August is National Breastfeeding Month, and it offers an opportunity to talk about the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and their babies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found 60% of mothers in the U.S. stop breastfeeding sooner than planned, and only one out of four infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, the medically recommended duration.
“Breastfeeding provides unmatched health benefits for babies and mothers,” said Dr. Ruth Petersen, the director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. “It is the clinical gold standard for infant feeding and nutrition, with breast milk uniquely tailored to meet the health needs of a growing baby. We must do more to create supportive and safe environments for mothers who choose to breastfeed.”
Defense Health Agency-Public Health experts emphasize the importance of raising service members’ awareness about workplace policies and conditions for breastfeeding.
“There are many factors that impact the decision to stop breastfeeding early or choose not to breastfeed at all,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christine Bacsa, a DHA-PH Public Health nurse in Aberdeen, Maryland. “Not being aware of the benefits and not having supporting policies and conditions in the workplace are two common problems we can influence.”
The Benefits
The CDC, the Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Women's Health, and medical research have found that breastfeeding has significant benefits for both mother and child. This includes many health conditions that may be prevented by breastfeeding, including:
- Breastfeeding can lower a woman’s risk for high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, as well as ovarian and breast cancer.
- Breastfed babies often have lower risk of several health issues such as asthma, obesity, ear and respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, as well as severe or life-threatening illness such as childhood leukemia or sudden infant death syndrome.
“The nutrients supplied by breastmilk change as the baby grows, adapting to their changing nutritional needs,” said Joanna Reagan, a DHA-PH nutritionist in the health education and application division. “This leads to a healthier infant, which is carried into childhood and adolescence. Children and teens who were breastfed are less likely to become overweight or obese and perform better on intelligence tests.”
Claims by some formula manufacturers about the difference in quality between breast milk and commercial milk formula may lead some women to believe that they are not producing adequate milk or providing the right nutrients by breastfeeding. This could lead them to move from breastfeeding to formula feeding. These claims may exploit new mothers’ worries by claiming normal infant behaviors, such as crying and short sleep, can indicate insufficient or inadequate breastmilk production, thus leading women to discontinue breastfeeding in favor of formula feeding.
“These industry claims are very misleading,” said Reagan. “Breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby. Breastfeeding saves lives, money, and time.”
U.S. Military Policies
The many benefits of breastfeeding are reflected in Department of Defense and military service policies.
“Military policies have been created and updated to ensure our military mothers have the time, resources, and leadership support to breastfeed for six months after birth,” said Bacsa. “The lactation space must be a private space, other than a restroom, with locking capabilities for breastfeeding or to express milk. This space must include a place to sit, a flat surface (other than the floor) to place the pump on, an electrical outlet, a refrigerator to store expressed milk and access to a safe water source within reasonable distance from the lactation space.”
Similar policies can be found across the U.S. government and the DOD, including:
Resources
With more women serving in the military than ever before, there are numerous resources available to help pregnant and postpartum service members navigate these life events, including:
“As the DOD celebrates National Breastfeeding Month, this is a time to acknowledge support, and empower mothers to achieve the lasting lifelong positive impacts on themselves and their children through breastfeeding,” said Bacsa.
NOTE: The mention of any non-federal entity and/or its products is for informational purposes only, and not to be construed or interpreted, in any manner, as federal endorsement of that non-federal entity or its products.