Wednesday, August 3, 2011

World Breast feeding Week is this Week!

If all infants were placed immediately skin-to-skin, breastfed exclusively for 6 months and then up to 2 years or longer with age appropriate complementary feedings, children under 5 mortality would be reduced 13-20% worldwide! (Lancet May 2010)

August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week.  Healthy People 2020 which provides science-based targets for improving the nation's health has established five primary objectives in relation to breastfeeding:

Increase in proportion of mothers who breast feed
                                1. In early postpartum period to 75%
                                2. At 6 months to 50%
                                3. At 1 year to 25%
                                4. Exclusively through 3 months to 40%
                                5. Exclusively through 6 months to 17%

While breast milk is the supreme choice for optimal infant nutrition; remember that it is not a good source of Vitamin D.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breastfed and partially breastfed infants be supplemented with 400 IU of Vitamin D per day starting in the first few days of life. 


Special Thanks to Cecelia Sheridan, Neonatal Dietitian for this info!

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