Toronto hospitals need to do a better job of helping new mothers breast-feed their babies according to a report by Toronto Public Health that singled out Toronto East General as the only Toronto hospital adhering to international breastfeeding standards.
The report, Breastfeeding in Toronto, indicates that mothers are more likely to continue breastfeeding if they've given birth in a hospital that promotes and teaches how to breast feed properly - and one that doesn't send free baby formula home with mothers.And according to Dr. David McKeown, overall, Toronto mothers don't keep up breastfeeding nearly enough."The study shows that the hospital has to have a breastfeeding policy," said McKeown. "They should assure that breast-fed infants should only have breast milk - and hospitals should ensure not to provide infant formula when they leave hospitals. Providing formula decreases the chance that women will exclusively breast feed."According to the survey of 1,500 first-time mothers at Toronto's 10 birthing hospitals, almost all started breastfeeding while in hospital, but six months later, 75 per cent continued some breastfeeding. But just 63 per cent exclusively breast fed after leaving hospital, and by the time six months had passed, just 17.5 per cent kept it up.That, said Dr. McKeown, is cause for concern - because breast-fed children tend to be healthier later in life."Breastfeeding reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome as well as risk of respiratory infections," he said. "Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of diabetes and obesity in adolescence and adulthood. There's also evidence that women who breastfeed have a reduced risk of ovarian cancer."The health department is calling on all 10 of Toronto's birthing hospitals to move into compliance with the World Health Organization's Baby-Friendly designation. Right now, only Toronto East General Hospital meets that criteria.According to Linda Young, TEGH's director of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, achieving that designation need not be costly."It's not so much money as people being committed to the concept of making breastfeeding support a priority," she said. "It involves changing the focus of education to breastfeeding - ensuring that all your staff are behind you."Toward that end, TEGH makes a point of training all incoming staff in the promotion of breastfeeding for new mothers, and also providing numerous educational opportunities for new mothers themselves.Dr. McKeown said hospitals should follow suit, and meet the WHO criteria."It's not just a piece of paper," he said. "The reason it's important is that it actually makes a difference in the likelihood of women breastfeeding."