Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Breast Feeding Urged

DR. FAY BOOZMAN

DIRECTOR

ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

If your are an expectant parent, you'll want nothing but the best for your child. The decision to breast feed is one you can be proud of, because it will provide tremendous health and economic paybacks with very little investment.

Overwhelming evidence supports the health, nutritional, developmental and psychological benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can give children a head start in learning.

Breast milk is perfectly designed by nature to provide all the right nutrients for your baby. Special fatty acids contained in breast milk are believed to result in improved brain growth and visual perception. Breast milk also contains antibodies that protect babies from diarrhea, ear infections and provide resistance to disease. Fewer ear infections may reduce the risk of hearing loss and learning delays.

Breastfeeding also helps the health of women as well. Women who breast feed have a lower risk of developing ovarian and pre-menopausal breast cancer, and they return to their pre- pregnant weight sooner. New studies suggest that breastfeeding women have improved bone rebuilding that results in fewer fractures.

There are other important benefits. Breastfeeding encourages touching, holding and the development of a close bond that children need to grow, thrive and develop self-confidence.

Children with healthy brains and bodies perform age-expected tasks more easily. As a result, learning readiness is enhanced. Several research studies have shown evidence of improved school achievement in breast-fed children.

Healthier infants use fewer health care dollars. The government saves between $450 and $800 in welfare and health care costs for each baby breast-fed for at least six months. Millions of dollars are spent each year in the United States on diseases such as insulin dependant diabetes, allergic disease and lymphoma. Breastfeeding helps protect against these disorders. Additional savings are achieved by reducing environmental waste from fewer cans, bottles and plastic from formula.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a statement supporting human milk as the preferred feeding for babies through the first year of life and longer. The AAP suggested the following practice:

• Breast feed as soon as possible after birth.
• Keep mothers and babies together after delivery to facilitate breast feeding.
• Breast feed on demand in response to signs of hunger, such as alertness, mouthing or rooting instead of using crying as an indicator.
• Pump and save mother's milk when direct breas feeding is not possible.
• Breast feed exclusively for about the fist six months after birth followed by iron-enriched solid foods.

State and federal agencies, such as the WIC ( Women, Infants and Children's) supplemental food and nutrition program, have integrated breastfeeding promotion into their programs. Specific activities used by health clinics, community groups, hospitals and work sites teach children the importance of breastfeeding.

For more information about ways to educate, promote and support breastfeeding, I urge you to call the Arkansas Department of Health's statewide breast feeding help line, 1-800-445- 6175.