Breastfeeding : The best start
Health benefits for infants Breast milk is the ideal food for newborns and infants. It gives them all the nutrients they need for healthy development. It is safe and contains antibodies that help protect infants fromcommon childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea and pneumonia, the two primary causes of child mortality worldwide. Breast milk is readily available and affordable, which helps to ensure that infants get adequate nutrition. Long-term benefits for children Beyond the immediate benefits for children, breastfeeding contributes to a lifetime of good health. Adolescents and adults who were breastfed as babies are less likely to be overweight or obese. They are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes and perform better in intelligence tests. Benefits for mothers Breastfeeding also benefits mothers. It reduces risks of breast and ovarian cancer later in life, helps women return to their pre- pregnancy weight faster, and lowers rates of obesity. Support for mothers is essential Breastfeeding has to be learned and many women encounter difficulties at the beginning. Nipple pain, and fear that there is not enough milk to sustain the baby are common. Health facilities that support breastfeeding – by making trained breast- feeding counsellors available to new mothers – encourage higher rates of breastfeeding. To provide this support and im- prove care for mothers and newborns, there are ‘baby-friendly’ facilities in about 152 countries thanks to the WHO-UNICEF Baby-friendly Hospital initiative. Work and breastfeeding Many mothers who return to work abandon breastfeeding partially or completely because they do not have sufficient time, or a place to breastfeed, express and store their milk. Mothers need a safe, clean and private place in or near their workplace to continue breastfeeding. Enabling conditions at work, such as paid maternity leave, part-time work arrangements, on-site crèches, facilities for expressing and storing breast milk, and breastfeeding breaks, can help.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation supports breastfeeding For more information log onto www.breastfeeding.ie
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