Consider breastfeeding needs of the mother

World Breast Week this year focuses on the needs of mothers

04/10/2013

Until Sunday runs this year's World Breastfeeding Week, in which many doctors, midwives and clinics report on the benefits of breastfeeding, but also on possible reasons for early weaning. The World Breastfeeding Week will focus explicitly on the needs of mothers this year.

The St. Joseph Hospital in Berlin is also involved in various activities at this year's World Breast Week, not least in order to achieve a further increase in breastfeeding readiness. But „Obstetric and pediatric clinics can only effectively promote breastfeeding if they take the needs of mothers seriously“, so the message of the hospital. Therefore, would „baby-friendly facilities, by providing, for example, expert support for breastfeeding.“ The benefits of breastfeeding are well known in the art as well as expectant mothers, but many women can not breastfeed for other reasons. They are often under a lot of pressure when they have to choose between breasts or vials.

Changed attitude to breastfeeding
Generally, the attitude to breastfeeding „Since the 80s, Germany has improved a lot and the number of those who breastfeed full and longer has increased significantly“, explained Professor Michael Abou-Dakn, chief physician of gynecology at the St. Joseph hospital opposite the news agency „dpa“. According to the physician, about nine out of ten women want to breastfeed their newborn baby, but many of them would give up after a relatively short time for various reasons. After four months, according to Abou-Dakn „only 60 percent of women, and only half of them breastfeed exclusively“, although the health benefits of breastfeeding are well known. It is not without reason that the National Breastfeeding Committee recommends a breastfeeding period of at least four months and only then the slow habituation to complementary foods.

Often it is weaned early
According to the chief physician of gynecology at the St. Joseph Hospital, there are several reasons for the premature termination of lactation. For example, smokers, or even women, who plan a speedy return to working life would often give up after a relatively short time. Furthermore, according to Abou-Dakn, the level of education obviously plays a role. „We do not reach many women who are not educated in education. They are more likely to believe promises of the infant formula industry“, explained the doctor.

Building support for the mothers
A major sticking point in successful breastfeeding, according to the breastfeeding officer of the Berlin Midwives Association, Corinna Lenné, the first days after birth. „Since mother and child need a lot of body contact and a lot of time together. And it must not be the case that in the hospital every single piece of information comes to breastfeeding“, quotes the news agency „dpa“ the statement of the expert. By no means should pressure be built up here. Lenné stresses that she would not persuade a woman to breastfeed, but rather an uplifting support is necessary. The pressure would make most mothers anyway by itself. Especially with late-gesturing people are often „a high perfection urge“ available. „After the career and the late wish child also breastfeeding must be perfect. But that's pretty much injected into such a woman's life“, explained Lenné.

A particularly good support not only on the topic „breast-feeding“ experienced mothers in clinics that explicitly with the predicate „baby friendly“ were awarded. The St. Joseph Hospital in Berlin is one of these around 80 baby friendly obstetrics in Germany. (Fp)

Picture credits: Lydia Margerdt