Arkansas’s health experts discuss the significance of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month

Little Rock, Arkansas – August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, a time when global activists, health officials, and mothers discuss the general advantages of breastmilk’s ability to support a child’s growth.

Numerous health professionals in the Natural State, such as Dr. Misty Virmani, a neonatologist at UAMS, have dedicated their careers to highlighting the benefits of breastfeeding and how it benefits both the mother and the child.

It lowers the frequency of issues such as necrotizing enterocolitis. For healthy babies, it lowers the chance of hospital stays, severe allergies, and asthma,” Dr. Virmani stated. “It also improves neurodevelopmental outcomes and reduces the risks of them going on to develop some other complications of their immune system, like Crohn’s disease and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.”

Breast milk can cut the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in half in addition to reducing the number of serious diseases that newborns may develop.

Medical professionals have noted that nursing has positive impacts on a mother’s health, both physically and mentally.

Additionally, breastfeeding lowers the chance of developing ovarian, uterine, and breast cancer later on. Thus, there are numerous really significant and profound advantages for both the mother’s and the child’s health, according to Dr. Virmani.

Although breastfeeding has numerous advantages, medical professionals warn that it also requires patience and can present with a number of difficulties, including mastitis, engorgements, and clogged or plugged milk ducts.

The following is a comprehensive list of the reasons why breastfeeding durations are lower, according to CDC officials:

Issues with lactation and latching

• Concerns about infant nutrition and weight
• Mother’s concerns about taking medications while breastfeeding
• Unsupportive work policies and lack of parental leave
• Cultural norms and lack of family support
• Unsupportive hospital practices and policies

Along with adjusting to the numerous physical changes that nursing causes, mothers also need to get used to new routines like going back to work.

While many companies adhere to state law requiring them to provide facilities for nursing mothers, this isn’t always the case.

Allison Clark explained how a single stressful event at work resulted in a host of problems, including supply shortages, clogged ducts, and excruciating agony. When mothers go back to work after having a child, this is an all too common narrative.

“I had two different buildings where I was teaching. They didn’t have place for me while I was in the other building, so they instructed me to go pump in the bathroom,” Clark remarked. It resembled a single stall. There was only a sink and a toilet.”

Although it took her some time to mentally heal from such a traumatic event, Clark claimed that what kept her going was the support and solace she received from knowing she wasn’t alone.

“You’re not the issue, and you’re not alone. You are attempting to feed your infant, which is the most natural thing you can do. It’s quite OK to want assistance when doing so, as there is a significant learning curve,” she said.

Health professionals at Johns Hopkins University have provided the following comprehensive list of significant dates that you should be aware of:

• World Breastfeeding Week | |Aug. 1-7
• Indigenous Milk Medicine Week | Aug. 8-14
• Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week | Aug. 15-21
• Black Breastfeeding Week | Aug. 25-31
• Workplace Lactation Week | Sept. 1-7
• Semana de La Lactancia Latina | Sept. 5-11

Health officials advise contacting a lactation professional or breastfeeding support group to help resolve issues if you or someone you know requires assistance with nursing.

The National Breastfeeding Helpline can also be reached at 800-994-9662.