All throughout a woman's childbearing years HCPs educate mothers-to-be and
current mothers about how to have a healthy child and how to keep their baby
safe.  The below illustrates the leading causes of Infant Mortality (All
figures are for US 1997) along with the corresponding education of mothers.
Education includes the health behaviors that can be used to promote infant
health as well as signs and symptoms of the disorders that lead to infant
illness/disease and death.  The below causes of death are listed from highest
to lowest--note the number of deaths listed beside the cause.

Congenital Anomalies: 6,178  (Take your folic acid, don't drink, smoke ...)
Pre-Term/Low Birthweight: 3,925  (Don't use drugs, drink lots of water and
these are the signs of pre-term labor....)
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): 2,991  (Put your baby back to sleep,
remove all blankets,  pillows....)
Respiratory Distress Syndrome: 1,301  (Bring your baby in if she is having
trouble breathing....)
Problems Related to Complications of Pregnancy: 1,244   (Come in for all your
prenatal visits)
Complications of Placenta, Cord, and Membrane: 960  (Come in immediately if
you break your water)
Accidents: 765  (You must have a car seat before you leave the hospital,  buy
safety outlets, gate all pools, restrain drapery cords, never leave baby
unattended.....)
Perinatal Infections: 777   (Keep baby away from crowds,  and have family
members wash their hands before holding your baby, come in if your baby has a
temp, doesn't eat well...)
Pneumonia/Influenza: 421   (Keep baby away from crowds, wash your hands ...)
Intauterine Hypoxia and Birth Asphyxia: 452  ( Do kick counts, call if you
don't feel movement over a two hour period...)

Current research has revealed that breastfeeding/breastmilk has the  ability
to prevent/treat,  SIDS,  ASTHMA,  RSV,  LOWER RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES
(including pneumonia), MENINGITIS, BOTULISM, DIARRHEA, NEC, LEUKEMIA,
CHILDHOOD LYMPHOMA ETC............ so breastfeeding may be the most important
health behavior that we promote.  Looking once again at the chart note that
one of the leading causes of infant death is SIDS.  The protective effect of
breastfeeding has been shown to lower the rate of SIDS deaths by about 30%.
The studies of LRI show a 70-80% decrease in infant illness.  Asthma rates
have been shown to be lowered by 15% and to have a delayed onset.  We know
that the rate of hospitalization of infants who are breastfed is about 5/1000
compared to formlula-fed infant's rate of 70/1000 .  Diarrheal rates are
decreased by 70%.  This is significant given that approximately 150 infants
under a year of age die from diarrhea.  Given the effectiveness of
Breastfeeding in preventing disease, is there any one other health behavior
that can effect so many of the leading causes of infant mortality/morbitiy?
If every child was breastfed, HOW LOW WOULD THE CURRENT MORTALITY RATE BE!?
Now, once again looking at the above statistics isn't easy to see where HCP
can interject the appropriate health care breastfeeding safety information.
For example, SIDS---breastfeeding has been shown to significantly decrease
the incidence of SIDS, we encourage you to choose to breastfeed for one to
two years and beyond.  Respiratory distress, exclusively breastfeeding for
six months optimally protects your child from asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis,
RSV.  More infants are harmed by bronchitis and pneumonia than from car
accidents therefore breastfeeding is even more important than using a car
seat.  Given this information, doesn't it make sense that it is the HCP's job
to inform mothers/parents that one of the first and MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS
A MOTHER/FATHER WILL MAKE IS WHETHER TO KEEP THEIR CHILD SAFE BY CHOOSING TO
BREASTFEED!!!  And then by golly give them the facts!


On another note: I still don't think most HCPs are aware of the AAP
guidelines and even fewer of them are following them.  They need to know
about the new Healthy People 2010 goals.  In addition, I have developed a
"Prenatal Lactation Education Program" for moms to be used in the clinic
setting.  Lastly, please double check my SIDS  (30%??) AND ASTHMA (15%?)
statistics the rest are definitely correct.  I wrote this from memory my
studies are at the office.

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