Breastfeeding Management in Primary Care - Essay Example

Breastfeeding, the feeding of human infants to his/her mother's breast, is one of the most important activities that a mother would give to her child. It provides the significant vitamins and minerals that are vital for the growth and health of an infant. It contains choline, biotin, chromium, copper, folate, iodine, magnesium, and all other minerals suited for infant growth (Prescott, 2003). It also has colostrum, a nutrient that provides resistance to infants from different diseases and infections (Dermer & Montgomery 2003). Studies show that breastfed children have a higher IQ than children fed with infant formulas (Your Child will have a higher IQ 2005). With the proper and important nutrients that a baby gets from breastfeeding, breastfed babies are also less prone to become overweight not only during infancy but also as they grow old as teenagers and adults (Benefits of Breastfeeding n.d.). Nutrients that balance hormonal secretions and other bodily functions lessen the proneness of infants to diabetes, heart diseases, eczema, asthma and other allergic disorders. It also boosts the infant's immune system making them less susceptible to infections. Enhancement in brain development is very much evident in breastfed babies as their visual organs and visual acuity develops faster than infant formula fed ones, providing them learning readiness as they grow older (Goodness of Breastfeeding). Breastfeeding benefits are not only confined within infants. Even mothers can profit from breastfeeding. Dermer and Montgomery (1997) elaborate the benefits that this act gives to mothers in different perspectives. Physically, the sucking of babies on mother's breasts induces the release of oxytocin, which causes contraction of the uterus that protects mothers for post-partum haemorrhage, saving the mother from anaemia. Breastfeeding also reduces the possibility of obesity in mothers. Continued breastfeeding also has the tendency to delay the return of menstruation and ovulation. This fosters child spacing for couples. On the other hand, on the psychosocial level, breastfeeding provides a firmer and more stable bond between the mother and the baby. The unique power of touch promotes psychological and emotional intimacy. Because of this exclusive intimacy between the mother and infant, post-partum depression on the part of the mother and tantrums of the infant are greatly minimized. When it comes to economic aspect, breastfeeding reduces the cost of childbearing. It minimizes infant and mother's risk on diseases. The benefits of breastfeeding have been taken into account by the UK government. The UK Department of Health has initiated series of programs in promoting breastfeeding. However studies show that despite the UK's campaign in breastfeeding awareness, there is only a minimal rate of success in this aspect (Ingram, 2006). UNICEF and UK government stated that only 69% of mothers breastfed at birth while only 42% breastfed at 6 weeks (United Kingdom Code Violations 2004 p.1). Possible reasons of this are the discouragement of new mothers to breastfeed because of painful experiences they have from it, and the misleading information mothers receive regarding the insufficiency of milk that their body produces for breastfeeding. According to UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, these reasons are brought about by lack of knowledge of the UK public in administering breastfeeding (NHS must improve services for breastfeeding mothers, says government watchdog, 2006). Aside for the lack of basic and advanced knowledge in breastfeeding another major reason is the deceiving promotion of baby milk formula. Irresponsible marketing of infant milk formulas portray their products to their consumers as complete substitute for breastmilk. In fact, according to a Department of Health survey published in May 2004, 34% of UK women believe that infant formula milks bought in the market are very similar or the exactly tha same as breastmilk (United Kingdom Code Violations 2004 p.1). Because of this enticing advertisements and promotions, about 1.5 million infants around the world die because they were not breastfed according to World Health Organisation estimate. This is primarily due to deceiving promotions of infant milk formulas (Baby Milk Action 2006). A study reveals that there is a link between the high prevalence of baby food products advertisements to the decrease of breastfeeding rate. In European countries where food manufacturers are actively promoting their products breastfeeding rate is low as compared with the countries where advertisement of baby food products are low (Breastfeeding rate in Europe). Because of these alarming numbers, various government agencies and socio-civic organisations are now established to educate mothers on breastfeeding. UK Department of Health has stepped up its program in educating British mothers on breastfeeding and maternal health. It has set its target to increase the breastfeeding mothers by 2% in 2003. Since this time, they have organized massive campaigns to promote breastfeeding in UK. Another significant group that advocates breastfeeding is the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative. The organisation conducts training and seminars on breastfeeding and child rearing. They also give full courses on breastfeeding management for mothers and also for physicians. Baby Milk Action, a non-profit organization, which mission is to dispel the false claims and promotions that deceive people all over UK and the rest of the world. They serve as the people's watchdogs on the prevalence of advertisements that shows false claims on their products. Another watchdog agency that advocates breastfeeding is the Baby Feeding Law Group. Together with the Baby Milk Action, BFLG campaigns for the strict implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, a marketing code of all member countries of World Health Organisation aiming to protect the public from the unscrupulous advertisements and campaigns for breastmilk substitutes in the United Kingdom. It also reports violations of this Code both to the public and to the government agencies involved. All these government agencies and socio-political organisations that campaign for breastfeeding in the United Kingdom aim for the health and safety of UK families, especially of infants and mothers. Yet despite all these massive efforts, UK mothers even prefer to spend much on infant foods that are actually detrimental for the health of their babies. Perhaps the campaign of the above agencies are obscured by the more accessible advertisements funded by baby food manufacturers. Whatever campaign different agencies initiate in improving the health of infants the mothers still has the responsibility to give the best for their children. The role of present mothers is to be responsible in rearing their children in the most economic and safest way possible: through breastfeeding. References Baby Feeding Law Group web site 2006, Retrieved November 01, 2006, from http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MaternalAndInfantNutrition/fs/en Baby Feeding Law Group 2006, Why the UK Law must change if it is to protect infant health, Retrieved Nov. 01 2006, from http://www.babyfeedinglawgroup.org.uk/resources/whychangelaw.html. Baby Milk Action 2006, Breastfeeding rates in Europe, Retrieved November 01, 2006, from http://www.babymilkaction.org/pages/uklaw.html. Baby Milk Action 2004, United Kingdom Code Violations: A survey of the state of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent WHA Resolutions. Baby Milk Action, Cambridge UK. Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India 2003, Goodness of Breastfeeding Retrieved November 01, 2006, from http://www.bpni.org/cgi1/goodness.asp Dermer, A & Montgomery, A 1997, Breastfeeding: Good For Babies, Mothers, and the Planet, Retrieved November 01, 2006, from http://medicalreporter.health.org/tmr0297/breastfeed0297.html Ingram, J 2006, Multiprofessional training for breastfeeding management in primary care in the UK, Retrieved November 01, 2006, from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgiartid=1475559 UK Department of Health 2006, Maternal and Infant Nutrition, Retrieved November 01, 2006, from http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MaternalAndInfantNutrition/fs/en UNICEF 2006, NHS must improve services for breastfeeding mothers, says government watchdog, Retrieved November 01, 2006, from http://www.unicef.org.uk/press/news_detail.aspnews_id=743 UNICEF 2006, UK Baby Friendly Initiative web site, Retrieved November 01, 2006, from http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/home.asp Read More