Media Release: La Leche League International Commends AAP for New Breastfeeding Guidelines

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Schaumburg, IL, USA (December 8, 1997)-New guidelines on breastfeeding issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on December 1 were greeted with strong approval by officials and members of La Leche League International, the world's foremost authority on breastfeeding.

The AAP statement recommends mothers breastfeed for at least the first twelve months of life and as long after as is mutually desired. "This guideline affirms the value of allowing babies to breastfeed beyond infancy, weaning gradually without an outside time frame and thereby providing a more satisfying breastfeeding experience for both mother and child," says Betty Crase, Director of the Center for Breastfeeding Information at La Leche League International headquarters.

"For the past seven years, global documents originating from World Health Organization and UNICEF-sponsored international conferences have included breastfeeding for two years and longer in their recommendations," reports Rebecca Magalhaes, LLLI Director of International Action and Development.

La Leche League members around the world hope that the new statement, which also urges employers to consider providing the means to help working women breastfeed and asks insurance companies to offer coverage for lactation-related services, will help convince everyone to support women in their decision to breastfeed.

The AAP statement also now reflects what La Leche League has always urged--that if a mother or baby is ill or one of them needs to be hospitalized, breastfeeding should be continued and the mother and baby remain together. "The statement will help the health care community to understand that breastfeeding should not be abandoned because of other health concerns and can be continued safely in the vast majority of cases," says Crase. "In fact, continuing to breastfeed during times of medical crisis can promote faster healing and reduce stress."

La Leche League International offers a Seminar for Physicians each year as well as workshops to train Lactation Consultants and Breastfeeding Peer Counselors. The 1998 program of the Seminar for Physicians, to be held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 23-25, features prominent health care providers, including physicians from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

For more information about La Leche League, LLL educational events or materials, visit http://www.lalecheleague.org/, call (800) LALECHE or call (847) 519-7730.