'The promotion of breastfeeding offers an excellent cost / effectiveness ratio, so it should be considered as a priority public health goal.'
This is the conclusion reached by the Spanish Working Group participating in the Global Breastfeeding Initiative, after presenting the results of the 'National Survey on Breastfeeding Habits'.
The data has been collected from the online questionnaires conducted by 569 mothers with children under two years of age throughout the national territory.The Global Breastfeeding Initiative is a long-term project that deals with combat and eliminate barriers that prevent mothers from breastfeeding their babies, and thus increase breastfeeding rates.
While this happens, in East Asia, and some African countries (and despite the advantages that accompany the most natural and healthy feeding for babies), the rates are stagnant. Stagnant and even descending, influenced by factors such as the lack of education of women, or the practices of companies producing breast milk substitutes.
Let's return to the survey that has been conducted in our country: 89% of women surveyed, were breastfeeding or breastfeeding, while 11% had chosen to do without breastfeeding (due to different reasons).
From the three months of age of the baby, the percentage of mothers who continue breastfeeding goes from 89 to 38 percent (at six months), after a decrease to 69% that they maintain breastfeeding at three months.
The number of mothers who continue breastfeeding is 18%. The main reason for suspending it (among the mothers who, when interviewed, no longer breastfed), was 'having less milk', or the need to join the work activity.
It seems that the mades perceive as inconvenience to continue breastfeeding, complication with work activity, or difficulty breastfeeding in public places. Regarding the first, we must recognize that although many mothers can make the continuation of this healthy practice compatible thanks to time reductions, breast pumps, help from family members, etc. others do not have it so easy (we all know newly moms who join to work after maternity leave in their position of super with 'marathon' days).
Regarding the second difficulty, I think it is a matter of making society understand, that breastfeeding does not harm anyone, and it's a baby and mom's right, therefore it must continue reinvindicating.
Mothers are aware that breastfeeding is the best way to feed their child. They consider that it protects them from diseases and infections (81%) and for them, as mothers, that it is the most natural method (78%) and personal satisfaction (50%)
Actions to develop for the promotion of breastfeeding
The creation of one network of companies that support breastfeeding, providing spaces for breastfeeding in workplaces (room for the extraction and preservation of mother's milk) and other measures such as flexibility of schedules or the possibility that women during the period of breastfeeding perform part of the work at home.
Improve parental education on various aspects of breastfeeding to prevent their early abandonment, especially false myths and advice to maintain breastfeeding after returning to work.
The baby has the right to receive the best food and the mother to choose the best food for her child. The interventions that help the start and maintenance of the LM throughout the first years of life, must be supported by all.
Images | myllissa Source | AEP In Peques and More | Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure the health and survival of children
