FOR RELEASE: July 20, 2000
CONTACT: Dick Gunn
405/271-5601

Breastfeeding Is Healthiest Choice for Babies

"Breastfeeding: It's Your Right!" is this year's theme for World Breastfeeding Week, Aug. 1-7. Officials at the Oklahoma State Department of Health want to use this time to encourage mothers to breastfeed their babies. Breastfeeding provides biological and emotional bonding for mother and child. Also, breast milk has anti-infective properties that help protect infants against disease.

Some of the benefits of breastfeeding are:

• Breast milk provides the perfect infant nutrition and is the right mix of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed for a healthy start.
• Breast milk is easy for babies to digest so babies have less diarrhea, constipation, and spitting up than formula-fed babies do.
• Breast milk helps the baby fight ear and urinary tract infections, have fewer serious illnesses, and delays allergies.
• Breastfeeding helps the mother's body get back into shape after pregnancy.
• Breastfeeding saves money and breast milk is the right temperature and ready to use.

For more information about breastfeeding, contact your local county health department WIC clinic or call 1-888-655-2942 (1-888-OKLAWIC).

###