Raleigh News Observer Examines Breastfeeding Rates In North Carolina

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 11 Aug 2008 - 7:00 PST

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North Carolina infants are breastfed at a rate below the national average, placing them at greater risk of developing health problems later in life, according to CDC's Breast Feeding Report Card for 2008, the Raleigh News & Observer reports. About 66% of women in the state breastfeed their infants, compared to the national average of 74%, the report shows.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive only breastmilk for six months after birth. Miriam Labbok, a public health professor at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, said, "Those behaviors have real long-term health impacts." Just nine percent of six-month-old infants in the state are exclusively breastfed, placing North Carolina in the bottom 20 states, according to CDC. The News & Observer reports that many women struggle to breastfeed properly. Labbok said there is good news too, including interest from state officials to improve breastfeeding rates in North Carolina. She added, "We're at a tipping point." According to the News & Observer, research shows that breastfeeding can lower the risk of some kinds of cancers and infections in both mothers and children. Lack of breastfeeding also has been linked to higher rates of infant mortality, obesity and diabetes. The federal government calculated in 2001 that $3.6 billion could be saved on health care spending annually if breastfeeding rates increased. Some breastfeeding advocates said society and health care professionals need to do more to facilitate breastfeeding.

Some advocates have criticized hospitals for giving women promotional bags provided by baby formula companies. Some studies have shown that women who deliver at hospitals that give out the bags quit breastfeeding earlier. The NC Breastfeeding Coalition on Wednesday gave awards to two Chapel Hill, N.C., health facilities for not distributing the gift bags. Marisa Salcines, a spokesperson for the International Formula Council, said some research has shown that the bags have no impact on breastfeeding rates, adding that women should be "trusted" to make the best decision for themselves and their infants.

Other advocates said that a larger concern is the conditions provided for working mothers. Selena Childs -- director of the N.C. Child Fatality Task Force, a state commissioned legislative study group -- said, "Our overall goal is to create a more friendly world for women to be able to breastfeed" (Lindenfeld Hall, Raleigh News & Observer, 8/7).

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