However, the is one issue where I hold a strong position. Nursing is a topic that I support wholeheartedly for the first year of the child's life.
Why? Because, of its nutritional value, as well as the bonding aspect. I personally nursed my daughter up until her first birthday. When I went back to work./school I did both, but when I was with her I was her food source, as well as her security object.
Below you will find excerpts from Breastfeeding. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Science.
These excerpts were specifically selected as they reflect the reasons why I decided to breastfeed and the reasons why I think and believe that if the body and circumstances allow it all mothers should.
"The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant's life with continued breastfeeding following the introduction of solid foods up to at least one year of age and beyond."
"Breast milk best meets the infant’s needs and is the standard by which infant formulas are judged. Several nutrient characteristics make it the ideal infant food. Lactose, the carbohydrate content of breast milk, is the same simple sugar found in any milk, but the protein content of breast milk is uniquely tailored to meet infant needs."
"Breastfeeding also encourages infant bonding, a process in which the mother and baby form an attachment."
"There is an association between reduced breast cancer rates and breastfeeding, although the reason is not known. In addition, the hormonal influences caused by suckling the infant help to contract the uterus, returning it to prepregnancy size and controlling postpartum blood loss. Breastfeeding also helps to reduce the mother’s weight"
According to https://www.romper.com/p/what-is-breastfeeding-like-in-asia-you-may-be-surprised-64389
"the rates of breastfeeding have declined over the past few decades, according to the Asia Pacific Population Journal."
"The reasons for the decline are as varied as the countries they're occurring in — everything from cultural practices, which may lead to the decreased ability to breastfeed, to demand placed on mothers to return to work quickly after having a baby. A noted few exceptions like Japan, South Korea, and Bangladesh, have all seen a rise in breastfeeding rates in the past 10 years."
Moving forward the information that I found will not change anything that I am already doing. When asked I will continue to promote breastfeeding for at minimum the first 6 months of an infants life.
Resources:
Stuhldreher, W. P. (2013). Breastfeeding. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Science,
Below are some links to articles regarding breastfeeding if you would like more information or are seeking to expand your knowledge concerning the topic.
https://internationalbreastfeedingjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/default.aspx
As a mother I'm always supportive of breastfeeding. This is so because I grew up in the environment that every mother has to breastfeed her children for two years until the children refuse. It's the healthiness and source for children to get their nutrition they need. I breastfed my children for almost two years.
ReplyDeleteI support breastfeeding because it has the best nutrition your baby needs. I breast fed all my kids and they have been the healthiest because of it. Even if you don't actually breast feed i would at least pump the milk out so my child can get what they need naturally.
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