The week 1-7 August this year saw several countries having activities related to breastfeeding under the theme ‘BREASTFEEDING: A Winning Goal – for Life!’ Health professionals here in Anguilla must continue the efforts to have more mothers have early, exclusive and continued breastfeeding. Breastfeeding needs to be promoted and supported by ALL.
Why breastfeeding?
Mothers throughout the ages have been encouraged to breastfeed their children. We now have conclusive evidence that exclusive breastfeeding and adequate appropriate complementary feeding are key interventions for improving child survival, potentially reducing deaths among children under five by about 20%. Early and exclusive breastfeeding improves newborn care and reduces neonatal death which contributes to the majority of infant deaths. Breastfeeding has been shown repeatedly to be the single most effective way to prevent infant death. It plays a major role in children’s health and development, and significantly benefits the health of mothers.
What are some benefits of breastfeeding?
The benefits of breastfeeding are well established. Studies have demonstrated a number of important health benefits of breastfeeding. Among them:
• Breastfed children are more resistant to disease and infection early in life than formula-fed children.
• Breastfed children are less likely to contract a number of diseases later in life, including juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and cancer before the age of 15.
• Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to develop osteoporosis later in life, are able to lose weight gained during pregnancy more easily, and have a lower risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.
Benefits to the child later in life- include the following:
• Infants who are breastfed longer have fewer dental cavities throughout their lives.
• Several recent studies have shown that children who were breast-fed are significantly less likely to become obese later in childhood. Formula feeding is linked to about a 20 to 30 percent greater likelihood that the child will become obese.
• As children grow into adults, several studies have shown that people who were breastfed as infants have lower blood pressure on average than those who were formula-fed. Thus, it is not surprising that other studies have shown that heart disease is less likely to develop in adults who were breastfed in infancy.
• Significant evidence suggests that breastfed children develop fewer psychological, behavioral and learning problems as they grow older. Studies also indicate that cognitive development is increased among children whose mothers choose to breastfeed.
• In researching the psychological benefits of breast milk, one researcher found that breast-fed children were, on average, more mature, assertive and secure with themselves as they developed.
Breastfeeding also has economic advantages. It is cheaper than buying formula and helps avoid medical bills later because it helps equip the baby to fight off disease and infection.
What are some benefits of breastfeeding to the mother?
Studies indicate that breastfeeding helps improve mothers’ health, as well as their children’s. A woman grows both physically and emotionally from the relationship she forms with her baby. Just as a woman’s breast milk is designed specifically to nourish the body of an infant, the production and delivery of this milk aids her own health. This might be demonstrated in several ways such as:
• Breastfeeding helps a woman to lose weight after birth. Mothers burn many calories during lactation as their bodies produce milk.
• Breastfeeding releases a hormone in the mother (oxytocin) that causes the uterus to return to its normal size more quickly.
• Breastfeeding appears to reduce the mother’s risk of developing osteoporosis in later years. Although mothers experience bone-mineral loss during breastfeeding, their mineral density is replenished and even increased after lactation.
• Diabetic women improve their health by breastfeeding.
• Women who lactate for a total of two or more years reduce their chances of developing breast cancer by 24 percent.
• Women who breastfeed their children have been shown to be less likely to develop uterine, endometrial or ovarian cancer.
• The emotional health of the mother may be enhanced by the relationship she develops with her infant during breastfeeding, resulting in fewer feelings of anxiety and a stronger sense of connection with her baby.
How long should I breastfeed my baby?
How long you choose to breastfeed your baby will vary from one mother to another. Exclusive breastfeeding is typically recommended for the first six months after birth — and continued until at least age 18-24 months in combination with solid foods. Breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients for your baby and boosts your baby’s immune system. It is considered the gold standard for infant nutrition.
What can you do to promote successful breastfeeding?
Mothers are advised to take care of themselves. Taking care of yourself can go a long way toward promoting successful breastfeeding. Eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of fluids and rest as much as possible. To boost your confidence, learn as much as you can about breast-feeding. Keep the environment calm and relaxed. Look to your partner and other loved ones for support. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Friends who have successfully breastfed might be a good source of information.
Conclusion
There is much work to be done here in Anguilla to get larger numbers of mothers to exclusively breastfeed their newborns for the first six months of life and to have them continue breastfeeding for at least 18 months. Breastfeeding is a natural and low cost way of feeding babies and children. It is affordable and does not burden the family compared to artificial feeding. The other benefits of breastfeeding are well established. I recommend that all health professionals here in Anguilla should join the effort to have more mothers exclusively breastfeed their newborns for the first six months of life. The entire country will benefit! ‘BREASTFEEDING: A Winning Goal – for Life!’
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. The reader should consult his or her physician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field are ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.
Dr Brett Hodge is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor who has over thirty years in clinical practice. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in The Johnson Building in The Valley (Tel: 264 4975828).
