Breastfeeding, universally acknowledged as best for baby, is practised by an alarmingly low number of local moms, according to a new health unit report.
It shows the rates here are “significantly lower” than the provincial average.
The numbers start out poor and get much worse. While 54.4 per cent of women were exclusively breastfeeding at the time of hospital discharge in 2017 (the provincial percentage was 61.2), a mere 16.3 were exclusively breastfeeding by the time their baby reached six months, the report says. The health unit couldn’t provide provincial statistics at the six-month point, but an official said local numbers are significantly worse.
“I wish I knew why our rates are so low, I think if I did know than we probably wouldn’t have low rates,” Nicole Dupuis, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s director of health promotion, told reporters Thursday following a meeting of the board of health.
And really, there’s no better nutrient for a baby than breast milk.
Even the numbers at discharge are concerning. By 2018, the percentage had dropped another five points. So about half of women are leaving the hospital not exclusively breastfeeding. Supposedly, they opt for using formula instead.
Dupuis said there are a lot of women who are deciding before they even give birth that they’re not going to breastfeed.
“And really, there’s no better nutrient for a baby than breast milk.”
The World Health Organization and Health Canada recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and continuing with breastfeeding for up to two years or longer. Some benefits include: decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome; reduced risk of childhood illnesses; and healthy brain growth and development. It also contributes to lower risk of chronic diseases later in life for both infant and mother, the report says.
“There are a lot of benefits to breastfeeding,” Dupuis said.
She said that key factors in boosting the breastfeeding numbers include educating people on the benefits and having the right supports for women who encounter problems.
The report highlights several new initiatives including:
- A new collaboration between the health unit and Windsor Regional Hospital to offer monthly breastfeeding classes before the baby is born “to prepare women to navigate common breastfeeding challenges within the first 24 hours and beyond.”
- The health unit will offer nurses in the hospital birthing centre breastfeeding training so they can better assist new mothers.
- Improving access to the health unit’s lactation consultants by adding one more consultant to the two currently working and doing home visits to women who can’t get to the health unit offices.
- Increasing awareness about breastfeeding services with a 2020 campaign.
“Our hope and plan for this year is to do a larger campaign to raise awareness about the services that exist,” said Dupuis. “Some people just aren’t aware that we’re here, so I think it’s upon us to do a better job of getting the right information to the right people.”
The health unit also has a popular breastfeeding hotline (519-258-2146, ext. 1350) staffed during office hours by a public health nurse, and a page on its website listing local breastfeeding resources.
“It’s an overwhelming time, for anyone who’s had children, who’s had a baby, it’s a really busy time, and to remember all the things you need to do and numbers you need to call, it’s understandable,” said Dupuis. “So we have to do a better job getting it out to the community.”
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