Child Development and Public Health

Breastfeeding is something that a lot of mothers try to avoid, because it is time consuming, it can be painful, and because of the attachment, but I am hear to say that breastfeeding is the best thing a mother can do for her child because all of the nutrients and anitbodies that the baby receives from your breastmilk. Breast milk cintains antibodies that helps protect infants from common childhood illnesses- such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. Breast milk is affordable, and there is evidence that people who were breastfed perform better in intelligence tests (Geggero, 2011).

In Thailand a girl who is four-years old continue to receive the nutrients she needs through breast milk as a snack. Donut Wanmuang has been breastfed since the day she was born. For the first six months of life, it was the only form of nourishment she had. Paveethida Wanmuang who is Donut's mother says she trys to breastfeed her children. Only 5.4 percent or around 43,000 of the estimated 800,000 babies born in the country each year are exclusively breastfed for the first six months, which is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate in Asia and one of the lowest in the world. "Exclusive breastfeeding really does save lives, according to Dr. Kannika." Dr. Kannika says that breast milk ensures optimal growth and development for babies and create an important bond between a mother and her child, and it also protects mothers from breastand ovarian cancers. Many mothers aren't giving encouragement to breastfeed from the medical staff so it isn't done. Many mother work outside the home so it makes it difficult to continue exclusive breastfeeding (Keenapan, 2008).

All breastfeeding information is useful to all mothers-to-be because breastfeeding is good for the mother-to-be and for the baby. I breastfed so I encourage all my parents who are soon to be moms to breastfeed, because it is better for both her and the baby.

Geggero. 2011. 10 Facts About Breastfeeding. Retrieved January 13, 2012, from http://www.who.int/entity/ith/en/index.html
Keenapan, N. (2008). When breast is best! Retrieved January 13, 2012, from http://www.unicef.org/thailand/realives_8758.html