Breastfeeding less common among aboriginals: study
NWT's chief medical officer says residential schools partially to blame for lower rates among indigenous populations
Meagan Leonard
Northern News Services
Friday, August 21, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The president of a Yellowknife breastfeeding support group says she is not surprised by the findings of a recent study which found rates of latching on were much lower among aboriginal populations.
President of local breastfeeding support group Melissa Pink, pictured with son Oliver, 21 months, works to promote breastfeeding in the city but says more support is needed in smaller communities. - Meagan Leonard/NNSL photo |
The study, published by St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, looked at rates of breastfeeding among Canadian women and found aboriginal women were 10 per cent less likely to breastfeed their children. As a result, the study found their babies had higher rates of gastrointestinal and respiratory infections, along with increased chances of sudden infant death syndrome, also known as crib death.
Melissa Pink said a lack of support for breastfeeding mothers is what prompted the foundation of Moms, Boobs and Babies, which offers group meetings, peer support and a 24-hour hotline.
"If a mom is struggling to breastfeed and she doesn't have resources, it's easier to give up," said Pink.
She added there is a misconception breastfeeding comes easily, but in reality it can be painful and frustrating.
"Breastfeeding is not easy and it's something a lot of moms have to work at," she said. "It's not like a bottle, you can't see the volume of milk your baby is getting so there's a lot of lingering questions ... when you have these questions and you're unsure of yourself, that's one of the reasons moms stop."
She said although it's important for the health-care department to get involved, often peer support is the simplest solution - which is why the group hosts monthly meetings.
"There's nothing like seeing a mom talking to another mom to let you know everyone's experiences differ and there are ways to get through the struggles," she said.
Dr. Andre Corriveau, Chief Public Health Officer for the NWT, told Yellowknifer the residential school system has been one of the main causes of reduced breastfeeding rates among aboriginal women in the territory.
"We have two or three generations that went through the residential school system and weren't exposed to breastfeeding as a normal way of mothering," he explained. "A lot of young girls grew up without their moms and grandparents ... so we have to bring that traditional knowledge back."
Addiction issues and alcoholism also continue to be a factor, he said, along with changing societal attitudes.
"For a period ... (the Department of Health and Social Services) was promoting the use of milk alternatives so people believed breastfeeding was something that wasn't required anymore - that milk supplements were just as good," he said. "All that publicity created an atmosphere where breastfeeding rates went down."
This is something it's currently working to improve through the department's early childhood development strategy, explained Corriveau, adding it has developed breastfeeding kits and are planning activities for world breastfeeding week in October. He said typically much of the focus is on the health of the baby, but there are added benefits for mothers as well.
"Mothers who breastfeed tend to take better care of themselves," he said. "They'll think more about what they eat and they'll have a higher likelihood of quitting smoking if they were smokers."
Pink says she has been breastfeeding her son for more than a year now and the benefits are exponential, not just physically but emotionally.
"You don't have to pack up bottles and formula when you go out running errands or travelling," she said. "And on a personal note, the connection and bond and period of time where you sit down with your baby - it's just nice to do that."
Overall, Pink says Yellowknife has been very receptive to breastfeeding mothers and the organization has a map available highlighting all the "baby friendly" businesses in town.
She said she would like to see the same kind of support get out into the communities and it is one of her goals in the next two years.
"We're working on doing some training with health-care providers or moms who are interested in starting support groups," she said.
"Even if it means bringing one or two people from the communities into Yellowknife for training or sending trainers up to the communities ... if that means one extra baby breastfed a year or 10, it doesn't matter to us, we're doing something that's helping."
