Hello, my name is Beth Mittet; I am a Jr. II nursing student at the
University of North Dakota. I am currently taking a childbearing class and
really enjoy working with the obstetrics population. I find breastfeeding
intriguing and am glad that its importance and benefits have been pushed in
the past few years.
Breastfeeding has many benefits for the new baby and is very cost effective
for the parents as well. Lawrence (2000) discusses the benefits not only
for baby but for the mother too. She lists the advantages breastfeeding
provides for nutrition, growth and development, immune system, and also the
positive incentives to mothers, such as contracting the uterus and a
shorter duration of lochia. Anderson, Johnstone, and Remley (1999)
discussed the differences in cognitive development between those babies who
were breastfed vs. formula fed and there was a significantly higher score
for those babies who were breastfed in cognitive development. Another study
also stresses the effectiveness of breastfeeding in correlation with higher
academic scores. Horwood and Fergusson (1997) did a study associating the
length of time a baby is breastfed and whether it increases their academic
scores. The study showed slightly higher scores in those breastfed for at
least 8 months.
My question being, how do you begin to influence a mother that does not
plan on breastfeeding, given the multiple advantages that have been proven
for not only the infant but the mother as well?
Thank you,
Beth, SN
Anderson, J., Johnstone, B., Remley, D., (October 1999). Breast-feeding
and cognitive development: a Meta Analysis. The American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition, 70(4). 525-535.
Horwood, J., Fergusson, D., (1997). Breastfeeding and Later Academic and
Cognitive Outcomes. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics,
101(1). 9.
Lawrence, R., (2000). Breastfeeding: benefits, risks and alternatives.
Current opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12(6). 519-524. Lippincott
Williams and Wilkins (2000).
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