BREASTFEEDING ROCKS!!!!

Breastfeeding is an important and meaningful public health measure to me because I am the mother of a 10 month old son who is breastfeed. From the moment I discovered that I was pregnant I knew I wanted to exclusively breastfeed my baby for as long as my body would allow. During my pregnancy I read many books and magazines which provided several breastfeeding tips such as the proper position to hold the baby while nursing, particular foods to consume to increase my milk supply, recommendations on the best breast pumps to purchase, and the exceptional benefits that breastfeeding provides to the child. With this information I felt that I was fully prepared to nurse my baby once I delivered. To my surprise I experienced several obstacles in breastfeeding my son when he was born. My son had a difficult time learning how to properly latch on to my breast which may it difficult for him to nurse and receive the amount of milk that his body desired. I also had a difficult time learning how to properly position my son while he was nursing which created some frustration and sense of failure for me. Due to the fact that I was 100% positive that I wanted to exclusively breastfeed my son, these obstacles that I experienced made me feel extremely upset and overwhelmed. Three days after the birth of my son, consistent effort on my part to breastfeed, and an overwhelming amount of teaching and support from the nurses overseeing the care of my son and I; my son finally learned how to properly latch on and I learned how to position my son in a way that was comfortable for the both of us. From that day forward I exclusively breastfeed my son for approximately 7 months. Today my son is 10 months old and breastfeed mostly during the evening hours when I return home from work, in the middle of the night, and early morning before I leave for work. During the hours in which my son is in daycare he receives 2% milk and apple juice (when he desires). Breastfeeding is very important to me because I believe it provides the child with the healthiest source of nutrition while creating an amazing bond between the mother and child.

I research breastfeeding practices among Urban and Rural mothers in New Delhi India and discovered some surprising statistics.  As a global public health recommendation, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) should be practiced for the 1^st 6 months of a baby’s life to achieve optimum growth, development, and health. Breastfeeding in India is almost universal but the EBF rate is low. The Third National Family Health Survey from India reported an EBF rate of 46.3% at 5 months postpartum. A longitudinal study was conducted in New Delhi and Ballabgarh India which showed that 21% of urban woman and 35% of rural woman initiated breastfeeding within 1 hr of giving birth. The EFB rate at the time of discharge was 38% for urban woman and 57% for rural women. The EFB rates in India are low and fall progressively during the first 6 months.

Reading this information inspired me to become and advocate for breastfeeding. I believe woman who are less educated about the benefits of breastfeeding, techniques to aid in the adjustment of breasting for the mother and baby, tips for working mother who chose to breastfeed are less likely to attempt breastfeeding or continue breastfeeding beyond their discharge from the hospital. An increased amount of advocacy, support, and education will increase the number of breastfeeding women which enhances the growth and development of babies in the present and future generations.