More Support For Breastfeeding Urged

Senay: Too Few Moms Do It Long Enough To Benefit Babies Most

(CBS)  Experts agree that breast milk is the healthiest food for babies and that breastfeeding is good for moms, as well.

But many mothers in the United States aren't doing it as long as physicians recommend, says The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay.

She was told by Dr. Lori Winter, who helped develop the American Academy of Pediatrics' breastfeeding recommendations, that breastfeeding "by itself, without the addition of any foods or other fluids, (should be done) for about the first six months of life, and then followed by the introduction of nutritious, complimentary foods at about six months, and (we urge) continued breastfeeding for at least the first year of life and even thereafter."

But, Senay points out, current U.S. breastfeeding rates fall far short of those goals.

According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, 70 percent of women start breastfeeding in the hospital but, by six months, only 14 percent are exclusively breastfeeding.

Some moms simply choose not to breastfeed. But for others, Senay observes, it's more complicated.

"The problem," comments Winter, "is that, in the United States, we don't necessarily have a culture that supports breastfeeding in the way that we recommend. … So, that means that the culture, both in terms of the community, families, there's not a lot of experience from mothers who have breastfed, supporting their daughters to breastfeed their children."

Cristina Boswell wants to breastfeed her newborn for nine months, and Senay says that goal is easier for Boswell to reach because her employer completely supports her efforts to breastfeed, with an office specially set up for her.

Other companies, such as professional services firm Deloitte & Touche subsidizes breast pumps and provides counseling, and even a lactation room for women such as Princy Jacob. Refrigerators are provided to store breast milk in.

"I just bring the (breast pump) machine to the office, and then other times, you know, I'm feeding at home," Jacob says.

Kristina Jahaly, who plans to breastfeed her baby daughter, Claire, as long as possible, says support from pediatricians and other nursing moms is key to achieving that goal: "Women need help, they need support, they need encouragement. It's not an easy thing to do the first time around for some women, and it was very difficult for me with Madeline."