A healthy start: local women advocate breast-feeding

The most common question pregnant women ask Amy Woodall is, "Does it hurt?" "I tell them, 'if it's done right, it shouldn't hurt,'" explained Woodall, a peer counselor with the Women Infant Children's (WIC) program at the Cape Girardeau County Health Department.

Woodall, along with two other peer counselors and WIC nutritionist Rachel Von Holten, spend a good deal of their time as advocates for breastfeeding.

For Woodall, who breast-fed her last child but not her first three, the difference was in her babies' health. Her three boys had constant ear infections and allergies from birth to age two. Her youngest child, a girl, has had only one ear infection and no allergies.

"Healthwise, it was excellent," said Woodall, who lives in Whitewater. "And I absolutely loved it; it was a very relaxing time."

This week -- in honor of National Breast-feeding Awareness month -- the local WIC program held a breast-feeding awareness event to encourage more women to consider the option.

According to Von Holten, who is also the breast-feeding support coordinator for WIC, there are benefits to both mom and baby.

"For mom, one of the biggest benefits is reduced chances of breast and ovarian cancer," said Von Holten. "Also, there's faster recovery after childbirth and quicker return to prepregancy weight."

For infants, breast-feeding has been shown to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, decrease allergies and, as babies grow up, reduce the risk for obesity and even potentially impact a child's IQ, said Von Holten.

"Breast milk is perfect for them," said Von Holten. "It's the best start you can give your baby."

Plus, there's a special bond formed between baby and mom, she added.

cmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128