tract infection.^2 The Academy also points out various studies
demonstrating breast milk’s protection against Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome, allergic diseases, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other
chronic digestive diseases.^3
There’s more good news. Unlike formula which needs to be prepared,
stored, warmed and packed for every outing, breast milk is always ready,
whenever and wherever you go. And you never need wonder about the
milk’s freshness. Inside mother, it won’t go bad. Breast-feeding has many
health benefits for mom as well, such as helping to speed the return of the
uterus to its normal size and shape. It also decreases the risk of breast
cancer and facilitates easier postpartum weight loss. What new mother
isn’t eager to get back into pre-pregnancy clothes?
Breast-feeding Trends
Despite the numerous benefits of breast-feeding, the American Academy
of Pediatrics notes that the number of mothers opting to breast-feed are
lower than expected: “Although breast-feeding rates have increased
slightly since 1990, the percentage of women currently electing to breast-
feed their babies is still lower than levels reported in the mid-1980s and
is far below the Healthy People 2000 goal,” says the AAP. “In 1995,
59.4% of women in the United States were breast-feeding exclusively or
in combination with formula-feeding at the time of hospital discharge;
only 21.6% of mothers were nursing at six months, and many of these
were supplementing with formula.” The goal of Healthy People 2000 is to
increase the number of breast-feeding mothers to 75% and to increase to
50% the number who will continue breast-feeding until their babies are
five to six months old.^4
Why do nearly half of all mothers choose against the nourishment,
convenience, and physical closeness of breast-feeding? Quite possibly the
decision to quit breast-feeding actually is a disturbing necessity for
distraught and fatigued moms unable to cope with endless demands
created by a faulty parenting philosophy.