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twice.

A Little Support May Go a Long Way in Promoting Successful Breastfeeding
Provided by KidsHealth.org


Peer breastfeeding counselors, non-professional advisors who promote
exclusive breastfeeding, may help to increase the practice of this
recommended method of infant feeding. Exclusive breastfeeding, using
only
breast milk and no formula, is associated with lower rates of diarrhea
and
other illnesses in infants, as well as many other benefits. Home visits
by
peer counselors during pregnancy and shortly after birth may encourage
more
mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended period
of
time.

Researchers from Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia,
headed a study to evaluate the impact of peer counseling on the
infant-feeding practices of 130 mothers residing in the Mexico City
area.
The women were divided into three groups. One group received no peer
counseling, whereas the other women were visited either three or six
times
by trained peer counselors. Women who received counseling were
significantly
more likely to exclusively breastfeed their infants, and to continue
breastfeeding for a longer period of time than women who did not receive
counseling. When the infants were 3 months of age, only 12% of the
mothers
not visited by peer counselors were exclusively breastfeeding, compared
to
67% of the mothers who had been visited six times. Some study mothers
gave
their infants supplemental formula feedings for a short time. The extra
visits in the 6-visit group appeared to have encouraged some of these
mothers to resume exclusive breastfeeding. The infants of mothers not
receiving peer counseling were twice as likely to have had diarrhea in
the
first months of life than were the other babies.

What This Means to You: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that
all infants be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life,
when
other foods can be introduced. This study shows that support from peer
counselors may help in promoting successful breastfeeding. If you have
any
problems establishing or maintaining successful breastfeeding, talk to
your
infant's doctor about the breastfeeding support groups that may be
available
in your area.

Source: THE LANCET, April 10, 1999
--
Monique
Noah Reilly Schaefers  6/18/97
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