CDC report: Colorado number 1 in breast feeding
Colorado Health officials have something new to boast about. According to the CDC Colorado now ranks number one in the country for the number of mothers who exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months.
Jennifer Dellaport, a breast feeding specialist for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, says this is great news because breast fed babies are healthier and grow into healthier children.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General babies who are not breast fed have a 32 percent greater chance of becoming obese children.
There are so many benefits to breast feeding that 70 percent of Colorado Hospitals no longer give away gift bags to new moms that include infant formula, and some hospitals keep their formula locked up.
“Many times hospital staff will have to actually receive a prescription from a physician for a medical reason for the mother to get formula,” said Dellaport.
If a mother wants or needs the formula, it is available. “Mothers will always have the right to choose. We just want to make sure mothers make an informed choice,” she added.
Some moms praise the efforts. “I think it’s great,” said new mom Suzanne Frieman. But others don’t understand the changes.
“I think it should be given as a choice to every mother and see what works best for her,” said Ashley Inman.
