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Contact: Lori Maldonado
Public Information Specialist
(303) 692-2028
For Immediate Release Thursday, July 15, 2004
Babies Need to be Breastfed for at Least Six Months for Optimal Health Benefits
DENVER—Throughout Colorado and across the nation, people will be raising awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding during World Breastfeeding Week, which is being observed from August 1-7.
The theme this year, “Exclusive Breastfeeding: The Gold Standard,” encourages women to exclusively breastfeed their baby for at least six months.
Jennifer Dellaport, nutritionist for the Colorado Women, Infants and Children’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program (WIC), which is based at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said, “Breastfeeding is often not viewed as a concern in Colorado because over 80 percent of women give breastfeeding a try after having a baby. However, the problem occurs when many women stop not long after their baby is born. Currently in Colorado, only 40 percent of babies are breastfed at six months of age. The challenge for Colorado is to support all those women who begin breastfeeding and encourage them to keep on going for at least six months.”
Dellaport said that infants who breastfeed receive protection against common respiratory infections; diarrhea, ear infections; sudden infant death syndrome; and several chronic childhood diseases.
Mothers who breastfeed their babies are at a reduced risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis and postpartum anemia. Breastfeeding also helps new mothers lose weight after the baby is born and can reduce depression and anxiety.
Dellaport added, “Breastfeeding a baby also can save a family up to $2,000 a year by not having to buy formula.”
Despite recent outreach efforts and the passage of legislation in Colorado that gives mothers the right to breastfeed anywhere they have a right to be, Dellaport said more needs to be done to encourage women to continue breastfeeding exclusively for at least six months.
She noted that one hindrance to giving women the confidence to breastfeed is the free formula that is issued upon hospital discharge. A survey of 95 percent of Colorado hospitals found that 96 percent of those that responded to the survey give free formula to new mothers in a discharge pack of goodies.
“Lack of or perceived lack of inadequate milk is one of the main reasons women site for stopping breastfeeding,” said Dellaport. “The cans of free formula tell the mother they don’t need to breastfeed or that they can rely on the formula if they cannot supply an adequate amount. We need to let these women know they can and should continue breastfeeding and there is support out there for them.”
Dellaport emphasized, “Breast milk is and always will be the gold standard.” She said that even though formula makers attempt to mimic breast milk, there are no substitutes for the countless number of healthy substances in human milk such as anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents.
For more information about breastfeeding contact your local or state level WIC program or the National Women’s Health Information Center’s Breastfeeding Helpline at 1-800-994-9662.
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