There is something new mothers can do to help insure the health of their babies. It is something that is very common in the animal kingdom, but in this modern age, not so much for human moms.
Moms-to-be may not realize it, but they have the power to help protect their newborns from the very beginning. According to evidence-based studies, breast feeding can be beneficial to both the mother and child.
"Breast feeding is so important to both mother and baby. There's so many health issues right now - obesity. Children that are breast fed at least six months have less chance of being obese. There's less asthma. It helps babies to not have diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia,” said Tina Johnson of Castle Medical Center.
Mothers who breast feed also decrease their own risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
If all that is true, why don't all mothers breast feed their babies?
"We are a nation that has just not grown up with breast feeding. We're not surrounded by it like many other cultures may be surrounded by it. That's why lactation consultants can come in handy,” said Johnson.
Johnson herself is a lactation consultant. She says the hospital's culture is changing so that nurses and other staff have the knowledge necessary to help new moms when it comes to breast feeding. "There's not a lot of support where she can be talking to somebody about breast feeding, she may not be knowledgeable, those that are around her are not knowledgeable either. So that can be the challenge."
She says studies show that America is gradually catching up when it comes to breast feeding babies - but she says there is still a long way to go.
"Three out of four women start off breast feeding in the hospital. But once they leave the hospital, it tapers off drastically. And maybe 40 percent of those women might continue breast feeding up until six months,” she said.
