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July 26, 2004
Little Rock --
World BreastfeedingWeek will be celebrated on August 1-7th this year according to Sandra Jones, Arkansas Department of Health Women Infants and Children Nutrition Breastfeeding Consultant. Jones said, “This year the celebration goal is to highlight the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and enable mothers to do it. Exclusive breastfeeding means that the infant receives only breast milk from the mother and no other food or drink for the first six months of life. More is definitely better when it comes to babies receiving their mother’s milk. Babies get the very best health benefits when they are exclusively breastfed.”
Babies who receive breast milk have been shown to have fewer episodes of diarrhea, fewer ear and respiratory infections and allergies. They also need fewer doctor visits due to illness. The majority of babies in the U.S. are not exclusively breastfed. Many receive feeds of other milk, cereal, juice or tea within a few weeks after birth. In Arkansas, 43.2% of babies began breastfeeding, but only 10.1% were breastfeeding at six months of age and 4.9% at 12 months.
Mothers can exclusively breastfeed if they know how important it is for their baby and themselves. Arkansas’ breastfeeding mothers can get help to ensure success with exclusive breastfeeding from a number of community resources: the county health department, hospital and private practice lactation consultants, physicians’s offices, other mothers and La Leche League leaders.
For more information, call the Arkansas Department of Health – WIC Breastfeeding Help-line at
1-800-445-6175. Also visit the breastfeeding website at
www.healthyarkansas.com/breastfeeding.
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