U.S. Gets High Rate Breastfeeding Signs for Newborns

U.S. Gets High Rate Breastfeeding Signs for Newborns

Breastfeeding is the right of a new born baby. Milk is produced in a woman only when she is pregnant. Breastfeeding brings nearness of a baby to a mother Breastfeeding, a natural and healthy option for newborns, infants, and toddlers can provide not only nourishment but long-term benefits, for both mother and baby. And yet, while many mothers start off with a breastfeeding routine, many migrate to the bottle earlier than is best for the child.

Three million babies in America, 75% of the ones born in 2007, started off on breast milk; 43% were still breastfeeding when they were six months old, according to CDC's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's) 2010 Breastfeeding Report Card. The three-quarters (75%) breastfeeding initiation rate meets the country's Healthy People 2010 target. Half of all US states had rates of over 75%.

The report reveals that the percentage of babies that started off on breast milk ranged from 52.5% in Mississippi to 90% in Utah.

Breastfeeding is considered to be the only best start to every infant's life. Mothers are advised to breastfeed their infants exclusively for six months ( minimum) and give appropriate complimentary foods, and continue breastfeeding their baby until one to two years of age. The most important health benefits for children include a reduced risk of respiratory illnesses, asthma, ear infections, stomach problems, as well as a decreased risk of diabetes and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfeeding has also shown to potentially ward off allergies, diabetes, and even obesity later in life for breastfed babies.

However the annual" Breastfeeding Report Cart" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention give statistics that seem quite high for the first few months of life and then drop severely as time marches on. The good news is that we are trying. In fact, the Report Card shows that 75 percent of babies born in the United States in 2007 - over 3 million - started life breastfeeding, which meets one of the nation's Health People 2010 goals. However, after 3 months, the rates fall and then take a real tumble at the 6-12 month stage.

The southern part of the country seems to fall particularly short at the 6-month stage, with many of the states logging less than a 30 percent breastfeeding rate. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina and West Virginia trail the country, while their Western counterpartsCalifornia, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Coloradoall boast rates above 50 percent.

Several factors usually play into the lack of breastfeeding, (i)most importantly hospital practices in promoting breastfeeding postpartum,(ii) familial support, and (iii) the workforce. According to the report, birth facility policies and practices significantly impact whether a woman chooses to start breastfeeding and how long she continues to breastfeed. Several specific policies and practices, in combination, determine how much overall support for breastfeeding a woman birthing in a given facility is likely to receive and how likely her baby is to receive formula in the first 2 days.

Once a woman is at home, breastfeeding requires a dedication, essentially being a food source on demand 24/7. This may not be possible given a family situation where there are multiple children or elders to care for. Likewise a swift return to work can make it difficult to continue the practice of breastfeeding, although it is certainly possible. There are laws mandating support for breastfeeding mothers who return to work by requiring a minimum level of breastfeeding support from the employer. Such laws support the economic goals of employers and employees as well as the well-being of mothers and children.

The medical director from the Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Study Center in the University of Rochester has said, "Every newborn should be breastfed as this would provide the best nutrition, the greatest infection protection, the most illness prevention, and the greatest food security and psychological protection for the infant."

Breastfeeding offers many benefits for both the baby and the mother:

It is easy to digest

It contains antibodies that protect the baby from infections a study showed how breastfeeding transfers immunity to babies

It reduces the risk of becoming overweight/obese later on in life

It requires no measuring and careful preparations - it is the ideal way to feed on demand instantly.

Breastfed babies are less likely to have diarrhea compared to formula fed babies.

Some studies have linked breastfeeding to higher intelligence later in life.

A mother who breastfed her children has a considerably lower risk of developing Diabetes Type 2 when she is older, compared to a woman who had children but never breastfed.

Women who breastfeed appear to have lower risk of inherited breast cancer.

Children who are breastfed are less likely to suffer from behavioral or mental health issues than those who are not breastfed, research has revealed.

Breastfeeding may prevent or delay allergies in high-risk children.

U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Regina M. Benjamin,said in August 2010:

"I am committed to promoting and supporting optimal breastfeeding practices with the ultimate goal of improving the public's health. This is because breastfeeding is the best source of infant nutrition, and it provides immunologic protection and health benefits both to breastfeeding mothers and to the children they nurse."

U.S. Gets High Rate Breastfeeding Signs for Newborns

By: alam.md

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