Interventions to Promote Breastfeeding Succeed
Members of the task force evaluated more than 25 studies of breastfeeding interventions conducted in the United States and other developed countries and concluded that coordinated interventions throughout pregnancy, birth and infancy can increase breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity (when an infant receives no other food or drink besides breast milk).
The findings and recommendation were published in the Oct. 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"Our review produced adequate evidence that multifaceted breastfeeding interventions work," task force chair Dr. Ned Calonge, chief medical officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said in an American College of Physicians news release.
"We found that interventions that include both prenatal and postnatal components may be the most effective at increasing breastfeeding duration. Many successful program include peer support, prenatal breastfeeding education, or both," Calonge said.
In 2005, 73% of new mothers in the United States initiated breastfeeding but only 14% of infants were exclusively breastfed for their first six months, as recommended by the U.S. Surgeon General, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
"We hope these [task force] recommendations will help women and their physicians understand what they need to do to start and continue breastfeeding their babies. Simply telling mothers they should breastfeed or giving them pamphlets is not enough," Calonge said.
Breastfeeding offers major health benefits to both infants and mothers, according to background information in the news release. Breastfed babies have fewer infections and allergic skin reactions than formula-fed babies and are also less likely to fall victim to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In the long-term, children who were breastfed are less likely to develop asthma, diabetes, obesity and childhood leukemia.
Women who breastfed were less likely than those who never breastfed to develop type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
The findings and recommendation were published in the Oct. 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"Our review produced adequate evidence that multifaceted breastfeeding interventions work," task force chair Dr. Ned Calonge, chief medical officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said in an American College of Physicians news release.
"We found that interventions that include both prenatal and postnatal components may be the most effective at increasing breastfeeding duration. Many successful program include peer support, prenatal breastfeeding education, or both," Calonge said.
In 2005, 73% of new mothers in the United States initiated breastfeeding but only 14% of infants were exclusively breastfed for their first six months, as recommended by the U.S. Surgeon General, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
"We hope these [task force] recommendations will help women and their physicians understand what they need to do to start and continue breastfeeding their babies. Simply telling mothers they should breastfeed or giving them pamphlets is not enough," Calonge said.
Breastfeeding offers major health benefits to both infants and mothers, according to background information in the news release. Breastfed babies have fewer infections and allergic skin reactions than formula-fed babies and are also less likely to fall victim to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In the long-term, children who were breastfed are less likely to develop asthma, diabetes, obesity and childhood leukemia.
Women who breastfed were less likely than those who never breastfed to develop type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
