Mother Nature has provided the safest and healthiest food for babies: breast milk. We could simply stop here and trust that nature has, over many thousands of years and millions of births, provided the perfect nutrition for a new baby. Support these days, from family, friends, community health providers, and programs such as La Leche League, ensures individuals’ breastfeeding success.
The nutritional process starts in the womb where the growing baby receives what is needed in preparation for the outside world, and it continues once the child is born. Indeed, for the first six months, breast milk is all the baby needs. After that time, even as the baby begins to consume other foods, breastfeeding is still recommended for two years or longer.
The benefits of breastfeeding accrue to both the infant and to the mother, and to all of us more generally. It has been shown that breastfeeding lowers the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) along with many types of infections and allergies. Breast milk may also help protect a child from health problems such as eczema, asthma and diabetes. Breastfeeding also helps reduce the baby’s risk of obesity, pneumonia and other respiratory infections, gastrointestinal illnesses, urinary tract infections, ear infections and some childhood cancers.
And what about mom? She will benefit as well. Breastfeeding helps her recover from the pregnancy and delivery sooner. It may also lower the risk for certain health problems including breast cancer. Perhaps best of all, breastfeeding helps build a strong emotional bond between mother and baby.
There are many more advantages to breastfeeding from a public health perspective: it saves on the expense of formula and supplies; the source of milk is always available and at the right temperature; and the reduced need for supplies is also more environmentally friendly.
Recognizing the advantages and importance of breastfeeding is important, and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is striving to engage new mothers, families and staff to support the practice. VCH is committed to achieving the Baby Friendly Initiative designation (BFI). Started in 1991 by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, the program encourages and recognizes facilities that offer an optimal level of care for mothers and infants. Such a facility focuses on the needs of newborns and empowers mothers to give their infants the best possible start in life.
The first stage towards BFI accreditation is a self-appraisal process. There are 10 steps to achieve the designation, the first of which is to have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely shared with all staff. Other steps include making sure pregnant women and their families know about the benefits and management of breastfeeding; helping mothers initiate breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth; ensuring infants are fed exclusively with breast milk unless medically indicated; and fostering breastfeeding support groups for mothers upon discharge from the hospital.
To learn more, see the Baby Friendly Network (www.bcbabyfriendly.ca/BFHI.html) or Baby’s Best Chance (www.bestchance.gov.bc.ca).
Breastfeeding is unequalled as a contributor to the optimal physical, cognitive and emotional growth and development of children.
