Discussions about breastfeeding commonly refer to the benefits an infant receives from its mother's milk. But significant data now demonstrates the numerous benefits for mom as well. As a result, the issue of breastfeeding is high on both international and United States health care agendas, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and it is a topic to be addressed as we celebrate National Women's Health Week May 14-20.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists cites the following benefits for breastfeeding mothers:
- Reduces risk of breast cancer.
- Reduces risk of uterine and ovarian cancer.
- Lessens osteoporosis.
- Reduces risk of diabetes.
- Benefits child spacing.
- Promotes emotional health.
- Promotes postpartum weight loss.
In spite of the well-documented benefits to mother and baby and the support of the medical community for breastfeeding, rates in Alabama continue to fall below objectives set by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in its "Healthy People 2010 Goals." The HHS objectives are a 75-percent initiation rate, a 50-percent rate at six months, and a 25-percent rate at one year of age. In 2003, the percent of Alabama mothers who initiated breastfeeding was 57.9 percent, according to the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.
To begin addressing the issue, leaders from various disciplines in Alabama have formed the statewide Alabama Breastfeeding Committee, according to committee member Audrey Oyama, assistant professor at Samford University's Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing. The goal of the committee, headed by Anniston pediatrician Dr. Lewis Doggett, is to increase awareness among the public, employers and healthcare providers of the importance of breastfeeding and to stress the impact they can have on effective breastfeeding promotion, protection and support. The effort is an outgrowth of recommendations by the "HHS Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding."
"As a member of the task force, I felt compelled to do whatever I could to promote breastfeeding education," Oyama said. With the help of a faculty development grant from Samford to help with the purchase of materials, Oyama and other Samford faculty and nursing students decided to concentrate their efforts in Dallas and Perry counties upon discovering that the breastfeeding rate there is about 18 percent.
"Dr. Monica Newton, another committee member, willingly accepted our help in providing education to her pregnant patients at the UAB Family Medical Center in Selma," Oyama said. "Our senior nursing students in their community health nursing course provide breastfeeding education to patients at the facility through video, printed materials and discussion."
Legislation is currently before the Alabama Legislature that will support and promote breastfeeding in Alabama. "Plans are also being made to provide more education for healthcare providers through continuing education programs," Oyama added. "Anyone who is interested in having a program for the community or for healthcare providers should contact me at amoyama@samford.edu."
