Breastmilk: It Does a Body Good!

As you may know, I recently received my MSN (Masters in Nursing) and MPH (Public Health).  Since becoming a new parent, I have truly earned my Masters in Nursing (Breastfeeding that is) and MPH (Parental Helplessness), but perhaps I will not know what Parental Helplessness really means until my son reaches the dreaded teenage years.  So, let me share with you what I do know a bit about, and that is breastfeeding.

Over the past six weeks, I have been blessed to experience the incredible bond between a nursing mother and her baby.  I have felt the satisfaction of being able to nourish my son with what has been deemed “liquid gold,” which amazingly, flows freely from my body.  I, along with the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control, the Surgeon General, and countless others, am a staunch advocate for breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding has tremendous benefits for women, children, and society as a whole.  The benefits include protection against stomach viruses, ear infections, asthma, juvenile diabetes, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and even childhood leukemia. Not to mention, breastfeeding helps lower the risk of childhood obesity.  Because of all these benefits, breastfeeding can save billions of dollars in healthcare costs and lost wages.  In fact, it is recommended that children be given ONLY breast milk for their first six months of life, and up to two years with complementary foods.

Breastfeeding is perhaps the best piece of preventative care that a mother can do for her child!

Picture from Cork University Hospital

Yet, despite all these benefits, many women face challenges even when they intend to breastfeed for the recommended amount of time.  As such, women can feel a tremendous amount of guilt when they are unable to breastfeed for one reason or another.    

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee states that in promoting breastfeeding, the focus should not just be on the mother.  Everyone has a role in helping mothers meet their breastfeeding goals.

Friends can encourage, for example, and strangers can learn not to gawk when a mom feeds a hungry baby in public. Employers can provide ample break time and a clean, private place to pump breast milk. Hospitals can take a stand against formula marketing, following Massachusetts’ lead and banning gifts of free formula or going as far as New York City and locking it up. They can also hire an adequate number of board-certified lactation consultants to help moms get on track right after giving birth. And what about dear old dad? He should also play a part in underpinning a mom’s decision since — according to a tweet from the committee — “most breast-feeding moms say the support that matters most comes from fathers and grandmothers.”

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/08/08/20-ways-to-make-breast-feeding-easier/#ixzz2iUGu56kk