October Health Focus: Breastfeeding For the month of October, I’ve been invited to share information about breastfeeding as the health focus for the month. Since January 2011, I’ve been serving as Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for the Door County Public Health Department and Door County WIC. I’m happy to share with you some information that might be helpful, weather you’re a new mom, aunt, uncle, or grandparent. Breastfeeding is such an important way to support the emotional and physical health of children, your role as breastfeeding parent or supporter of that relationship is critical. Heartfelt thanks to our church for allowing Door County Breastfeeding Support Group Meetings to be held in our nursery on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 10:30am and 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5:30pm. Please encourage breastfeeding moms to join us!
But I wasn’t breastfed or didn’t breastfeed my children…
I breastfed both of my girls, but was not breastfed myself. Many of you may not have breastfed your children. This is common. breastfeeding was normative in our culture up until the 1940s and 50s. Since the late 1800s cows milk substitutes for human milk were used and often prescribed by doctors. By the late 1920s, soy-based formulas were developed. Advancements in food technology made these substitutes seem safe. Gradually, breastfeeding took a backseat to formula feeding as the common way to feed infants. People saw it as the ‘high-tech & advanced’ way to feed their children. In fact, older friends have told me that their doctors said it was ‘safer’ than breast milk. After the depression, many thought of breastfeeding as a sub-standard way of feeding, and even negatively associated it with being poor. Breastfeeding rates steadily declined until the 1970s.
As the medical community has been able to do more research, we’ve learned the error of our ways. Research has shown that breastfeeding is in fact the safest and healthiest way to feed our children, offering many positive health benefits. Breastfed children experience lower rates of cancer, obesity, and diabetes throughout life. A mother breastfeeding her children will enjoy lower rates of breast and ovarian cancers throughout her life. The longer the breastfeeding relationship, the greater the benefit to mother and child. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 11-13% of all deaths in children under 5 years of age could be prevented if they were exclusively breastfed for 6 months. Another 6% of deaths under-5 could be prevented with adequate, safe, and timely complimentary feeding. Infants who are not breastfed have a seven-times and five-times higher risk of dying from diarrhea and pneumonia respectively, compared with infants who are exclusively breastfed. Nothing can mimic or replace the complex and living components of breastmilk, which support the health and development of children.
Your support is important…
So, if you didn’t breastfeed your children, don’t feel bad about it, but do help the next generation breastfeed successfully. We now know better, so let’s do better!! You can support a mother breastfeeding in the following ways: 1) Encourage a mom to feed her baby whenever the baby is hungry. 2) Encourage a mom to feed her baby when and where she is comfortable. 3) Refrain from making negative comments about breastfeeding or her milk supply. Rather, encourage her to get help from a lactation nurse or breastfeeding specialist if she’s having problems. 4) Help a new mom with tasks other than feeding, like bathing baby, cuddling with baby after feeding, doing a load of laundry, or taking the family a meal. The early months of breastfeeding can be intense. A little extra help during this time can go a long way. 5) Encourage a mom to breastfeed as long as she and her child feel comfortable. The current World Health Organization breastfeeding recommendations include exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months (no other food or formula), continuing breastfeeding with introduction of solids beyond 6 months up to 2 years or longer for as long as mother and child are comfortable.
Please look for more information on the health bulletin board for the month of October. Feel free to contact me with any questions: I love to talk about breastfeeding!! ~Teri VanLieshout home 920-746-0047; email: vanlieshout (at) att (dot) net.
