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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – WOODBRIDGE, VIRGINIA – (July 29, 2011) – The first week of August is known as World Breastfeeding Week, a time of year dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of this age-old tradition. This special week is celebrated in over 170 countries. In America, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that approximately 75 percent of mothers start out breastfeeding, yet those numbers quickly decline. By six months, just 10 percent are exclusively breastfeeding and only 35 percent are including any breastfeeding at all.
“Breastfeeding is the natural and most healthy way to feed your baby, and we really need to support mothers to continue to breastfeed their infants”, explains Dr. Pam McCullough, the director of the nursing program at Stratford University’s Woodbridge campus, who is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and a Lactation Consultant and (www.stratford.edu). “It is something that just about every mother can do, especially if they receive support and help getting started.”
Breastfeeding is recommended by so many health professionals because of the host of benefits that it provides for both babies and mothers. It is nature’s perfect food source, requiring no preparation, packaging, or environmental waste. It is also easier for babies to digest and helps keep them healthy because of the antibodies that breast milk contains.
To help increase the chances of successful breastfeeding, it is important to:
Start the baby on breastfeeding as soon as possible, ideally within the first hour of life.
Always remember that if it hurts, the latch is not right.
Minimize the use of formula until a good milk supply is established.
Find support, through breastfeeding groups, other moms, a lactation consultant, or by taking a breastfeeding class through a local hospital.
In the Stratford nursing program, student nurses are taught about the importance of breastfeeding, as well as how to assist mothers with their technique. The nursing students are also taught to consider other cultures around the world, to learn breastfeeding lessons from their clients. Other countries are usually more open to the idea that breastfeeding is natural, and therefore have a wealth of information and tips to share that can increase success rates, which we can share with our American mothers.
“The more support and encouragement we give mothers to breastfeed, at least during the first year of the baby’s life, the better,” adds Dr. McCullough. “We teach our student nurses the benefits of breastfeeding, in the hope that the information will be used to help others. Breastfeeding is an all-around win-win situation. Most women just need information and encouragement in order to make it a success.”
Stratford University offers a variety of degrees, including a bachelor’s degree in nursing, as well as degrees in health sciences, such as EKG-phlebotomy, healthcare administration, pharmacy technician, and medical assisting. In addition, they offer degrees in culinary arts, computer information systems, hotel and restaurant management, and hospitality management.
About Stratford University:
Stratford University operates campuses in Tysons Corner, Richmond, and Woodbridge. It offers 35 undergraduate and graduate degrees in the areas of Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Health Sciences, Business Administration, and Information Technology. The degree programs are offered both on campus, as well as online. For more information on the competition or Stratford University, please visit www.stratford.edu.
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Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breastfeeding among U.S. Children.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breastfeeding report card.
World Breastfeeding Week. http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org
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