Breast is Best

Public Health Topic

Breast is Best!

The public health topic I chose to discuss is breastfeeding.  I feel breastfeeding is the best way to go for many reasons. I read when I was pregnant all about breastfeeding and why women should at least try to breastfeed their child rather than just jumping right to formula. All the information I already knew or learned was restated within our readings for this week. We as mothers don’t only have sterile milk but the nutrition begins with the colostrum. Babies need the extra nutrition to build their immune systems up.  In addition, a mother’s milk is always at room temperature and rich with vitamins such as iron and nutrients for the brain and body.  It has also been said that babies who are breastfed are less likely to get sick because breast milk provides the baby with antibodies to fight against all diseases that the mother is immune to.  Babies who are breastfed are also less likely to become obese. Lastly, breast milk specific fats and sugars in the milk that makes it easier to digest and better for the brain than any other formula.

I personally breastfed my son for the 12 weeks I was home with him.  Since being back to work, I try to pump twice a day. Whenever I am with my son I feed him as much as I can however, since going back to work my supply has decreased which meant I am supplementing formula whenever I have to. My son took to both very well. If I could, he would not be drinking any formula at all and only breast milk.  The reason I want to continue to breastfeed and provide my son with the most I can is because I know it is helping with his development.  I can tell that he is much smaller than some of the other kids we are around. I can also tell that since supplementing, my son is chunking up and is not just skin and bones anymore. I can also tell that he is advanced in some development when compared to kids his age and even kids older than him.

When I have future children, I will do the same thing. I will breastfeed as long as I possibly can. I will also start building my supply much earlier, that way I have a supply for when I do go back to work. Lastly, I will continue to always encourage my friends to at least try breastfeeding. It not only saves you money but helps with the development with your child.

I chose to look into the culture in Africa to see what their women did and if they chose to breastfeed or use formula. What I found was that about 95% of African women breastfeed their children.  However, their feeding practices are inadequate.  The rate of exclusive breast-feeding is low particularly in West Africa. Over all, the common thing to do is breastfeed.  The median duration of breastfeeding ranges between 16 and 28. The factors in Africa that tend to shorten the time period to breastfeed is urbanization and the mother’s education. I found it interesting that the importance of breast milk as a food resource is not recognized.  

References

National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine (2002, Jan-Mar). Breastfeeding in africa: will positive trends be challenged by aids epidemic [Abstract]. Sante, 12(1), 64-72. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11943640