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If this is the case, and these are the recommendations that health care professionals are upholding, why is it that in Canada less than half of all babies born are actually starting life off according to those recommendations? Less than half? Sure, we can think about how wonderful it is for the 4 out of 10 babies who are still exclusively receiving mother’s milk...but...what about the other 6? What has happened between birth and 4 months of age to lower Canada’s breastfeeding rates so drastically? And, what can be done about it?
I believe nowadays most women in western nations have been well-educated about the benefits of breastfeeding through health care providers, child birth classes, role models, and individual information gathering. Most mothers intend to breastfeed and the majority of them do initiate it. However, statistics demonstrate that mothers are very susceptible to the common barriers of breastfeeding, and therefore more of them will stop breastfeeding exclusively before the six month mark than will continue to breastfeed exclusively. In order to combat this, it is important to understand what the barriers to breastfeeding are, whether or not they affect you, and what needs to be in place in order to overcome them.
Seeing as how prevention is always better than a cure, it is wise to address issues which might affect you personally before they occur. Oftentimes, especially when it comes to topics as intimate and emotional as breastfeeding, mothers are not always aware of the value of discussing things that have not yet happened. Some barriers to exclusive breastfeeding are mother-specific issues, others are health care-specific issues, some can be prevented or augmented and others are beyond anyone’s control; still, nothing but good can come from being aware of the barriers and making a personal assessment of them.
Your first course of action would be to read the list “Barriers to Exclusive Breastfeeding” and identify any barriers which you feel might be an issue for you. I suggest that you complete my questionnaire “Determining Barriers” and contact me directly to review the results with you. I can help you identify your personal barriers to breastfeeding exclusively for six months and to continued breastfeeding for one year or more. I will help you form a plan of action for overcoming those barriers, and am willing to continue to work with you as your breastfeeding experience continues.
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