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Experts Say Babies Should Be Fed Only Breast Milk

for the First Six Months
 
Health experts commonly advise mothers to feed babies only breast milk for the

first six months. They say no other food is more valuable to the development of a

child. The World Health Organization says children can be breastfed as part of their

diet for up to two years or longer. Yet it says only one out of three babies is fed

only breast milk for even just four months.

Breast milk helps protect children from infections and disease. It can prevent

common sicknesses, such as diarrhea and pneumonia. And it can help babies

recover more quickly if they do get sick.

Studies also show that mothers who breastfeed reduce their risk of cancer in the

reproductive organs. Breastfeeding also saves money, compared to milk

substitutes.

The first week in August is World Breastfeeding Week. The campaign this year

involved the idea of exclusive breastfeeding. The World Alliance for Breastfeeding

Action says babies can be fed drops or syrups with extra vitamins and minerals. But

exclusive means no other foods or drinks for six months.

The World Health Organization and UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund,

offer some steps for mothers. First, they say breastfeeding should start within the

first hour after a baby's birth. Second, the baby should not receive any other food

or drink, including water. Third, babies should be breastfed whenever they are

hungry--day or night. And, lastly, the agencies say there should be no use of

bottles, pacifiers or other equipment.

International health experts say traditional ways to measure child growth do not

recognize things like the importance of breastfeeding. So the Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation is giving more than six million dollars to the W.H.O. for a six-year

project. The money will be used to develop new tools to measure the health and

well-being of young people.

Current growth standards describe how children grow at different times. The new

standards will also be linked to motor development. Experts say the message here

is that physical growth is not the only part of normal development.

Doctor Mercedes de Onis heads the W.H.O. project. She says the current growth

standards used by ninety-nine countries do not support international health goals.

She notes that one of these goals is to increase breastfeeding.

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