|
July
29, 2003
The
health of a nation is its most important resource.
Breastfeeding is a simple and cost effective way to
establish a foundation of optimal lifetime health.
During the week of August 1 - 7, World Breastfeeding
Week, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) will emphasize
the importance of the tradition of breastfeeding.
The ADH will be promoting breastfeeding in Arkansas as
part of a broad National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign –
Breastfeeding in the United States: Strategic Plan.
The three-year media campaign, sponsored by the U.S.
Breastfeeding Committee of the Department of Health and Human
Services on Women’s Health, aims to: 1) increase the number of mothers who breastfeed; 2) target
first-time parents who would not normally breastfeed; and, 3)
empower women to commit to breastfeeding.
Breastfeed for a
Healthy Baby:
- Exclusive
breastfeeding meets all the nutritional needs of a baby
for the first six months.
- Breastfeeding
continues to make a significant contribution to the
baby’s nutritional and emotional health into the second
year and beyond.
- Research
shows that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of obesity
later in life by as much as 30 percent.
- Breastfed
babies have stronger immune systems and are healthier
than formula fed babies.
- Special
fatty acids in breast milk lead to increased
intelligence quotients (IQs) and better visual acuity.
Breastfeed
for a Healthy Mom:
- Breastfeeding
shortly after birth lowers the mother’s risk for
excess postpartum bleeding and anemia.
- Exclusive
breastfeeding can boost a mother’s own immune
system.
- Reduces
the insulin needs of diabetic mothers.
- In
the long term, breastfeeding can help protect a mother
from breast and ovarian cancers and brittle bones.
- Once
mother and baby have learned to breastfeed easily,
breastfeeding can reduce a mother’s stress by
keeping her infants or young children healthy and well
nourished.
- Exclusive
breastfeeding for the first six months saves the
mother money, energy and time- nothing to buy, prepare
or clean up.
The
Arkansas Department of Health - WIC program encourages
mothers to breastfeed to provide the best health for
babies. For
more information, call the Breastfeeding Helpline at
1-800- 445-6175 or visit www.healthyarkansas.com.
-###-
|
