Two decades of scientific research, and years of proactive measures by health experts and others, are beginning to pay off. Attitudes and behaviors toward breast-feeding in the United States are changing. Mothers are leaving the embroidered backpacks full of formula at home and breastfeeding in public. Little babies in their baby bloomers are getting the full benifit of breastfeeding now.
During the last 15 years, the importance of breast-feeding has been recognized as one of the most valuable medical contributors to infant health. In 1990, the United States signed a formal declaration on the protection, promotion, and support of breast-feeding adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). At the same time, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative called Healthy People 2000, and subsequently Healthy People 2010, established breast-feeding objectives for the first year of an infant life.
Recognition of the benefits of breast-feeding has already spread to many health and professional organizations, such as the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Dietetic Association, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Moreover, the American Academy of Pediatrics considers breast-feeding to be the ideal method of feeding and nurturing infants.
Expressing breastmilk via a pump is a valid way to do this as well as feeding from the source. For personalized baby gifts, some pumps come monogrammed and travel sized. Legislative support of breast-feeding is growing. As of 1999, 33 states had enacted laws relating to a wide range of issues involving various aspects of breast-feeding, such as redefining indecent exposure rules, allowing breast-feeding in public places, jury duty postponement due to breast-feeding, and promotion of breast-feeding programs. Hawaii, for example, prohibits employers from discriminating against a mother who breast-feeds or expresses milk with a pump at the workplace.
In addition, several health plans are working to make women aware of the many health benefits breast-feeding holds for their newborns and for themselves. Health plans can influence both families and health care providers through targeted educational interventions promoting breast-feeding, and breast-feeding support services, provided before, during, and after birth. Additionally, health plans can support breast-feeding mothers during the critical first days and weeks postpartum by offering all mothers access to special services provided by trained physicians, nurses, lactation specialists (breast-feeding coaches), and peer counselors or other trained health care providers.
Science has proved that breast-fed babies have a healthier start in life. Human milk contains a balance of nutrients that closely matches infant requirements for brain development, growth and a healthy immune system. Human milk also contains immunologic agents and other compounds that act against viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
Kyle Newton is a writer for Babyosodotcom and wants you to check out their Baby Gifts and Lunchboxes areas.
