Going for the gold
SIRIPATANA SIRITANARATKUL
'Mother Support: Going for the Gold" is the theme of this year's World Breastfeeding Week, being held this week in 120 countries, as it coincides with the Olympic Games in Beijing.
As multinational athletes compete for gold medals, breastfeeding enthusiasts around the world encourage society to support breastfeeding mothers so that our children can "go for the gold" in their lives by achieving their full potential.
Breastfeeding is the best start in every child's life as it is the "gold standard" of infant feeding. Basically, mothers should breastfeed their children exclusively for six months and give appropriate complementary foods, and continue to breastfeed until the child is two years old. Dr Ruth A Lawrence, medical director, Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Study Centre, University of Rochester, says, "Every newborn should be breastfed as this would provide the best nutrition, the greatest infection protection, the most illness prevention, and the greatest food security and psychological protection for the infant."
It is not an easy task for mothers to continue breastfeeding while returning to work when the babies are just three to four months old. They have to plan meticulously - when and how to pump and store breast milk during working hours.
In time of economic hardship society as a whole needs to understand that helping mothers to breastfeed will save the money both at the household and national levels.
In 1992, breast milk production in Norway accounted for 8.2 million kilogrammes, which was worth over $400 million (milk bank price $50 per litre).
The average breast milk production per child stood at 234 litres in the first year and 111 litres in the second year.
So, have we really considered the costs of not breastfeeding? These include the following:
- Costs of purchasing milk substitutes, bottles, cleaning supplies plus transportation, storage, heating and cleaning up all equipment.
- Costs of health care because none-breastfed infants get sick more often and at an earlier age. For example, the acute infection in the children's middle ears is significantly lower in breastfed infants.
- At the national level, the nation can save costs of importing milk substitutes, marketing campaign, logistics and inventory. It can also save the costs of packaging disposal which can help reduce global warming in the long run. The government can as well save health care costs for sick children. Employers and the whole national economy can benefit from higher productivity generated by their employees.
Support needed
Family members who understand the importance of breast milk should help encourage the mothers to breastfeed the children as long as they can.
Doctors and nurses are the influence in encouraging or discouraging mothers to breastfeed.
"The ability of any society to maintain current or potential production levels of breast milk depends on a supportive breastfeeding culture and institutions," says Julie P. Smith and Lindy H. Ingham, in 2005.
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