Why does the Public Education Can Help to Increase Breastfeeding Rates in the United States?

Abstract
Breastfeeding among mothers in the United States is alarmingly low, despite the high rates of initiation. The low rate of breastfeeding among the mothers is despite the knowledge of health, financial and psychological benefits of breastfeeding to the mother, the child and their families (Brenner & Buescher, 2011). The indication is that the mothers who begin with the intention to breastfeed receive inadequate support and education that can facilitate their commitment to the process (Kellams & Sriraman, 2016). The outcome is the low rates of breastfeeding among the mothers in the United States. The thesis in the study, therefore, focuses on the benefits of public education towards creating supports systems that contribute to the commitment of the mothers to breastfeeding. The public education process will according to the analysis of the research provide an avenue for the public, including healthcare professionals to embrace breastfeeding, and in the process encourage the new mothers to breastfeed their infants.

The Contribution of Public Education to Increasing Breastfeeding Rates in the United States

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Support, Public Education
Outline
Introduction
Breastfeeding with its many known health benefits for the infants, children, and mothers is a key strategy to improve public health (Quote).
Research question: How can public education contribute to improving breastfeeding rates, and why are the public education protocols important for promoting breastfeeding.

Public health strategies should embrace breastfeeding which is the first line of immunity and protection for the newborn.
While the statistics indicate that a high number of mothers have an interest in the process and requirements of breastfeeding, the indifference of some individuals in the healthcare facilities that cater for maternal needs discourages the uptake. The discussion will thus analyze:
The possible impact of the attitude of healthcare providers in maternal clinics towards breastfeeding
The opinion of the public and how it contributes to confidence and comfort during breastfeeding.
The discussion will focus on the contribution of public health to improving the opinions towards breastfeeding and in the process reducing the associated stigmas so that an increasing number of mothers can breastfeed their infants.
Body
Consolidation of data from research
After finishing and annotating the research material, the analysis will consolidate the information to match the requirements of the discussion.
Importance of breastfeeding to mother and child
Research to support the benefits of breastfeeding
Dismal breastfeeding commitment
Possible public education contribution to altering the negative reception
Conclusion
Breastfeeding is an important contribution to public health thus the relevance of public education that will promote breastfeeding among all mothers.
Introduction
Breastfeeding with its many known health benefits for the infants, children, and mothers is a key strategy to improve public health (Quote). Despite the known benefits, statistics indicate that a high number of infants between 6 months and 12 months fail to benefit from breastfeeding (Flannery, 2015). Ultimately, public health strategies should embrace breastfeeding which is the first line of immunity and protection for the newborn (CDC, 2016). The mother and her infant are part of the community, and thus liable to the opinions of the public. Hence, the negative reception of breastfeeding in public is also contributing to the negative attitudes among the mothers who should be breastfeeding their infants for the health as well as psychological benefits of child and mother bonding. An increase in public education is an important contributor to improving the rates of breastfeeding while in the process improving the knowledge and the skills that the mother has a positive attitude towards breastfeeding.
Thesis: Public education plays an important role in increasing the rate of breastfeeding by improving skills and creating a positive attitude in the mothers which contributes to the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding Statistics in the US
A study that is relevant in the analysis of breastfeeding along with the contribution of public health to the process focused on a sample of 75 women along with their infants (Cross-Barnet et al., 2012). The participants in the study indicated that the primary hindrance to their possibilities of breastfeeding included insufficient education and support. The mothers determined that the maternal healthcare professionals neglected to provide the crucial information on breastfeeding during given stages of their pregnancy and childbirth. Additionally, the women who reported challenges with the process of breastfeeding their infants did not receive useful referencing to professionals that could solve their problems with breastfeeding (MacKean & Spragins, 2012). A separate concern for the mothers was the hostility of the practitioners who discourage their participation in the process of breastfeeding despite understanding the associated benefits (Myers, 2013).
One of the most knowned benefits of breastfeeding includes the protection that the infant receives from infection during their various developmental stages. Studies indicate that human milk has properties that protect against enteric infections that result from protozoa, bacteria, and viruses, in addition to respiratory viruses and bacterial pathogens. Additional benefits include the cost saving implications of breastfeeding seeing that the cost of infant formula that is costly and with minimal benefits in comparison to the breast milk.
Given the benefits, the rate of breastfeeding initiation among new mothers is high in the United States (CDC, 2016). The indication is that a significant proportion of women are willing to breastfeed their infants and follow through with the efforts that they put in understanding the requirements as well as the process of breastfeeding (Wolf, 2003). However, statistics show that the rates o breastfeeding for children between 6 months and 12 months are alarmingly low which shows that while the initiation rates are high, the mothers do not follow the commitment to continue breastfeeding their infants according to the recommendations (Flannery, 2015).
The disparity in the figures is an indication that the mothers do not receive sufficient breastfeeding education along with support from their families and the public that will foster the initial commitment (Kellams & Sriraman, 2016). Public education is, therefore, a crucial requirement that will create proper systems of support in the public that will help the mothers to follow through with their initial commitment to breastfeeding (Albrecht et al., 2017).
Public Education Intervention
While a mother and her infant are independent of the public as well as the community in which they live, they still form part of the public. Therefore, while the mother may make attempts at breastfeeding, including making attempts at the process, the opinion of the public affects their view of the process and in most instances serve as encouragement or discouragement. The clarity of the benefits of breastfeeding in public will form effective support systems that will encourage the mothers to breastfeed. Therefore, while it is crucial for the mothers to receive consistent and effective education and support during all the stages of pregnancy, childbirth and infancy period, public education will also serve to minimize the critical reception of breastfeeding so that the mothers have confidence and comfort. Conversely, the 2016 report card on breastfeeding in the United States indicates that the mothers who are not breastfeeding do not receive encouragement from their support systems (CDC, 2016). The report card further describes the support systems to include healthcare providers, family members along with their employers.
The challenges of child-rearing are innumerable, and the support systems that include encouraging the mothers to breastfeed will go a long way in easing the process for the mothers. With an effective public education that results in proper systems of support for the mothers, they can commit initiating the process of breastfeeding in addition to obtaining the resources that are necessary to promote breastfeeding for the benefit of the mother and the child (Kellams & Sriraman, 2016). An illustration of breastfeeding education success is in Minnesota with their expansion of breastfeeding support in worksites. The strategies that the state employed include having breastfeeding policies in place to support the initiation as well as maintenance of breastfeeding for the mothers in the workplace (CDC, 2016). The success rate included an uptake of the breastfeeding program by ten facilities in Dakota County. The process of breastfeeding thus contributes to an improvement in overall public health.
Conclusion
Breastfeeding is an important contribution to public health thus the relevance of public education that will promote breastfeeding among all mothers. The studies that form part of the research in the analysis indicate that breastfeeding presents both health, financial and psychological benefits to the mother, the infant and their families. In line with a clarity of the benefits, the rate of breastfeeding initiation is high (Strong, 2013). However, it contrasts with the rate of commitment and continuity since separate studies indicate that a high number of infants between 6 months and 12 months are not beneficiaries of breastfeeding. According to a separate analysis, the mothers indicate that insufficient information, education in addition to hostility from the maternal health care professionals lead to the dwindling rates of breastfeeding among the mothers (Brenner & Buescher, 2011). Public education is thus critical to its potential to create effective systems of support in the community that will see the mothers follow through with their commitment to breastfeeding.

References
Albrecht, S. A., Wang, J. & Spatz, D., (2017). A Call to Action to Address Barriers to Breastfeeding and Lactation Faced by Student-Mothers. nwhjournal.org, Nursing for Women’s Health, pages 431-437
Brenner, M. G. & Buescher, E. S., (2011), Breastfeeding: A Clinical Imperative. Journal of Women’s Health (15409996), 20(12), 1767-1773. doi:10.1089/jwh.2010.2616
CDC, (2016), Breastfeeding Report Card, Progressing Toward National Breastfeeding Goals, United State/2016. (2016, August). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/2016breastfeedingreportcard.pdf
Cross-Barnet, C., Augustyn, M., Gross, S., Resnik, A., & Paige, D. (2012). Long-Term Breastfeeding Support: Failing Mothers in Need. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 16(9), 1926-1932. doi:10.1007/s10995-011-0939-x
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MacKean, G. & Spragins, W., (2012). The Challenges of Breastfeeding in a Complex World; A critical review of the qualitative literature on women and their partners’/supporters’ perceptions about breastfeeding. Retrieved from https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/ps-1029951-pregnancy-2012-breastfeeding-lit-review.pdf
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Strong, G., (2013). Barriers to breastfeeding during the neonatal period. Journal of Neonatal Nursing, Volume 19, Issue 4, August 2013, Pages 134-138
Wolf, J. H. (2003). Low Breastfeeding Rates and Public Health in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 93(12), 2000–2010.