Study Shows Breastfeeding Can Save Lives and Money

One of the hurdles of a first time mother is definitely breastfeeding. While current trends push mothers to breastfeed their babies, a new mum soon discovers know how hard it is to learn to position the newborn correctly, deal with the constant pain of sore breasts, the occasional mastitis and the amused stares of strangers when her engorged breasts leak breast milk on her clothes.

Breastfeeding is hard, especially until you get used to it, but studies show breast milk is not only the best nutrition for a babies and infants up to six months of age, but it can prevent several serious illnesses and save lives.

When Breastfeeding saves babies and health care money
A new study published last week in the journal Pediatrics, states that if US mothers were to breastfeed their babies up to six months of age, it would save nearly 1000 newborns and $13 billion on a yearly basis.

"The United States incurs $13 billion in excess costs annually and suffers 911 preventable deaths per year because our breastfeeding rates fall far below medical recommendations," the report said.

Dr Melissa Bartick and her co-author Arnold Reinhold, found that these excess costs are due to premature deaths and that over 95% of these deaths were attributable to SIDS, intestinal infections and lower respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

Dr Bartick's study proves that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of all these conditions and seven other illnesses.

Bartick calculates that each of these 911 infant death costs $10.56 million and she also included the health care costs and parents' time missed from work.

The World Health Organization, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all agree that babies should be exclusively breast feed until they are 6 months old, yet according to a 2009 study by the CDC only 14% of American mothers were still breastfeeding at six months.

What causes these low breastfeeding rates?
Dr Bartick points out that mothers should not be blamed for this situation as there are a number of factors contributing to these low breastfeeding rates and new mothers often lack support from the moment their children are born.

• Hospitals The biggest priority seems to be the improvement of maternity care practices. This study refers to a 2007 CDC survey of hospitals and birthing centers where only 63% complied with the recommendations meant to encourage breastfeeding. Bartick says that many hospitals delay the immediate skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn which hinders the newborn's instinct to suckle.

• Lack of education In addition mothers need to be better educated about the importance of breastfeeding and they also need to be given the necessary support once they leave hospital if the newborn is not latching properly and getting enough food.

• Social pressure Even if mothers do overcome the hurdle of learning to breastfeed their children, the difficulties do not stop. Dr. Alan Fleischman, medical director for the March of Dimes, was not surprised by the findings of the report. Fleischman, points to another major contributor to these low breastfeeding rates - grandmothers and situations where these older women advise their daughters to give formula instead of breastfeeding as soon as they see their daughters struggling, because it was the norm when they were raising their children.

Works cited
"Study Lack of breast feeding costs lives, billions of dollars" Miriam Falco www CNN Health

"New Study shows that breastfeeding can save lives and money" Melissa Kotlen Nagin www.About.com