Breast is Best for Many. So Why Is There So Little Support for Breastfeeding Moms?

According to a report released earlier this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breastfeeding rates are on the rise. More women are initiating breastfeeding after birth, and the percentages of mothers still nursing their babies at 6 and 12 months are climbing too.

“Breastfeeding is good for the mother and the infant,” CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. is quoted as saying in the report. “The striking news here is, hundreds of thousands more babies are being breastfed than in past years, and this increase has been seen across racial and ethnic groups.”

By now, most of us are familiar with the many benefits that breastfeeding confers on both mom and baby. We’re aware that formula feeding is associated with higher risks for major chronic diseases and conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, and childhood obesity.* And we’ve probably heard about the recent study indicating that breastfeeding during the first year of life has the potential to boost a child’s IQ by as much as 4 points when they enter school.

But even though women know about the advantages of breastfeeding, and the CDC’s 2013 Breastfeeding Report Card shows that initiation rates are improving, duration rates in the state of Missouri are shockingly low.

While 77 percent of Missouri mothers start out breastfeeding, only 39 percent are still doing so at 6 months. The numbers indicate that many mothers are trying to breastfeed, but encountering barriers to their success.

“The decision to breastfeed is a personal one, and a mother should not be made to feel guilty if she cannot or chooses not to breastfeed,” says Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin in the 2011 Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding. "However, the success rate among mothers who want to breastfeed can be greatly improved through active support from families, friends, communities, clinicians, health care leaders, employers, and policy makers.”

In other words? Breastfeeding moms need support from more than just their nursing bras.

As women, we’re told over and over that breast is best, but a variety of social, physical, and economic barriers can stand in the way of a positive breastfeeding experience. Misinformation, lactation problems, lack of access to health services, employment and childcare challenges, and poor family and social support all prevent mothers from reaching their personal breastfeeding goals.

Fortunately for St. Louis parents, Breastfeeding and Parenting: Making It Work! is designed to give mothers (as well as interested partners and caregivers) the tools to help overcome many common barriers to breastfeeding success. Hosted by La Leche League of Greater St. Louis, this low-cost, full-day seminar will take place in the McDonnell Center at River Camp at the St. Louis Zoo on Saturday, September 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The seminar will feature sessions on a variety of breastfeeding and parenting topics, including birthing to get breastfeeding off to a good start, breastfeeding through the different ages and stages of a baby’s life, and breastfeeding after returning to work.

Attendees will learn how to avoid and overcome various breastfeeding challenges, have the chance to connect with other breastfeeding moms, and also discover more about the breastfeeding support that La Leche League offers in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

“We’re creating this little oasis of time where breastfeeding is the norm” says Debbi Heffern, accredited Leader with La Leche League of Greater St. Louis and Program Coordinator for Breastfeeding and Parenting: Making It Work! “During this one day, mothers are surrounded by breastfeeding mothers like themselves, and those who are supporting them. It’s a feeling like no other.”

Babies are welcome at the seminar, but advanced registration is required for all attendees ages 3 and over. Register by August 31 for early discounts, and registration is open until September 18.

The seminar also kicks off a full week of World Breastfeeding Week activities in St. Louis, including a potluck picnic, hikes, a train ride to Citygarden, a trip to the Webster Groves Farmers’ Market and more.

To learn more about World Breastfeeding Week events or to register for Breastfeeding and Parenting: Making It Work!, visit www.lllstl.org.  For immediate breastfeeding support, call the Greater St. Louis Phone Line at 314-424-3900 or look for La Leche League of Greater St. Louis on Facebook.

*Agency for Healthcare Quality

Photo: La Leche League of Greater St. Louis