Breastfeeding a child is more than an emotional bond between mother and infant, it is a healthy and natural choice for supplying nutrition for the infant. Imagine having a one-stop location where all the dietary needs of your newborn can be found without need for supplements – this is what exclusive breastfeeding can do. I have always been a champion for breastfeeding but unfortunately due to ill-health in the first few weeks of pregnancy and the use of antibiotics, I was compelled to stop my own child from this natural sustenance. When I was in a position to provide the necessary nutrition, my child was no longer "interested" and my bid at breastfeeding was short-lived.
In Jamaica, the Ministry of Health and medical practitioners are advocates for exclusive breastfeeding in the first few months of an infant’s life. Exclusive breastfeeding – which is an infant’s consumption of breast milk without supplementation of any other food or liquids including water for the first six months of life – is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as it reduces infant mortality due to common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea or pneumonia, and helps with quicker recovery from illness.
Babies who receive breastfeeding have fewer illnesses in the first year of life in comparison to formula fed babies. Breastfeeding is simple and safe for not only the mother, but also for the young infant, as the breast milk is easy to digest and provides all the minerals and nutrients that the baby needs. It has also been argued that breastfeeding contributes to weight control in mothers, helps in their emotional state after birth delivery, and those mothers who exclusively breastfeed for long periods of time delay fertility and can reduce the incidence of uterine cancer (“Ministry of Health Promotes,” 2010).
However, the challenges faced by the medical profession in Jamaica, are the inaccurate misconceptions and myths that pervade the Jamaican society (Mundle, 2009), which include:
- Babies need water to quench their thirst.
- Expressed milk is not good for the baby.
- Mothers do not produce enough milk, hence the reason for additional food.
- A mother should not breastfeed if she has a cold.
In addition, most mothers return to work after 3 months and strategies are not put in place to ensure that the babies receive expressed milk (as opposed to formula) during working hours.
In 2009, a two-year exclusive breastfeeding pilot project in sections of Jamaica was begun in an effort to increase the exclusive breastfeeding rate by five percent. The project which is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Health of Jamaica and UNICEF, seeks to implement the following recommendations:
*Strengthening of the national breastfeeding programme, including an integrated mass media programme; strengthening and maintaining of a baby-friendly hospital initiative and periodic community outreach programmes.
*Training and education for all Ministry of Health staff to improve knowledge and to build counselling and support skills.
*Research to provide answers to some of the troubling issues preventing behaviour change in the practice of exclusive breastfeeding and evaluation to identify best practices, and determine the cost-effectiveness of intervention and guide programme planning.
* Establish breastfeeding support environments, including mother support groups, breastfeeding hotlines and home visits by lactation coaches to postnatal women.
The information above, which I was aware of as a mother, takes new significance as I realize the importance of good nutrition in the life of an infant and the implications that it can have on the child’s development. Queries into the nutritional practices of a mother can better inform the early childhood professional as they seek to provide quality education.
References:
Ministry of Health Promotes Benefits of Breastfeeding. (2010, September, 23). Jamaica Information Service. Retrieved from http://www.jis.gov.jm/news/
Mundle, T. (2009, December 14). Push for exclusive breastfeeding. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/
GREAT POST!!! Breastfeeding is a special and wonderful act a mother can give to her child. My twins are 2 years of age and l'm still fully breatfeeding them and recive WIC for us to. My family thinks l'm crazy but the health and brain development is important to my children and l. Weekly I add a different fruit and veggie to the menu, My children can get use to eatting varities of fruits and veggies. Although, breastfeeding is still so taboo maybe we can overcome and advocay for breastfeeding mother everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI was very interested in reading about breastfeeding in Jamaica. There are so many similarities to the United States. Many of the myths are the same. Also, the United States is trying to increase breastfeeding percentages also by education and support.
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