Yes, yes. I am a true believer in the benefits of breast feeding.
I do not go into this starry eyed. I know there is a cosmetic hit we breast feeding moms take (it is a lot of what I fix doing my mommy makeover work.) But if you aren’t going to do it for your child’s health (less infections, etc), or for your health (lowers the rate of diabetes and heart risk), then do it for your country.
Medical costs are soaring. The government is becoming increasingly involved in medicine. I saw a recent study published in the news about how breastfeeding for six months could save 13 billion dollars. (!!) You mean I can make a dent in America’s staggering spending by breastfeeding my baby?
Yes.
This is not new news. In March 2001, a study of “The Economic Benefits of Breastfeeding: A Review and Analysis” was published for the USDA (Food Assistance and Nutrition Report (FANRR13):
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“A minimum of $3.6 billion would be saved if breastfeeding were increased from current levels (64 percent in-hospital, 29 percent at 6 months) to those recommended by the U.S. Surgeon General (75 and 50 percent). This figure is likely an underestimation of the total savings because it represents cost savings from the treatment of only three childhood illnesses: otitis media, gastroenteritis, and necrotizing enterocolitis. This report reviews breastfeeding trends and previous studies that assessed the economic benefits of breastfeeding”
The recent numbers are an extension of the original study, which only looked at three major illnesses, and wasn’t corrected for today’s economics.
So. Breastfeed- For your baby, for your health, and for your country.