Breastfeeding: a course for health professionals.
Breastfeeding advocates say that breastfeeding is health promotion in its purest form. Its considerable health benefits to the infant and the mother are well documented. Recent research has identified breastfeeding as a key factor in the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome and increased cognitive functioning. As a method of feeding, breastfeeding offers immediate economic advantages to the parents and long term economic savings to society. One author reports that the exclusive breastfeeding of infants for four months could save the Province of Ontario at least $862,000 a year just by reducing the need for the treatment of otitis media. Another researcher calculated the cost of treating 150 bottle-fed babies hospitalized for gastroenteritis at $450,000 Canadian, while reminding us that "hospitalization for gastroenteritis is almost unknown for exclusively breastfed infants." With all these known benefits, why is breastfeeding not more prevalent among Canadian mothers?
Moxley
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S
School of Nursing, University of Ottawa.
Sims-Jones
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N
Vargha
A
A
Chamberlain
M
M
D001942:Breast Feeding; D002170:Canada; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation