Child Development and Public Health: Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is an issue I selected, because I strongly believe in its significance in child development. However, there is on-going controversy about breastfeeding and its role in mothers and children’s lives.  In this section, I will elaborate why it is imperative to promote breastfeeding.  

Greatest Natural Benefits: 

·         Primarily birth to six month old infants receives breastfeeding with understanding that infants older than six months can continue with breastfeeding.

·         Gold standard of nourishment

·         Nutrients through breast-feeding changes to meet infants’ needs.

·         Breast-feeding provides a variety of nutrients and antibodies that lead to reduce recurring illnesses, provide stimulation to the gastrointestinal tract growth and the fat from breast milk promotes brain growth.

·         Develop relationship between caregiver and infant.

·         Breast milk taste varies depending on mother’s daily consume, which can influence infants to accept vary foods later in life.

·         Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer in mothers.

·         Breastfeeding reduces the chance of obese among infants later in their lives. 

How breast milk changes over the time:

At Birth: Colostrum

·         Thick, yellowish pre-milk

·         High in fats and proteins

2 to 5 days after birth: Transitional Milk

·         “come in”

·         Thinner

·         Plentiful

High in lactose and fat (helps with baby’s brain development)

·         Two weeks after birth: Watery

·         Even thinner

·         Watery

·         Fattier

·         Rich in nutrients 

Reference:

Sorte, J., Daeschel, I., & Amador, C. (2011). Nutrition, Health, and Safety for Young Children: Promoting Wellness. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Inc.

In United States and Europe:

In Europe, less than 8 out of 10 new mothers do breastfeed infants from birth and 1/5 of that continue to feed infants after six months.  High percent of mothers who breastfeeding in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Spain than the women in France, Germany, Ireland, Canada, and United States.  United States rated the lowest in breastfeeding initiation and duration breastfeeding. This becomes a public health priority globally.

Studies showed that the percentages of women, who are more likely to initiate breast feeding at birth and continues throughout the first year, are well-educated, married, and older. Also, studies showed the reasons for reduction of initiation and duration of breastfeeding in United States are Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program that supply free infant formula to low-income mothers and this country is the only one country providing free formula, which is a lead to low number of Baby-Friendly hospitals.  Insufficient numbers of midwives and overcrowded maternity wards are the possibility reasons for reducing breastfeeding among mothers due to lack of support and training in breastfeeding while mothers and newborns stay at the hospitals.

In Europe:

UNICEF Baby-Friendly Status is a set of standards to help women initiate breastfeeding at birth by within half an hour to six months. If hospitals reach this standard, they will be given cash and are encouraged not to accept free breast milk substitutes.

Reference:

Callen, J., & Pinelli, Janet. (2004). Incidence and Duration of Breastfeeding for Term Infants in Canada, United States, Europe, and Australia: A Literature Review. BIRTH. 31(4), 285-292.

Smith, R. (2008). Breastfeeding rates in England among lowest in Europe. The Telegraph. Electronically retrieved on November 10, 2010 from www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2504707/Breastfeeding-

DIFFERENT MAGAZINES PROVIDED INFORMATION ON BREASTFEEDING CONTROVERSY:

Post-gazette.com (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

By Mackenzie Carpenter

Bottle vs. breastfeeding: Cultural confusion engulfs moms no matter what method is used

This article presents several dilemmas that mothers encounter when it comes to feed their infants.  Milkscreen is a relatively new gadget that test mothers’ breast milk for alcohol. This may be an attractive item for mothers who enjoy outing and partying. Is this a good idea?

      There is a major reduction in mothers’ desire to breast feed infants who are six months and older, which may be caused by work schedules, lack of supports from employers and family, medical issues, or exhaustion. This is leading reason for using formula-bottle.

To continue reading the article, go to this link: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06304/734263-32.stm

Breastfeeding Controversy: Milk Sharing (Parenting.com)

Milk sharing is a growing practice along with milk banking, which is a donation center where breast milk is screened for any virus before giving to at-risk infants who would greatly benefit from breast milk.  This is similar to “wet nurse” that had been around for centuries.

To continue reading the article, go to this link: http://www.parenting.com/article/Pregnancy/Feeding/Breastfeeding-Controversy-Milk-Sharing

The Observer (Guardian.co.uk)

Breastfeeding is ‘creepy’, says parenting magazine

       This is about a mother who bottle-fed her infant and thought breastfeeding is creepy. This is an article I am not comfortable with summarizing the article, so I recommend that you read the article.

       To continue reading the article, go to this link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jun/27/breastfeeding-is-creepy-outrage

As you can see, there is a tug-o-war on breastfeeding. Personally, I find breastfeeding extraordinary and miraculously enough to recognize beauty in mother-infant. At the same time, both mother and infant receive fabulous health benefits from breastfeeding.   

Video (this may take a long while before the image appears on your screen):

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/bc/bc_0media_hk/abcvideos/index.htm?breast_feeding