The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (HSA) have announced initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding to the growth and development of healthy children,

This is to coincide with World Breastfeeding Week, that starts today (Aug 1) and runs until August 7th.

The annual world breastfeeding observance aims to emphasise that breastfeeding is not just a woman’s issue or the sole responsibility of a woman – it affects the planet and its people, and is a responsibility that must be shared by all.

This year the global focus of the week is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on four areas: “Environment and climate change”, “Nutrition, food security and poverty reduction”, “Survival, health and wellbeing” and “Women’s productivity and employment”.

The Breastfeeding Support Group and the Bedside Manor store in Camana Bay will once again host their annual public “Got Milk” event to promote and discuss breastfeeding and related topics, at 3pm on Friday, 4 August.

According to the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), breastfeeding has many benefits, including:

“The health of our planet is affected by the way babies are fed. Breast milk is a renewable food that is produced and delivered without pollution, packaging or waste, thereby contributing to reduction of the carbon footprint.
“Breastfeeding also contributes to the reduction of poverty. It is a natural and low-cost way of feeding babies and children that does not burden household budgets compared to artificial feeding, and contributes significantly to long-term health.
“Breastfeeding is a key contributor to the survival, health and wellbeing of infants. Put simply, it provides babies with the best possible start in life.

Simone Sheehan, HSA dietician, strongly advocates that mothers initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of life and extend exclusive breastfeeding into the first six months. Exclusive breastfeeding means the infant only receives breast milk without any additional food or drink, including water. It provides all the water, high quality nutrients and energy a baby needs and is a means of food security for infants.

“Breastfeeding not only significantly improves the health of infants and young children, but improves mental and cognitive development thus promoting learning as well,” Sheehan said. “The experience can also be satisfying and empowering for the mother.”

Among the SDGs being proposed for adoption by UN member countries is the implementation of legislation to support the rights of mothers to breastfeed in public.

There is currently no legislation here in the Cayman Islands that supports these rights and surely this is the time for activists for this right to make their voice heard. It makes far more sense than a large number of heir petitions that they have made their protests on.
Even in the USA the vast majority of public breastfeeding laws have no enforcement provision. That means that while a state may have a law that says a mother has a right to breastfeed in public, if someone harasses her while she does it, there is probably no legal action she can take against the harasser.

What is extraordinary is that exposed breasts are all over the media: in movies, magazines, even television. But put a nursing infant anywhere near those breasts and suddenly some people are offended.

The following is from WE News a website “covering women’s issues”:

“In December, a woman nursing in a restaurant at a Las Vegas casino was told that she would need to “go somewhere more private.” And in March, a woman was denied entrance to a public zoo in Orange County, Calif., because she intended to breastfeed on a bench inside the zoo and the attendant feared that “children might see.”

“In June 2001, a woman in San Mateo, Calif., was asked to stop breastfeeding at a public pool. She was told that her actions violated public health codes and constituted indecent exposure and nudity. Pool staff later informed her that they were afraid her breast milk “might infect the pool water.”‘

Breast milk might infect the pool water?????

With what?