his back, the eustachian tube opens, so the milk and saliva go through the ear causing the otitis media. Having pyorrhea and the inflammation of the supporting tissues around the tooth are increased by 3 times more than the breast fed babies, besides to they don't suffer from laryngeal spasms. These differences explain why the death rate among bottle fed babies increases to about 4 times more than the breast fed babies. Despite today's technology which have been added to the way of preparing the milk in artificial ways and to the way of giving it to the baby.

The way of suckling and the turning benefits for mother:

Suckling at the breast is always in the interest of mother because of many things. Firstly, baby's suckling helps shrink mother's uterus after childbirth as a result of suckling the nibble. So, it helps the uterus to back more quickly to its pre-pregnancy size. This helps prevent post-partum hemorrhage in mother.

Secondly, breastfeeding mothers have less risk of developing breast cancer than bottle feeding moms. It is more common among virgins, non breastfeeding moms and women who have fewer children, so more lactation, less chance of cancer. Thirdly, suckling at breast is the perfect and the natural way of birth control. It encourages longer amenorrhea (periodlessness) naturally. It contributes to optimum child spacing or birth control, as it prevents using tablets, injections, or loop. Its mechanism lies in the action of the nipple's suckling which stimulates the release of the hormone prolactin from the anterior lobe of pituitary gland. The prolactin stimulates the ejection in the glandular tissue in the breast to decrease the releasing of gonadtrophic that is responsible of the changes during the menstrual cycle. This occurs for 60% breastfeeding women.

Lactation and spiritual bond:

The maternal lactation strengthens the bonding and the emotions between mother and her new baby, as well as it makes the mother more passionate on her baby .This bond is the only guarantee for mother to take care of her baby by her own, because lactation is not just a concrete process but a sacred relationship between two creatures. Lactation satisfies woman's need of being a mother and responsible for bringing up a little child as it works as growing a plant in her life's orchard, besides to the overwhelming happiness that she obtain.

Breastfeeding satisfies the baby's psychological and emotional needs and makes him pleasant and happy .There no more comforting feeling than being held close to his mother's heart beats, hearing its soft melody that provides him with tranquility and security ,besides to latching at her breast following by falling into sleep in peace.

This strong bond could be weakened for bottle fed babies. It becomes worst when someone else than the mother takes care of the baby such as a maid or a baby sitter .By this way the child loses the normal peace, the most important thing for his early years, to achieve sound and affective interaction .The little baby has a strong personal relationship with the person who supplies nutrition, warm and comfort. So, it is necessary for mother to be this person.

Recently, WHO (the World Health Organization) and UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Fund) state that breastfeeding should last for two years. They addressee the all mothers allover the world to follow their recommendations. An article was published in Pediatric Clinics of North America, an American magazine, issued in February 2001, calls the American women to follow the recommendations of the Pediatric Academy of America. They recommend having the babies nursed at breast for 12 months as a minimum period, but it is preferable to follow the instruction of WHO.

These statements were miraculously stated by the Qur'an 14 centuries ago. Allah obligates mothers to nurse their babies at breast up to two years. God, to whom be ascribed all perfection and majesty, knows that this duration is the best from all sides of health and psychology. Today's researches of health and medicine have proved the necessity of a two year breastfeeding to have a sound growing up baby. God has mentioned this in the holy Qur'an before the human beings discover it lately. This is a sign of God's mercy on his people, especially those innocent children.

The modern studies assure that the consumed mother's milk is prophylactic against many bacterial inflammations. Lactation reduces the risk of leukemia for children. The longer the baby was breastfed, the higher was the rate of prophylaxis against such kinds of cancers. That is not only everything but it also protect from lymphoma or the cancer of the lymph system.

Moreover, a research, from Pediatric Clinics of North America of the same issue, has found that the kids who had consumed mother's milk have a significantly higher IQ than those who have no maternal milk. Also, this was heightened by the observation that the longer the baby was breast fed, the higher the IQ through the all years of life.

The research is prepared by Feras Nouralhak , the editor of the web site and translated by Maha Abdel Meguid Hussien.

Reference : "With medicine in the Holy Qur'an" by Dr. Abdel Hamid & Dr. Ahmed Az'oz, The administration of Qur'an science, Damascus, and an article by Dr. Hassan Shamsi Basha.