Its a good week to be a breastfeeding mama! Two great pieces of news just released:
1. First Lady Michelle Obama will begin promoting breastfeeding as a way to cut down on childhood obesity. Mrs. Obama said she wants to focus on the “important touch points in a child’s life. And what we’re learning now is that early intervention is key…Kids who are breastfed longer have a lower tendency to be obese.”
2. The Internal Revenue Service just announced that breast pumps and other nursing supplies now qualify for tax breaks. Women with flexible spending accounts (FSAs) can use their pre-tax dollars to pay for nursing supplies, and families who itemize can include them in their health care costs.
Breastfeeding is hard, especially so for mothers who work away from home and their babies. It is a natural function of the female body, and so it needs to be approachable and comfortable for all mothers. While 75 percent of new moms breastfeed, only 43 percent are still doing so six months after the birth of their babies. Working moms understandably cite the time, cost and frustration involved with pumping at work. Fortunately, the Affordable Care Act signed by President Obama last March requires certain employers to provide nursing mothers ample break time and a designated place (not a bathroom!) to express milk during a baby’s first year of life.
Last spring, the journal Pediatrics published a Harvard Medical School study that estimated that 900 premature infant deaths would be prevented if 90 percent of American women breastfed. Going further, the study also concluded that patients and hospitals would see savings of $13 billion in lost wages and saved health care costs if breastfeeding became more commonplace. Perhaps breastfeeding will be seen as less of a lifestyle choice and more of a public and personal health benefit thanks to this study and Mrs. Obama’s leadership.
If you are a breastfeeding mama, make yourself available to new mothers and mothers-to-be. Be a source of encouragement and information. We are all sisters in this together.
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Amen, sista.
What fantastic news! It is about time.
Great round-up! I was so glad to hear that news about the IRS but I hadn't heard about Michelle's push for breast-feeding. The more support we can give mothers, the better!
This is great news!
I can't wait for the day that it is completely accepted by all in this country.
So glad to hear that Michelle supports it!
I am not currently breastfeeding (my son is now 2 1/2) but we did breastfeed up until he self weaned at 18 months. My son was also a preemie (born at 28 weeks) and I attribute his success today to breastfeeding. He had exclusively breastmilk until 6 months of age, when my supply with pumping and work couldn't keep up (we had real issues due to our rough start of 2 months in NICU) but we continued with whatever breastmilk we could (nights/weekends) until at 18 months he said "bye bye milkies". Glad to see breastfeeding being more encouraged and mama's being supported.
I hope this stops formula-feeding-cuz-its-easier mama’s from griping at me for breastfeeding in public. Nothing get’s me more riled up than being told to cover up, or offered a towel or a blanket. (Do I look uncomfortable? . . However, if I am asked politely, because I’m making someone else uncomfortable, I will gladly cover) It’s about time the government started taking breastfeeding seriously, bet the formula companies are going to have nervous breakdowns. Ha!