According to the WHO, there are no two ways about the benefits of breastfeeding, for both infants and mothers.
鈥淏reastfeeding has been identified by the WHO as the most health-promoting activity a new mother can do,鈥� says Dr. Sonia Semenic, Associate Professor at the Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) and Nurse Scientist at the 海角社区 Health Centre. 鈥淭here is now irrefutable evidence that breastfeeding saves lives and reduces illness even in wealthy societies, and millions of dollars in healthcare costs in North America would be saved every year if all infants were exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life as recommended,鈥� she says.
Despite the evidence and although the vast majority of women in Canada now start breastfeeding after birth, less then a quarter exclusively breastfeed for six months as recommended, and half stop breast-feeding altogether by six months.
鈥淏reastfeeding in our society can be hard work, and it requires the support of family, friends, and healthcare professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable about the breastfeeding process, especially for first time moms,鈥� says Semenic, who鈥檚 program of research focuses on the evaluation breastfeeding policies and programs with the goal of improving breastfeeding support in health services, so that women and families can better meet their breastfeeding goals.
Over the past 15 years, Semenic鈥檚 research has targeted many aspects of breastfeeding and maternal health, including factors that influence the women鈥檚 decisions and practices related to breastfeeding; women鈥檚 needs and perceptions related to breastfeeding support; and nursing care strategies to enhance women鈥檚 confidence in their ability to breastfeed.
鈥淢y passion for breastfeeding research began during my many years of clinical experience as a certified lactation consultant,鈥� says Semenic, who is currently co-chairing the development of a new nursing best practice guideline for supporting exclusive and sustained breastfeeding, for the registered nurses association of Ontario, which will be disseminated nationally as a guide for health care professionals to better support breastfeeding women in Canada.
The ISoN has several faculty members working at the forefront of breastfeeding research, including Dr. Nancy Feeley鈥� ISoN Associate Professor; Senior Researcher at the Centre for Nursing Research, Jewish General Hospital; Co-Director of the R茅seau de recherche en interventions en sciences infirmi猫res du Qu茅bec (RRISIQ); and Senior Research Scholar of the Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec 鈥� Sant茅 (FRQS)鈥攚ho is currently leading a project funded by Montreal鈥檚 public health department to develop educational tools for nurses to better support mothers who need 聽to maintain lactation via milk expression.
鈥淪upporting new mothers鈥� breastfeeding goals has positive impacts on everyone, mothers, children, families, and society at large, with less costs to our health care systems,鈥� says Semenic. 鈥淭he evidence is there, but mothers need support, which is what our research aims to provide.鈥�
Sonia Semenic contributed as a co-lead to the development of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO)'s聽Best Practice Guideline (BPG) "", now available online as a free download, accessible on the .