I chose to learn more about breastfeeding because I did not breast feed my son and am just not familiar with the experience. Breastfeeding enhances the bond between mother and child but takes patience to acquire the skill. Less than 1/3 of infants in the United States are breastfed and fewer infants are breast fed through the first year of life which is recommended by health care professionals. There is a significant breakdown of about 50%, in the number of black mothers of any class who choose to breast feed than Caucasian middle class mothers (Galson 2009). In almost every state, legislation recognizes women’s rights to breastfeed in public. Breast feeding boost the immune system and provides natural antibodies that fight against disease and certain types of cancer, such as breast and ovarian. Breast feeding also reduces cost of buying formulas. It can be difficult to keep up with breastfeeding and providing adequate supply of milk from the mother which is why most women do not continue to breastfeed through the 12 month duration.
In Norway breastfeeding is very common and is known as the role model for breastfeeding. It is extremely rare for women not to breastfeed at all. Women are encouraged and taught to breast feed in the hospitals. They even have an informative help line for mothers needing assistance in breastfeeding. Women in this country usually take at least a year off for maternity leave and fathers are given plenty of time for breaks as well. It is easier for women to keep up with the task of breast feeding because of the length of time granted for maternity leave. Women in this country breastfeed in the public and it is not looked down upon or shamed. In Norway, almost 100% of mother’s breastfeed before discharge from the hospital and more than half continue to breastfeed six months later. It seems as if Norway as a country has an understanding of the importance of breastfeeding and childcare/development during the early years.
· Surgeon General’s Perspectives: The Status of Breastfeeding Today (PDF, 1.22 MB)
By Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, Acting US Surgeon General
By Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, Acting US Surgeon General
· Mothers and Children Benefit from Breastfeeding (PDF, 40 KB)
By Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, Acting US Surgeon General
By Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, Acting US Surgeon General
· Norway Leads Industrial Nations Back to Breast-Feeding - New York TIMES Oct 21, 2003
Leon'e
ReplyDeleteBreast Feeding was once the norm of the land,in Sri Lanka. But now things are changing, most women do not look at the benefits they look at the convenience. Women get time off from work but some still donot give it a try. I also read that breast feeding is more common in Europian countries. Thank you for sharing.
Leon'e,
ReplyDeleteI don't have any children myself but of few of my friends and co-workers have recently started having kids. A lot of then say for convience reasons it is just easier to not breat feed. I have also heard it is extremely uncomfortable. While I would imagine this option is not only more cost effective, but healther for the child I think it would be interesting to see a student of breast fed vs. non breast fed children at a later point in life.
I agree with the responses from the others. There are so many inconveniences of breastfeeding that mothers forget about the wonderful benefits. With both of my children, I breastfed for six weeks before going back to work. I did find after researching these topics that women in European countries tend to breastfeed for longer periods of time. However, they also seem to get a longer maternity leave and have more resources available.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that it can be very uncomfortable and painful. I experienced both when breastfeeding my children. I also felt a sense of unhappiness with the fact that I was always feeding. I felt that either I was feeding or pumping most of the time. This can be an overwhelming feeling after having a new baby. I always felt relief when I started supplementing and my husband could help with feedings.
My third child is due in May, and I plan to breastfeed longer this time. Hopefully, this will be a positive experience, and I can give my new little one the many benefits breastfeeding has to offer.
This is a very interesting topic to me because I try to advise any lady who comes in contact with me to breast feed their baby because that is the best a mother can do for her child. Breast milk is nutritious, is healthy for the baby because it helps to establish and boost the new baby's immune system. These healthy babies can withstand many infections and diseases with breast milk.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this information on breastfeeding. How lovely to be able to take an entire year to devote to one's baby--that allows a mother adequate time to nurture her baby in so many ways in addition to breastfeeding.
ReplyDeleteAs you were doing your research did you come across any information on the fact that breast feeding can be difficult for some babies. My experience with my daughter was awful; I tried everything, even a lactation specialist and she would not latch on. I did pump, but that too was an awful experience for me. Unfortunately the experience left me a bit scared so when I had my son, I went right for the formula. Luckily they are both healthy!
I have a son and I did not breast feed and I wish that I would have. THe only problem is that I do have the time to breast feed. If I was a stay at home mom i would but I have to work and it is so hard to do when you have a job.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mobimotherhood.org/MM/article-refusal.aspx
ReplyDeleteThis is the link to a very informative article about breastfeeding and what may cause a baby to reject the breast. It also gives advice on what to do if this happens. My sister had problems with breastfeeding as well. She said it was painful and stressing her so she then tried pumping in to the bottle. She wasn’t able to supply the amount of milk that the baby required and ended up using formula.