The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Submitted by Amy Marshall, Registered Dietitian The first week in October marks the annual celebration of World Breast feeding Week. This event runs from October 1 to October 7, 2011, during which time action is taken to advocate and raise awareness for breast feeding in our community. In addition to communities across Canada, this event is celebrated in more than 170 countries world wide, including Sierra Leone, Malaysia, India, Nicaragua and Paraguay! This year's theme for World Breast feeding Week is "Talk to Me! Breast feeding a 3D Experience!". Many people think of breast feeding only in two dimensions by time, from pre-pregnancy to weaning, and place (home, community and health care systems). The theme for 2011 is to promote a third dimension - communication. An essential aspect of promoting, protecting and supporting breast feeding is open and widespread communication. Information must flow among diverse groups of people including cross-generation, cross-sector, cross-gender, and cross-culture. Wider spread Through communication between these groups it encourages sharing of knowledge, experiences and promotes wider spread of breast feeding information. In Flin Flon, the Baby Friendly Initiative Committee was formed in 2000 with the purpose of supporting, promoting and protecting breast feeding as the normal nutrition choice for babies. The committee is working towards improving care of mothers and infants in our community. The NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority believes that breast feeding is the healthiest way for a woman to feed her baby and recognizes the important health benefits now known to exist for both the mother and her child. All mothers have the right to receive clear and impartial information to help them to make a fully informed decision on how they feed and care for their babies. See 'There...' on pg. 15 Continued from pg. 9 The region is working towards enabling community health care staff to create an environment where more women choose to breast feed their babies, confident in the knowledge that they will be given information and support to help them breast feed exclusively for six months, and then as part of their baby's diet for two years and beyond. Benefits of breast feeding Benefits to baby Ability to fight disease Breast milk contains antibodies from the mother, not found in formula, which protects against illness such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), intestinal infections, allergies, ear infections, asthma, celiac disease, obesity and childhood cancers. Development Physical and brain development are enhanced. Facial development, jaw, teeth, speech and hand-eye coordination are all improved. Research has found that breast fed babies have a higher (IQ) and achieve higher scores in school than formula fed babies. Diabetes Breast feeding for more than 12 months decreased incidence of the infant developing type 1 and type 2 diabetes later in life. Flavour introduction The variety of flavours eaten in the mother diet is passed onto the baby. This may make your child a less picky eater later in life. Nutrients The nutritional make-up and volume of milk changes automatically according to baby's needs throughout infancy. Benefits to Mom Convenience Breast milk is always at the right temperature, right concentration, available on demand and adjusts itself to suit baby's needs. Cost Free! It costs well over $1000 to formula feed a baby for the first 9 months of life. Better for the Environment Producing infant formula involves packaging, processing, plastic in bottles, nipples, store receipts, bags, soap and water for washing and sterilizing the bottles and land and farming practices to raise cattle for formula production. Mom's health Breast feeding helps with the healing process after childbirth. It is also associated with reduced risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, contributes to stronger bones later in life, lengthens birth intervals and helps conserve iron stores in the body. Sweeter smelling diapers Breast milk is very easy for a baby to digest and therefore a breast fed baby has bowel movements with less smell! Weight loss Moms who breast feed tend to lose weight quicker than those who bottle feed because it takes a lot of energy and calories to produce breast milk. The uterus also contracts faster in breast feeding women, which helps return Mom to her original body shape. Flin Flon will be celebrating World Breast feeding Week in two ways. The first baby born within the week will be given a prize basket filled with goods donated by local sponsors.
