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An-Najah National University

Faculty of Nursing

Breast feeding

Prepared by: Mahdia Alkony

RN, BSN, MSN

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Introduction Breastfeeding is supported and guided by GOD in the

Koran 2:233

Children have the right to adequate nutrition and access to safe and nutritious food(WHO 2006).

3,000 babies are dying every day from infections caused by bottle feeding (UNICEF 2004).

1.5 million children are dying each year because they are not breast fed.

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Definition of breastfeeding Breastfeeding is an extension of maternal

protection that transitions the young infant from the shelter of the in utero environment to life in the ex utero world with its variety of potentially harmful exposures. (WHO. 2002).

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Benefits of breastfeedingFor mother: Breastfeeding as the normal continuum of the childbearing

cycle (Kroeger and Smith 2004} Allows women to return to pre-pregnancy weight More rapid return of ovulation experienced by women who

do not breastfeed. Lactating women experience a decreased risk of breast,

ovarian, and endometrial cancer. Some research suggest that mothers who breastfeed their

babies have fewer episodes of post-delivery depression.

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Economic benefits Reduced health costs for breastfed infants.

Thousands of dollars in expenses for children who are not breastfed, due to increased number of ill visits, prescriptions, and hospitalizations (Weimar 2001).

Breastfeeding is free, whereas formula feeding is estimated to cost £450 a year (UNICEF UK 2004, BBC 2005).

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Emotional benefits All healthy newborn cry immediately after delivery

expressing of sadness because of separation from their mothers, for that women encouraged to breast fed their babies immediately post delivery, from this time we start building healthy society.

Maternal and child attachment is the first block of building a

healthy mentality of the child.

Increased mental & emotional stability .

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Societal benefits It was estimated in 1995 that the NHS spends

£35 million a year in England and Wales treating gastroenteritis in formula-fed infants

There is also a saving to families because breastfed children are ill less often and therefore wages are not lost in attending to an ill child (Gartner et oi 2005, Weimer 2001).

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Breastfeeding or breast milk alleviate pain in neonates and should be used to those undergoing a single painful procedure (Shah P and Aliwaias L2006).

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Benefits of BF for children Breast milk provides normal nutrition for infants.

It is associated with normal growth and development

Prevention of obesity.

Supported research suggests that breast milk contains important fatty acids (building blocks) that help an infant's brain develop& may help increase infants’ cognitive skills.

It reduce infant mortality and morbidity in developing countries

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Prevention of certain health problems

1. Protection against gastroenteritis

2. Respiratory infection,

3. Otitis media

4. Urinary tract infections

5. Diabetes mellitus.

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Strategies of promoting breastfeeding Breast milk is advocated as the food for newborns until the

age of 6 months, and then it can be complemented by other foods.

Over the last 15 years the promotion of breastfeeding has been a global strategy undertaken by health organizations

and governments.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, has done much to ensure that all women are aware of the positives of breast feeding.

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Policies and practices that protect, promote and support breast-feeding:

1. Have a written breast-feeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff

2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement the breast-feeding policy

3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breast-feeding

4. Help mothers initiate breast-feeding within a half hour after birth

5. Show mothers how to breast-feed and how to maintain lactation even when they are separated from their infants

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Policies and practices that protect, promote and support breast-feeding:

6. Give newborns no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated

7. Practice rooming-in: allow mothers and infants to remain together, 24 hours a day

8. Encourage breast-feeding on demand

9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers to breast-feeding infants

10. Foster the establishment of breast-feeding support groups and refer mothers to them at discharge from the hospital or clinic (WHO& UNICEF 1990)

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Barriers to breast feeding promotionMothers may refrain from breastfeeding for a number of reasons: 1. Aggressive formula product marketing2. Lack of support from family and friends3. Insufficient knowledge among medical professionals about

breastfeeding techniques and challenges4. Maternity hospital practices5. Cultural attitude6. Lack of public acceptance (Losch et al., 1995; Weimer, 1999).

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Breastfeeding and working outside the home are commonly believed to be incompatible.

A woman who works outside the home must have a place and time to nurse her baby or express and store her milk for bottle feeding.

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Cultural effects In Jordan, higher education and higher employment rates in

recent years among women have had an impact on traditionally based infant feeding.

Khassawneh study ( 2006) in the north of Jordan showed that working women and those who deliver by caesarean section were less likely to breastfeed.

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Cultural effects Breastfeeding is no longer a cultural norm.

People are comfortable seeing a baby being bottle-fed in public, but breastfeeding, particularly in a public place, is seen as taboo (Lee 2004).

This is different from the past in Jordan, where it was common to see mother's breastfeed in public places.

Nowadays seeing this is considered unusual.

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Cultural effects Breastfeeding is also strongly associated with social class,

and the greatest inequalities in breastfeeding are associated with deprivation.

Women in the higher social classes are almost twice as likely to breastfeed compared with those in the lowest social classes (British Medical Association (BMA) 1999

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Together help mothers &

promote breast feeding