Critical review of research studies about effective strategies in prolonging breastfeeding - Lab Report Example

For mothers’ health, breastfeeding results in reducing risk of breast and ovarian cancers and enhancing maternal infant attachment, more rapid uterine involution, less postpartum depression and weight reduction (Peters, Wehkamp, Felberbaum, Krüger, & Linder, 2005; USPSTF, 2003). In particular, the decreased risks of breast and ovarian cancers are associated with the duration of breastfeeding in women. Peters et al. (2005) reported that the risk rate is reduced by 4.3% annually among women who breastfeed.

Moreover, breastfeeding has cost-benefit. Health Maintenance Organisation in USA (cited in Peters et al., 2005) showed that a family with a child who was breastfed saved $808 for the child in three years. As a result of countless benefits of breastfeeding, the rates of mothers who commence breastfeeding have exponentially grown since 1960s. The World Health Organisation [WHO] (cited in Brttion et al., 2007) strongly recommends that all infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their life.

Despite of that, the rate of the breastfeeding continuation is lower than the WHO recommendation. Many infants in developed countries receive breast milk for a shorter period as well as in developing countries (Blyth et al., 2002; Dyson, McCormick, & Renfrew, 2005). In fact, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) have some of the lowest rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration among developed countries (Blyth et al., 2002; Dyson, McCormick, & Renfrew, 2005). According to WHO, only 35% of infants worldwide receive exclusive breastfeeding in five months postpartum (Peters et al.

, 2005; Spear, 2004). In Australia, the rate of mothers who continue with breastfeeding drops from 90% to 23% for six months postpartum (Blyth et al., 2002; Cadigan, & Perrin, 2007; Lumbigannon et al., 2007). There are many issues which contribute to short durations of breastfeeding, such as young