-


Becoming a Baby-Friendly Hospital
In recent years, the benefits of breastfeeding a newborn baby have become a frequent topic of discussion.  Breastfed babies have lower rates of diabetes, childhood leukemia, sudden infant death syndrome and other illnesses.  They are also less likely to suffer from malnutrition.  In light of this information, many hospitals have implemented “baby-friendly” policies.  These policies provide all the resources a new mom who wants to breastfeed needs.  Hospital staff members are educated on the basics of lactation and how to assist the new mother.  These policies also state that the newborn baby should be breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, the baby is to remain in the mother’s room 24 hours a day, no formula is given to a baby unless medically necessary, no pacifiers are given to the baby, and there is a staff member always available to assist the new mom with an issues related to breastfeeding.  However, in some baby-friendly hospitals mothers who choose not to breastfeed feel alienated or forced into breastfeeding.  This article discusses the issues of hospitals making the switch to baby-friendly policies.
To make for an easier transition, this article states that education is the most important tool when making the switch to baby-friendly policies.  They feel when the new mom is educated on the benefits of breastfeeding, they are more likely to do so and not feel pushed into it.  Some hospitals have focused more on community outreach programs which provide breastfeeding education long before a mother enters the hospital to give birth.  Hospitals who have implemented this policy have also found it helpful if nurses do not remove the baby from the room for routine examinations, so that breastfeeding babies are less likely to be given formula when away from their mothers.  Most mothers have been very appreciative of these new policies; however, there are a few who felt uncomfortable in a baby-friendly hospital with their decision to use formula.  While the hospitals’ goals is not to make anyone feel guilty, that still seems to be a problem with the implementation of these policies.  With that in mind, hospitals are trying to create a supportive atmosphere for all mothers no matter what their choice.  Overall, the programs have been successful at increasing the rates of breastfeeding.  One study done in 2010 found an increase in breastfeeding rates from 30% to 90% largely because of baby-friendly policies.

Schulte B. More U.S. Hospitals Adopting “Baby-Friendly” Policies.  Washington Post Web site.  http:// www.washingtonpost.com/local/more-us-hospitals-adopting-baby-friendly-policies/2014/09/10/ 49a86998-34c4-11e4-a723-fa3895a25d02_story.html. Published September 10, 2014.  Accessed September 13, 2014.

Neville K. Breastfeeding Bullies: A Case for Supporting, Not Shaming.  Food & Nutrition Web site. http: //www.foodandnutrition.org/September-October-2014/Besting-Breastfeeding-Bullies-Support-Not-Shame/. Published August 26, 2014.  Accessed September 13, 2014.

AF

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are All Sugars Created Equal?

-
Image
Are All Sugars Created Equal?  I think one of the most confusing nutrition topics for people is sugar. With so many conflicting stories out there, it’s difficult to separate the facts from the fiction. Not to mention, the types of sugars are endless. How do we know what’s best for our bodies? White or brown sugar? Cane or raw? Should we just go with Stevia instead? Is it even okay to consume artificial sweeteners? Should we avoid foods with high amounts of natural sugar in them? Each answer only seems to lead to another question!  Let’s start off with distinguishing the purpose of sugar in the first place. Do our bodies even need it? The short answer is yes! Sugars are carbohydrates (what we commonly call “carbs”), one of the three main macronutrients that our bodies need for fuel to function and survive. One of the major ways to categorize sugar is by separating the “natural” sugars from the “added” sugars. Natural sugars are, well, naturally found in foods. They give us the energy th
Read more

Milk Mythbusters

-
Image
Just like with any nutrition topic, the facts about milk can become convoluted pretty quickly. Whether you drink milk for the protein, the nutrients, the flavor, or just like to switch it up, there are pros and cons to every kind. Here are some quick nutritional facts about each type to help you decide which is best for you. Animal-Based Milks  Whole Milk: The original diary drink. It gets a bad rap, but what whole milk has going for it, is that it’s in its proper nutritional form. Whole milk contains all of its original fat-soluble vitamins, A, E, D, & K, along with the fat to help you absorb them all. It also has the proper concentrations and ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or your omega-3s and omega-6s, so that they are metabolized as they should be. The downside is that whole milk is calorically dense, meaning that a little goes a long way. You don’t need much to get what you need, so just don’t overdo it!  2% Milk: The fat content of 2% milk is about half of that in who
Read more