August 1-7, 2008 is World Breastfeeding Week which marks the beginning of Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Ohio. This year’s theme is Mother Support: Going for the Gold and corresponds with the August Olympic Games. Mothers, like Olympic athletes, need the support of family, friends and their communities in order to be successful. Both athletes and breastfeeding mothers face challenges. For a breastfeeding mother, these challenges include dealing with misinformation, continuing to breastfeed while working outside the home, coping in emergency situations and most importantly, overcoming doubts about her ability to breastfeed her baby. Belief in oneself is a key ingredient for success for both athletes and mothers. Ohio ranks 44th in the nation in breastfeeding initiation rates at 59.6 percent as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Breastfeeding Report Card issued in April 2008. It is important to dramatically improve breastfeeding rates so that infants and mothers may reap the benefits. Breastfed babies have significantly reduced risk of obesity and diabetes, fewer ear and respiratory infections, and have higher IQs. Breastfeeding mothers have lower risks of developing breast cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes.
It is essential that mothers get ongoing support in order to continue breastfeeding. Ohio health care providers, family members and society can support a breastfeeding mother by:
- Discussing breastfeeding early in her pregnancy.
- Educating her family about why it is important to breastfeed and how to support her decision to breastfeed.
- Educating hospital staff and health care providers on how to support breastfeeding.
- Creating breastfeeding coalitions to advocate for legislation that supports breastfeeding.
- Encouraging employers to support their breastfeeding employees.
- Working with disaster preparedness organizations to support safe infant feeding.
- Asking the media to promote breastfeeding as the norm.
For more information about breastfeeding in Clermont County, please Contact Us.