Introduction
Breastfeeding is a necessary event in the growth of a child. This is attributed to the benefits associated with natural milk as opposed to the immediate or long-term negative implications associated with exposing a child to other foods including formula foods. Of the greatest importance is breastfeeding in low-income families which are most prone to health prevalence. However, this practice has shown different rates of emphasis in different groups of people. For example, women characterized by low income, minority women and the women and those with lower levels of education have been found to have the lowest rates of initiating this practice and maintaining it (Jacknowitz 2005; Washington Business Group 2000). Accordingly, this paper seeks to explore the diverse beliefs, perspectives, and experiences concerning breastfeeding within different subcategories of women. These subcategories will be differentiated in terms of culture, race, economic status, religion, and location.
Studies point out that regardless of its natural importance, breastfeeding has not been greatly emphasized among women of different social and economic backgrounds. From the beginning of the first century to contemporary times, different factors have contributed to altering women’s attitudes towards breastfeeding. Gill and colleagues (2004) pointed out in their study that women from low-income families, those with low education levels, and minority women rarely initiated this practice, and those who initiated it did not sustain it for a long time. The culture of breastfeeding has also changed greatly from the early 20th Century to the contemporary times (American Academy of Pediatrics 1998). On their part, McDowell and colleagues (2008) argue that race also plays an important role in determining the attitude of women towards breastfeeding. This paper will use various researches carried out on women from different races, social-economic statuses, and cultural backgrounds to determine the different beliefs and perspectives associated with breastfeeding. These women from different backgrounds will be an important measure because the different individual characteristics will be an important tool in the formulation of attitudes and beliefs (Wallace 1993).
The Diverse Beliefs and Practices
While breastfeeding is associated with reduction of respiratory complications, gastrointestinal issues, reduced infections of the ear, reduced allergies, improved cognitive development, and its wholesome nutritive value, women from low-income families and minority groups tend to have different views (Horwood and Fergusson 2000). Their study points out that women in these population categories have developed negative perspectives and beliefs concerning breastfeeding and hence this has reduced their initiation of the processor early termination for those who initiate it. These women believe that nursing in public is an embarrassing affair. In addition, they feel that breastfeeding is a painful experience that leaves the nipple sore. The study further identifies that women in this population category find breastfeeding to be an experience that restricts them and inconveniences their day-to-day activities. Finally, the economic responsibilities usually out way their belief in the importance of breastfeeding. They prefer to resume school or work early and hence stop breastfeeding so that they can facilitate their endeavor (Chatterji and Frick 2003; Dusdieker 1994).
These beliefs and perspectives differ from Caucasian women who are learned. The study shows that this population category understands the importance of breastfeeding and hence emphasizes breastfeeding their children and sustaining the practice to a period of a year or more. These diverse beliefs have resulted in educated Caucasian women becoming the most likely to breastfeed their children while 66% of Hispanic women are likely to initiate the process of breastfeeding. However, the Hispanics are the most likely to introduce their children to formula food at an early age as compared to all other ethnicities. Consequently, only 28% of these women breastfeed their children for six months or more (Neifert 2000; International Lactation Consultants 2004).
Another factor that affects the rate of breastfeeding among women is the availability of supportive networks and education concerning breastfeeding. Study in this field has shown that women who have been well informed concerning the importance of breastfeeding on the general development of the child have a different disposition towards the practice as compared to those who have not been informed. Consequently, the group of women who are educated concerning breastfeeding not only initiate the practice but also sustain it. This signifies that education plays an important role in changing a woman’s perspective and belief and hence her disposition towards breastfeeding. On the contrary, women who find that the hospital staff is not supporting them on the issue of breastfeeding tend to discontinue the practice earlier than those who receive support and education. Gill et al (2004) show that women who underwent education sessions on breastfeeding by WIC exhibited a longer average breastfeeding period as compared to another group that only underwent the usual prenatal sessions. In general, the group that participated in the breastfeeding session by WIC had an average breastfeeding period of 76 days as compared to an average of 30 days for the women who underwent the routine prenatal sessions by WIC (US Department of Health 2000).
Religious beliefs can greatly influence a woman’s attitude towards breastfeeding. This could have both negative and positive impacts. A good example of religious practices that affect the attitude and perspectives of a woman towards breastfeeding is the Islamic faith. The role of the woman concerning breastfeeding is pointed out in the Hadith and the Quran (Shaikh and Ahmed 2000). Verse 2:233 of the Holy Quran mandates the woman to ensure that she breastfeeds her child for a period not less than 24 months if possible. This according to the Quran makes an extension of the intra-uterine environment of the uterus to the young baby. In addition, the woman has assured a reward for her wonderful deeds according to the duration of breastfeeding she undergoes. However, there are other aspects of religious beliefs that could affect the perspectives and beliefs of women towards breastfeeding. One of these practices is privacy and modesty. Islamic faith specifies that certain parts of men’s and women’s bodies have to remain covered at all times whenever the women are within sight of nonclose family members. This could dictate the places and contexts in which Islamic women might be allowed to breastfeed. In open rooms where they are not provided with adequate privacy, women are forced to bottle feed or formula feed their babies. This means that the perspective towards breastfeeding can be greatly influenced by religion.
Cultural beliefs could also affect the perspectives and attitudes of women towards breastfeeding. In Lebanon, research carried out by Osman and colleagues (2009) and another carried out by The US Breastfeeding Committee (2002) in the United States indicated that several cultural beliefs hampered women’s breastfeeding practices. For instance, some women believed that they had an inadequate quantity of milk while others showed great concern about the quality of their milk. There were also cultural beliefs that a child stood high chances of being harmed by breastfeeding. The research found out that there were women in Lebanon who believed that a woman could be born in a family which is known to possess genes of inability to produce milk. Others believed that they were born in families with “bad milk” while others believed that breast milk acted as the transmission agent of abdominal cramps from mother to child. These practices greatly influenced a woman’s attitude towards breastfeeding.
Similarities and Differences
While most of these beliefs could be in contrast to the professional perspective of breastfeeding, some are consistent. The Islamic faith specification concerning breastfeeding accurately affirms the World Health Organization’s specifications that a woman should breastfeed her child for at least two years. This period is exactly what the Holy Quran states. This means that some beliefs could be consistent with the professional stand. However, most of these beliefs are not consistent with the professional findings. For example, the cultural beliefs among the Lebanese women who believe that some women could be born in a family with bad milk is a notion that goes on the contrary to the professional realms. In addition, beliefs that milk could be harmful to the child also goes contrary to the professional arguments which point out that breast milk is the most nutritive and natural food to the infant that contains no harm as compared to formula food which usually causes health problems instantly or later (Gill et all 2004).
Conclusion
Some of these findings served as an eye-opener to me. While I thought that every woman knew that breast milk was the most nutritious and recommendable food for infants, the truth showed me that some beliefs completely said the opposite. For example, I could not have imagined that a person would think that breast milk was harmful to her infant baby. This perspective was changed when I discovered that some women in Lebanon believe that they were born in families with bad milk and that breastfeeding their children would affect them. This is a very important discovery concerning the field of health. Practitioners will be forced to understand some cultural aspects of a place before engaging in any effort to promote breastfeeding. The counseling services about breastfeeding could be tailor-made to suit the local cultural beliefs and customs. This is the most appropriate way of facilitating breastfeeding.
Coming up with this essay was marked by some strengths and weaknesses. The major strength that renders the findings in this essay authentic is the reliability of the sources used. This topic has attracted a great contribution from the scholars and hence there was enough material from reliable sources. However, the topic was somehow wide. The need to identify different beliefs, perspectives, and attitudes towards breastfeeding from different population categories was a bit wide. In the coming papers, I would have preferred to tackle a single issue like the effect of religious Islamic faith and practices on breastfeeding.
List of References
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Chatterji, P. and Frick, K. 2003. Does returning to work after childbirth affect breastfeeding practices? Cambridge, MA, National Bureau of Economic Research.
Dusdieker, L.B. 1994. Is milk production impaired by dieting during lactation? American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1994; 59:833-40.
Gill, S., Reifsnider, E., Mann, A., Villarreal, P. and Tinkle, M. 2004. Assessing infant breastfeeding beliefs among low income Mexican Americans. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 13(30): 39-50.
Horwood, L.J., and Fergusson, D.M. 2000. Breastfeeding and later cognitive and academic outcomes. Pediatrics. 1998;101(1). Web.
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Neifert, M. 2000. Supporting breastfeeding mothers as they return to work Elk Grove Village, IL, American Academy of Pediatrics.
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