Mon, Jun 30, 2003 page2

• Association says breast is the best

  • By Melody Chen / STAFF REPORTER
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  More than 100 pairs of parents yesterday brought their babies along to a function celebrating the establishment of the Breastfeeding Association Taiwan (BRA), the country's first organization to promote breastfeeding.

  Chen Chao-huei (陳昭惠), chief of the neonatology division in Tai-chung Veterans General Hospital, was the author of an article exploring the relationship between SARS and breastfeeding. She attended the function to answer questions about breastfeeding.

  There are no ready statistics on the prevalence of breastfeeding in Taiwan at the moment, but Chen said in the country's "mother-baby-friendly hospitals," around 80 to 90 percent of mothers breastfeed their newborn babies.

  There are about 60 "mother-baby-friendly hospitals" in the country. The hospitals are characterized by their commitment to teach expectant mothers how to breastfeed.

  "After babies are born, the hospitals will make mothers and babies stay together for as long as possible. They don't limit breastfeeding time and would assist mothers whenever they have difficulties," said Chen.

  In her article exploring the relationship between SARS and breastfeeding, Chen said the antibodies and live cells in mothers' breast milk could help protect babies from the disease.

  Mothers who did not exhibit SARS symptoms but were isolated because they had contact with SARS patients could continue breastfeeding and stay with their babies, Chen said.

  It is still not known whether mothers who had SARS-contact histories and developed symptoms were still fit to breastfeed, she said.

  "In most cases, when mothers contracted an infectious disease, their breast milk would contain the antibodies generated in their bodies," Chen said. If mothers continued breastfeeding after contracting infectious diseases, the antibodies in their breast milk could protect babies.

  "But it is still not clear whether the breast milk of mothers infected with SARS would contain the virus, or whether babies would contract SARS after being breastfed by SARS-infected mothers," Chen said.

  At the function, a group of young children sung a song to express their love for their mothers' breastfeeding.

  Many mothers, holding their babies, eagerly shared with reporters the benefits of breastfeeding.

  Liao Wen-shu (廖玟淑), a 29-year-old mother, quit her job in order to breastfeed her firstborn. Her son is now 13 months old, but she said she would keep on breastfeeding him until he does not want the breast anymore.

  "Our family's financial condition is indeed not as good as before because I quit my job to be a full-time mother. But it is very worthwhile because I can watch my son grow up. I kept a diary to record his growth every day," Liao said.

  For Lee Su-fen (李素芬), a 28-year-old employee of a stock company, breastfeeding has not been an easy task because she had to return to work when her two-month maternity leave ended.

  Insisting on breastfeeding her firstborn, a daughter, Lee had to bring a small icebox-cooler with her to office every day so that she could keep her breast milk fresh by storing it in the cooler.

  Lee said she had to squeeze her breasts three times a day during work hours to get 500ml of breast milk for her daughter.
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