American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Their Breastfeeding Statement

Recent studies have stimulated the American Academy of Pediatrics to update their 1997 Breastfeeding Policy Statement. Over 200 studies and publications are cited to support these findings. The benefits to the infant, the mother, and the community are summarized. Recommendations to guide pediatricians and health care professionals in assisting mothers to initiate and continue breastfeeding are stated. The policy statement outlines methods that pediatricians and others can use to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding in their practices, hospitals, medical schools, community and nation.

Extensive research using improved epidemiologic methods and modern laboratory techniques demonstrate numerous compelling advantages for infants, mothers, families, and society when breastfeeding is increased. The advantages include health, nutritional, immunological, developmental, psychological, social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Since the 1997 AAP Policy Statement on Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk was published, there have been significant advances in science and clinical medicine. This revision sites substantial new research. The central role of the pediatrician in coordinating breastfeeding management is delineated. These recommendations are consistent with the goals of the Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Breastfeeding Committee.

The AAP Statement emphasizes that human milk is species-specific, and all formula preparations differ markedly from it. Human milk is uniquely superior for infants. These significant benefits are shown to enhance the health of both term and preterm infants.

Research provides evidence that breastfeeding decreases the incidence and severity of a wide range of infectious diseases including bacterial meningitis, bacteremia, diarrhea, respiratory tract infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, otitis media, urinary tract infection, and late-onset sepsis in preterm infants. In addition, postneonatal infant mortality rates in the United States are reduced by 21% in breastfed infants.

Studies also suggest decreased rates of sudden infant death syndrome in the first year of life, reduction of insulin-dependant and non-insulin-dependant diabetes mellitus, lymphoma, leukemia, and Hodgkin disease, overweight and obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and asthma which carries even into adulthood.

Breastfeeding is associated with slightly enhanced cognitive development. Breastfeeding provides analgesia to infants and children.

Mothers benefit from decreased postpartum bleeding, more rapid uterine involution, decreased menstrual blood loss, lactational amenorrhea which increases child spacing, earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight, decreased risk of breast cancer, decreased risk of ovarian cancer, decreased risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis in post-menopause.

Environmental benefits and economic benefits are addressed. Contraindications due to medications, disease, alcohol, smoking and drug use are identified.

The AAP, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Family Physicians, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, World Health Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund and many others recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. Although breastfeeding initiation has increased since 1990, exclusive breastfeeding has shown no increase in that same time period.

Obstacles to initiation and continuation of breastfeeding include insufficient prenatal education, disruptive hospital practices, lack of societal support, inappropriate and discouraging media portrayals of bottle feeding as normative, formula promotion in hospital discharge packs, formula coupons, advertising, and lack of encouragement from health care professionals.

The statement goes on to detail methods whereby these obstacles can be overcome. As individuals who are both concerned and knowledgeable in this field, each one of us may want to share this information in every direction possible. Our suggestion is to read the statement in more detail: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/115/2/496. (PEDIATRICS Vol. 115 No. 2 February 2005, pp. 496-506 (doi:10.1542/peds.2004-2491)

All of us have heard this message before, but there is one more baby out there who

will benefit from your caring actions and follow through.

Carry On,

Bill & Dee-Dee Devin/Over the Shoulder Baby Holder baby slings/parents of Elsa,

Aubrey, Hana Lei and Josiah (natural, natural, natural frank breech & natural)

You must be what you want your children to become

www.babyslings.com