Breastfeeding is the practice of a woman feeding an infant (or sometimes a toddler or a young child) with milk produced from her mammary glands, usually directly from the nipples. Babies have a sucking instinct allowing them to extract the milk.
Majority of U.S. hospitals do not fully support breastfeeding — New CDC report shows missed opportunities for preventing childhood obesity beginning at birth – Breastfeeding protects against childhood obesity, yet less than 4 percent of U.S. hospitals provide the full range of support mothers need to be able to breastfeed, according to the most recent Vital Signs report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Breastfeeding for up to 6 months after birth can reduce their risk of developing asthma-related symptoms in early childhood and may prevent asthma – Children who had never been breastfed had an increased risk of wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough and persistent phlegm during their first 4 years, compared to children who were breastfed for more than 6 months, revealed by researchers.
Roll out treatment as prevention now to stop HIV and AIDS — Lancet column calls for immediate expansion of global HIV strategy – The Lancet, a leading global medical journal, published an editorial comment today that emphasizes the critical role of expanding access to HIV treatment under a “Treatment as Prevention” strategy to stop the HIV pandemic.
Study suggests prolonged bottle feeding increases the risk of obesity – Experts agree that obesity prevention should begin before children enter school. But due to a lack of conclusive data, health care providers often have trouble advising parents about which interventions are the most beneficial.
Not all infant formulas are alike: Differential effects on weight gain – New findings from the Monell Center reveal that weight gain of formula-fed infants is influenced by the type of formula the infant is consuming. Commonly available infant formulas are cow’s milk-based, soy-based and protein hydrolysate-based.
Parents at highest risk for depression in the 1st year after child’s birth – More than one-third of mothers and about one-fifth of fathers in the United Kingdom appear to experience an episode of depression between their child’s birth and 12th year of age, with the highest rates in the first year after birth.
Moms who don’t breastfeed more likely to develop type 2 diabetes – Mothers who did not breastfeed their children have significantly higher rates of type 2 diabetes later in life than moms who breastfed, report University of Pittsburgh researchers in a study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Medicine.
Prenatal exposure to pesticides linked to attention problems – Children who were exposed to organophosphate pesticides while still in their mother’s womb were more likely to develop attention disorders years later, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.
VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION FOR INFANTS — Infants should get vitamin D supplementation, says AAP – Breastfeeding is the ideal form of infant feeding, but supplementation with Vitamin D, starting soon after birth, is recommended because breastfed infants generally do not obtain adequate Vitamin D from other sources.
Common antidepressant drugs linked to lactation difficulties in moms – Women taking commonly used forms of antidepressant drugs may experience delayed lactation after giving birth and may need additional support to achieve their breastfeeding goals.
