New research shows breastfeeding leads to higher IQ and earnings:

Multi-Mam Compresses can help mums carry on feeding

New research shows that breastfed babies are more likely to turn into better educated and higher-earning adults – and the good news is that unique Multi-Mam Compresses can help mums to carry on feeding during difficult times when nipples are sore or cracked.

Experts say that results of the newly published long-term study, which followed up 3,500 babies from all walks of life, appear to back current advice that babies should be exclusively breastfed for six months where possible.

But they add that mothers should still have a choice about whether or not to do it. Multi-Mam Compresses can help women to carry on breastfeeding because they treat dryness, cracks and sores, and help to guard against infection.

Britain has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the western world. NHS figures show that although around 81% of women begin feeding their children from the breast fewer than one third lasts the recommended six months.

One of the reasons that women give up is pain. Around 80-95% of women suffer some form of breastfeeding pain and more than a quarter of those who stop feeding in the first two weeks do so because of it.

Multi-Mam Compresses work in three ways to support breastfeeding mums:

They provide an immediate cooling and soothing effect when placed over the nipple inside the feeding bra
The natural bio-active gel in them, derived from the aloe vera plant, blocks harmful bacteria from adhering to the skin, preventing microorganisms from replicating and causing infection
This non-sticky, non-messy gel creates a moist wound environment, which has been shown to facilitate healing¹

Since Multi-Mam Compresses are a natural product, they are harmless to babies when swallowed so there is no need to wash the breast before feeding. Air drying can cause scabs, which babies can then loosen – nipples bleed again so a negative cycle is established. Cracks may also predispose mums to infection and increase the risk of mastitis.^2,3

In a study led by midwives in Switzerland and Germany, the average pain score out of ten reduced from seven to three after two days of treatment with Multi-Mam Compresses. Complete healing within two days was reported by 101 of the 227 participants.

Sore nipples make feeds a painful rather than loving time, and can even inhibit milk ejection reflex, leading to early weaning.⁴

Dr Bernardo Lessa Horta, from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil, who headed the research linking breastfeeding to intelligence which was published in The Lancet Global Health, said:

“Our study provides the first evidence that prolonged breastfeeding not only increases intelligence until at least the age of 30 years, but also has an impact both at an individual and societal level by improving educational attainment and earning ability."

The contrast between breast-fed and bottle-fed children remained even when taking into account social and biological factors such as family income, maternal health, birthweight and delivery type.

Babies who were breast-fed for at least 12 months have higher IQs and could earn an extra £200,000 in their lifetime compared with bottle-fed youngsters, scientists have suggested.

Researchers followed 3,500 infants for 30 years, recording how long they spent in education, their employment and earnings and their level of intelligence.

Dr Horta believes breast milk may offer an advantage because it is a good source of long-chain saturated fatty acids which are essential for brain development.

“What is unique about this study is the fact that, in the population we studied, breastfeeding was not more common among highly educated, high-income women, but was evenly distributed by social class,” added Dr Horta.

“Previous studies from developed countries have been criticized for failing to disentangle the effect of breastfeeding from that of socioeconomic advantage, but our work addresses this issue for the first time.”

A recent study by the UK’s biggest parenting site Netmums found that almost two thirds of mums did not feel that society was supportive enough of breastfeeding mums.

“Breast is always best for the baby – but it isn’t always best for the mum,” said Rachel Burrows, editor of the UK’s biggest parenting site Netmums.

“The health benefits of breastfeeding are well known but for women who struggle to breastfeed, this report could add to feeling that they have ‘failed’.”

Janet Fyle of the Royal College of Midwives said new mothers needed breastfeeding support.

The RCM’s professional policy advisor said:

“Breastfeeding lays the foundations for an individual’s future health and wellbeing and brings great benefits for society as a whole in terms of reduced spending on ill health.

“This also highlights the importance of good postnatal support and access to midwives to give women the help they need to establish and continue breastfeeding.

“Health services need to make greater efforts to encourage new mothers to breastfeed and for longer, through better support, considerate maternity leave and strengthening policies and legislative framework that enables women to breastfeed when out and about.”

NOTES:

The patented bioactive gel in Multi-Mam Compresses contains 2QR-complex, which has been shown to block the binding sites of harmful bacteria, preventing it from adhering to tissue and replicating.⁵

REFERENCES:

Rovee DT. Effects of Local Wound Environment on Epidermal Healing. Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers; 1972, 159-81.
Amir LH, Pakula S. Nipple Pain, Mastalgia and Candidiasis in the Lactating Breast. Aus & NZ J of Obs Gynae 1991;31(4):378-80.
Livingstone VH et al. Staphylococcus Aureus and Sore Nipples. Canadian Family Physician 1996:42:654-9.
Humle S. Moist Wound Healing for Cracked Nipples in Breastfeeding Mothers. Leaven; 1994.
2QR-complex Dijk van Willem, Goedbloed Annelize Frieda, Koumans Floris Jan Robert (NL) Negatively charged polysaccharide derivable form Aloe Vera: Free patent on line: EP20010205253 Publication Date:07/02/2003 Filing Date:12/27/2001