From CNN Health:
"If most new moms would breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life, it would save nearly 1,000 lives and billions of dollars each year, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
"The United States incurs $13 billion in excess costs annually and suffers 911 preventable deaths per year because our breastfeeding rates fall far below medical recommendations," the report said.
The World Health Organization says infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life "to achieve optimal growth, development and health." The WHO is not alone in its recommendations."
Some of the biggest culprits to the lackluster breastfeeding rate in America: maternity care practices that inhibit early breastfeeding and lack of support. To read the full article, including how much experts believe we could be saving by breastfeeding, and how many moms need to breastfeed to achieve that savings, click here.
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