In retrospect, nutrition has been a public health concern. As such, breastfeeding, a physical process, is considered as an essential element of infants’, as well as mothers’ wellbeing. Childhood nutrition underpins successful human development throughout the lifespan. In this context, breast milk, the primary infant’s source of nutrients plays essential roles in the child’s growth (Cadwell & Turner-Maffei, 2013). This explains the reason why the current healthcare policy reforms have shifted from focusing on adult nutrition to childhood nutrition. Over the decades, new evidence has been emerging regarding the benefits of breastfeeding. Overall, evidence indicates that breastfeeding plays significant roles in growth, development and survival of a child. It also promotes the wellbeing of the mother. This implies that breastfeeding exhibits a dual-benefit. Based on systematic literature reviews, breastfeeding has long-term benefits; it goes a long way in sustaining growth, development, defense against diseases, and wellbeing of an individual (Horta & Victora, 2013). On the one side, breastfeeding a child exclusively for six months has been found to influence the health of the child. It lowers the incidence of some childhood conditions such as obesity, childhood leukemia, diabetes mellitus, and inflammatory bowel disease. Similarly, exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant mortalities caused by otitis media, respiratory tract infections and diarrhea (Buontempo, Busuttil & Gauci, 2015). Additionally, breastfeeding has been found to have profound effects on mental development and chronic illnesses in later life. On the other side, breastfeeding has been found to have immediate, short-term, as well as long-term maternal benefits to mothers. Immediate effects are attributable to the stimulation of oxytocin which reduces the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. It also enhances the mother’s psychological health through reducing postpartum depression (Hamdan & Tamim, 2012). In this context, this paper focuses on providing a comprehensive analysis on breastfeeding healthcare policy through discussing the policymakers concern over the issue, competing policy options and organizational influence.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Policymakers’ Breastfeeding Policy Concern
3. Background Information
4. Policy Analysis
4.1 Policy Options
5. Support Organization
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of breastfeeding healthcare policy by examining the specific concerns of policymakers, evaluating competing policy options, and assessing the influence of various organizations on these regulatory frameworks.
- The dual health benefits of breastfeeding for both infants and mothers.
- Barriers to breastfeeding, including cultural factors, workplace environments, and formula feeding.
- Global and national policy developments, such as the WHO/UNICEF guidelines and US federal initiatives.
- Evaluation of competing policy strategies like "Break time Provisions" versus "Infant and mother-friendly" workplace designs.
- The role of the American Public Health Association (APHA) in advocating for supportive breastfeeding legislation.
Excerpt from the Book
Policymakers’ Breastfeeding Policy Concern
Over the decades, breastfeeding has been attracting divergent perspectives. Of concern is the policy aspect which has solicited intense political attention. Despite the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding rates have been relatively low in the US, as well as, other regions around the globe. This is attributable to the barriers to breastfeeding. On the one side, cultural factors such as sexuality, formula feeding and media influence have been found to hinder breastfeeding. On the other side, national factors such as the lack of supportive environments at the workplace, competency of healthcare professionals in relation to breastfeeding and lack of breastfeeding education amongst the population. These barriers, as well as the consequences of inadequate breastfeeding and formula feeding of infants have attracted the concern of policymakers; thus prompting the need for a national policy that guarantees exclusive breastfeeding for the wellbeing of the US population. Additionally, the changing epidemiological trends of chronic diseases, most of which can be prevented through breastfeeding during infancy, amongst the US population have raised the attention of policymakers who are making extensive efforts to address the burden of chronic illnesses through healthcare policy regulations. Finally, the risk associated with breastmilk substitutes including contamination and nutritional deficiencies has prompted policymakers to consider policy approaches for reducing these risks.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter highlights the critical role of breastfeeding in infant and maternal health and outlines the paper's focus on policy analysis.
Policymakers’ Breastfeeding Policy Concern: This section explores the primary motivations and barriers—ranging from cultural influences to chronic disease prevention—that drive policymakers to seek new breastfeeding regulations.
Background Information: This chapter contextualizes current breastfeeding policies within global frameworks established by organizations like the WHO and UNICEF.
Policy Analysis: This chapter examines the challenges in current US breastfeeding policies and the resulting emergence of different regulatory options.
Policy Options: This section details specific legislative approaches, comparing "Break time Provisions" with the creation of "Infant and mother-friendly" workplace facilities.
Support Organization: This chapter discusses the advocacy efforts of the American Public Health Association (APHA) in promoting institutional support for breastfeeding.
Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the need for policy interventions and notes the preference for workplace-friendly provisions among key stakeholders.
Keywords
Breastfeeding, Healthcare Policy, Public Health, Infant Nutrition, Maternal Health, Workplace Accommodation, Breastmilk Substitutes, Policy Analysis, WHO, UNICEF, APHA, Chronic Disease Prevention, Exclusive Breastfeeding, Maternity Leave, Lactation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on providing a comprehensive analysis of breastfeeding healthcare policies, specifically examining the concerns of policymakers and the various regulatory strategies implemented to support breastfeeding.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Central themes include the health benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and infants, barriers to breastfeeding such as workplace and cultural factors, and the evolution of breastfeeding policy from global guidelines to local workplace mandates.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to analyze how policymakers address the barriers to breastfeeding through competing policy options and to highlight the role of organizational support in shaping these outcomes.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work employs a systematic review and analytical approach, synthesizing existing literature, international declarations, and legislative frameworks to evaluate the effectiveness and necessity of breastfeeding policies.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section covers the history of global breastfeeding initiatives, the specific barriers faced by working mothers, the legislative comparison of different policy options, and the advocacy role of organizations like the APHA.
Which keywords best characterize the study?
Key terms include Breastfeeding, Healthcare Policy, Public Health, Infant Nutrition, Maternal Health, and Workplace Accommodation.
Why are workplace facilities important for breastfeeding policy?
Workplace facilities provide a hygienic and private environment for expressing milk, which is essential for working mothers to maintain exclusive breastfeeding and overcome privacy-related cultural barriers.
How do employers benefit from being "infant and mother-friendly"?
Employers benefit by creating a reputation that attracts talented women and helps in retaining existing female staff, ultimately reducing costs associated with staff turnover and training.
What role does the American Public Health Association (APHA) play?
The APHA acts as a key advocate that pushes for legislation supporting breastfeeding as a public health issue, influencing policies like paid maternity leave and workplace lactation protection.
What is the significance of the 2012 WHO resolution mentioned?
The WHO Resolution 65.6 is significant because it provides a global benchmark, aiming to increase the rates of exclusive breastfeeding within the first six months to at least 50% by the year 2025.
- Quote paper
- Patrick Kimuyu (Author), 2017, Breastfeeding Healthcare Policy in Australia, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/381302
