If breast is best then why aren't US hospitals doing more to promote breastfeeding among new mothers?
The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous, from immunity for babies to lowering the risk of some cancers for moms. There are also benefits for society, including economic advantages. Consider these facts from the United States Breastfeeding Committee: $2 billion per year is spent by families on breast milk substitutes such as infant formula and $578 million per year in federal funds is spent by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to buy formula for babies who are not breastfeeding.
The CDC recently released its first-ever survey of breastfeeding practices at hospitals and birthing centers nationwide. The survey examined maternity practices in hospitals and birthing centers that can influence breastfeeding behaviors during "a period critical to successful establishment of lactation." These practices include ensuring mother-newborn skin-to-skin contact, keeping mother and newborn together, and not giving supplemental feedings to breastfed newborns unless medically indicated. The survey found that a substantial proportion of facilities used practices that are known to interfere with breastfeeding. The survey researchers assigned scores to facility responses on a 0 -100 scale, with 100 representing a practice most favorable toward breastfeeding. The results varied by region of the country with states in New England and the west coast scoring high and states in the southern United States generally having lower scores. Scores were also higher among birthing centers (86 out of 100), compared with hospitals (62).
There are many interesting findings in the report and not enough room here to reiterate them all. However, I would like to point out that even in the category of breastfeeding assistance, which received the highest average score (80 out of 100) of all categories examined, many facilities still reported practices that are not evidence-based and don't support breastfeeding. Specifically, 65% of facilities advised women to limit the duration of suckling at each breastfeeding and 45% reported giving pacifiers to more than half of all healthy, full-term breastfed infants.
Why are there not more breastfeeding-friendly practices in our hospitals and workplaces when we live in one of the most wealthy, developed, medically advanced countries in the world? Is it the formula companies? Do they have lobbyists now too? When will our country stop putting money in front of all other things? I mean we are talking about babies here!
While many states have policies related to breastfeeding, there is much left to be desired. Thirty-nine states have laws allowing women to breastfeed in any public or private place. Twenty-five states exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws. Is this supposed to be impressive? Why not all of them? We are talking about a natural, fundamental, life-sustaining practice here not prostitution! An important, related issue is the lack of paid maternity leave; if you can't take any time off from work this certainly impedes your ability to breastfeed. In many workplaces (you know in those 39 states with the laws) your employer is required to provide you with a space to pump breastmilk. However, one quick internet search reveals many stories of women struggling to work and breastfeed (along with accounts of being thrown out of shopping malls for breastfeeding). Further, much of the commentary and information regarding breastfeeding and working mothers is relevant only to women in certain (higher level) positions. Like all issues facing women today, we need to take a close look at the intersection of gender, race, and class in order to see the whole picture and create meaningful solutions.
There are many obstacles to breastfeeding your baby - the hospital you give birth in shouldn't be one of them.
