Thursday, February 23, 2006

Does Free Baby Formula Discourage Breast-feeding? (ABC News)

A Government Study Suggests That a Federal Program Designed to Aid Low-Income Mothers May Inadvertently Discourage Them From Breast-Feeding

Feb. 23, 2006 — While it has been a common practice since the beginning of time, breast-feeding has also been a source of constant debate and discussion. The latest controversy is no exception.

A new study by the Government Accountability Office suggests that a federal program designed to aid low-income mothers may inadvertently discourage them from breast-feeding because it provides them with free infant formula in hospitals.

While the U.S. government encourages mothers to breast-feed their infants, the study reports that low-income mothers who participate in the federal Women, Infants and Children health and nutrition program have significantly lower breast-feeding rates than the rest of the population.



click to read more....

No comments: