"To Breastfeed Today is to Think About Tomorrow"
Breastfeeding is universally known as a major health
practice, for mothers and babies. This topic is meaningful to me, because of
the implications of breastfeeding on children’s health, development and well-being.
According to Berger (2009), the benefits of breastfeeding are vast. It provides
balanced nutrition, decreases infant illness occurrences, increases immunity,
reduces the risks of SIDS, asthma, heart diseases, etc.
A Brazilian Perspective
Breastfeeding is widely practiced in different regions
of Brazil. From the urban, suburban areas, to the rural and most remote places
in the country. Every year, the Brazilian government starts a nationwide
campaign that encourages mothers to feed their babies exclusively with breast
milk, for at least 6 months. It also encourages mothers to keep on
breastfeeding babies until they are two years old, and even after introducing
other kinds of food. According to the campaign, breast milk is one of the
greatest allies in the battle against infant mortality. On the last decade,
Brazil has significantly reduced the mortality rate, by raising awareness of
breastfeeding benefits and by providing public policies and actions aimed at
the family, mother and child. These campaigns produced pieces for internet,
television and radio, and also presented guidelines for women about
breastfeeding and the benefits of this practice (Portal Brasil, 2012). The government also intends to invest on the
qualification of prenatal care, expanding and improving the care provided to
pregnant women and babies in Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS).
One great initiative in my home city is called The
Milk Bank, at IMIP hospital. The Milk bank is part of “The Human Milk Bank and
Center for the Promotion of Breastfeeding” it promotes the right to breastfeed
and advocates for mothers and their children. The hospital offers free patient
care, counseling for pregnant women, procedures to treat possible breast
problems after delivery, collection, processing and distribution of breast milk
(IMIP, 2010).
Although, there are lots of initiatives, public and
private, with regard to breastfeeding, the quality of prenatal care and the
ideas/assumptions of breastfeeding can vary widely across the country, due to
socially inequality, access to public health and lack of education.
Trends of breastfeeding in Brazil in the last quarter of the 20th century
Unicef Statitics
References:
Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
IMIP. (2010) Banco de Leite do IMIP: referência em todo o país. Retrieved September 15, 2012 from
http://www1.imip.org.br/cms/opencms/imip/pt/imprensa/noticias/0245.html
Portal Brasil (2012). Lançada Campanha Nacional de Amamentação 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2012 from
http://www.brasil.gov.br/noticias/arquivos/2012/08/1o/lancada-campanha-nacional-de-amamentacao-2012
SENA, Maria Cristina Ferreira; SILVA, Eduardo
Freitas da and PEREIRA, Maurício Gomes (2007). Rev. bras.
Epidemiol. Tendência do aleitamento materno no Brasil no último quarto do século
XX.
2007, vol.10, n.4 .
http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1415-790X2007000400008.
UNICEF.(2003). Statistics: Brazil. Retrieved September 15, 2012 fromhttp://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/brazil_newsline.html
Hello Renata,
ReplyDeleteLove your posting, I also wrote about my breastfeeding experience (briefly) in my blog. I like the picture you attached in here, it shows clearly how is the expectations on how moms should be breastfeeding their children and not feel ashamed or embarassed to do it in public. We still have few ignorants who still try to minimize mothers who are doing the best for their children. I am glad that for quite few years now we have laws to protect the women who wants to breastfeed their children, and feel free to do it in the place both the mom and the baby think is more convenient for them.
It is amazing how the statistics in Brazil shows an increase of breastfeeding and it will continue as long as the benefits of doing it continue to be spreading. Thank you Renata for sharing!
Thank you Rhonna.
DeleteWell, I believe that mothers are encourage to breastfeed in public here, as well as to show their bellies. It is considered beautiful and means that moms are proud of it. It is surely a cultural thing. In the other hand, when I lived in Canada, I learned that showing the belly was considered to be vulgar, I thought this cultural difference was so interesting. What seemed very natural to me, seemed offensive to people there (people who I love, by the way ehheeh).
encouraged
DeleteHello Renata,
ReplyDeleteTesting
It is interesting to read about the initiatives that the government is taking to increase breastfeeding. I was not aware that breastfeeding assisted with preventing SIDS. The program you mentioned in your home town the Milk Bank, how does it work? You stated they assist with collection, processing and distribution of breastmilk, is it shared access or storage for each mother? Sounds interesting, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAna, the Milk Bank also provides milk for those mothers who stopped or areunable to produce milk. For instance, I have a friend who had tripplets and she did not have enough milk for her babies. She used the Milk Bank, she went there to get the milk she was unable to produce.
DeleteVery interesting information about breastfeeding and Brazil. I have never heard of a Milk Bank before but that is fascinating. It is awesome having a place like that where women can go to get counseling and other information about breastfeeding and babies. There are so many of us that have never gotten that degree of information before on breastfeeding.
ReplyDelete