Breastfeeding is Best

This week’s blog is concerning the child’s development up until its 2 years of age.  Our assignment is to write on a public health topic that also affects the child’s development.  I chose the topic of breastfeeding.    

Breastfeeding is a touchy topic for some people especially when a mom feeds in a public place.  However, I believe many will not be so rude if they knew how much that simple act of feeding the baby by breast helps that child to develop.

The topic of breastfeeding became my choice after reading all of the benefits that breastfeeding has on not just the infant development, but the development of the person as a whole..   I always knew that the first three days after birth was important time for breastfeeding because of the Colostrum that the infant receives.  I also know from previous studies that breast milk was easier to digest.  Some of the important physical benefits of breastfeeding according to The Benefits of Breast-Feeding chart in one of my textbooks are:

v  Less infant illness

v  Less childhood asthma

v  Better childhood vision

v  Less adult illness, including diabetes, cancer, heart disease

v  Stronger jaws, fewer cavities, advanced breathing reflexes (less SIDS)

v  Higher IQ, less likely to drop out of school, more likely to attend college

v  Less likely to become obese, hypertensive by age 12

 (Berger, 2009, p. 155).

Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers

I breastfed my first son until he was six months of age.  I did not breastfeed my other three children.  I attempted with my second one so that I could store the colostrum and milk for him.  However, I was in intense pain from the inducing medication.  This pain was intensified with the breast pump for the second birth.  My other two I opted not to because I was in school and the pain from the pump scared me away from the act.  My youngest granddaughter is being breastfed now. 

Breastfeeding in Jamaica

Breastfeeding is encouraged in Jamaica.  However it is not received exclusively.  The infants born in Jamaica receive other liquid nourishments in addition to the breast milk.  Jamaican women do not believe in giving their infants only breast milk for the first six months.  “MOST Jamaican mothers are not practising exclusive breastfeeding as it goes against their belief that babies require water or tea.”   (Mundle 2009).

Mundle, T. (2009) Push for exclusive breastfeeding.  Jamaica Observer.  2009, December 14.  Retrieved from

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/allwoman/push-for-exclusive-breastfeeding

Here are some breastfeeding quotes I found

"It is hip to NIP -- Nurse in Public."

Robert L. Jamieson, Jr.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Columnist
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/jamieson/230375_robert28.html

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"Breastfeeding is a mother's gift to herself, her baby and the earth."

Pamela K. Wiggins
IBCLC, Author
www.breastfeedingbooks.com

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Retrieved from http://www.lllusa.org/wbw/quotes.php