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ProMom
Media Watch
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Letter Writing Opportunity - The Vally Times Letters to the Editor Please make sure to include your email or phone number in the last line of this letter. Dear Mr. Armstong: As a nursing mother, I was very pleased to read "Winning Formula: Companies Offer Breast-Feeding Programs to Retain Nursing Moms" by Jessica Guynn in your June 2, 1998, edition. There has been extensive press coverage recently about the wonderful medical benefits that breast-feeding provides both child and mother. In highlighting the fact that encouraging breastfeeding also benefits employers, particularly within the "Business" section of your paper, you are providing a positive influence for corporate and societal acceptance of nursing. I feel that two points in the article deserve clarification, however. First, Ms. Guynn notes that, "For decades, doctors have championed the protective health benefits of breast-feeding to mother and child." While it is true that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has endorsed breastfeeding as the best nutrition for infants for years, sadly, most pediatricians have not been very supportive of breastfeeding until recently. Because of this, the AAP felt the need to note in its policy statement, "Breast-feeding and the Use of Human Milk," that "Obstacles to the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding include physician apathy and misinformation." Accordingly, this new policy statement recommends that physicians "Promote and support breastfeeding enthusiastically." Second, Ms. Guynn notes that the working mother whose company is not breastfeeding-friendly might find the AAP recommendation of nursing for at least a year "overwhelming." I would add that the benefits of breastfeeding to the employer, including lower absenteeism and increased employee satisfaction, should encourage working mothers to challenge anti-breastfeeding policies on the job. Then too, breastfeeding can actually simplify life for the working mother: There is no need to fuss with formula and bottles in the evening or over the weekends. Finally, nursing provides the working mother a powerful way to "reconnect" with her baby after a long day of separation. One of the goals of the United States' "Healthy People 2000" program is increasing to 50% the number of women who breastfeed their children until at least 5 to 6 months of age. Sadly, less than 60% of mothers are breastfeeding at the time of hospital discharge, and only about 20% are still breastfeeding their babies at 6 months. Articles such as Ms. Guynn's increase public awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding, which in turn will help increase the number of women who choose to nurse their infants. Thank you again for helping to spread the message that breastfeeding benefits us all.
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