Exclusive Breastfeeding: Challenges for Teenage Mothers - Paper Example

Introducton

Exclusive breastfeeding is the only known best method of ensuring that an infant gets a nutritious meal for six months after birth. However, numerous challenges hamper an exclusive breastfeeding program, particularly among teenage mothers. For instance, many women usually get pregnant with no knowledge of breastfeeding (Australian Department of Health, 2015). Consequently, some of them will end up giving birth without knowing what is expected of them. Also, poor social support makes it embarrassing for teenage women to breastfeed in public. The situation is worse where women have to return to their workplace with no exclusive breastfeeding area—social norms and misconceptions concerning the equivalence of formula to breast milk. Surprisingly, even developed countries such as the United States usually experience the same challenges when it comes to breastfeeding.

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Available Structures That Support Breastfeeding Teenage Mothers in Tasmania Island and Australia

To ensure that teenage mothers breastfeed their children, the Australian government has good strategies that are timely, multifaceted, and consistent in offering care. The Australian government developed legislative laws that protect breastfeeding women in public and at work (Australian Department of Health, 2015). Thus, women can get a friendly breastfeeding environment. Furthermore, the Australian government constantly encourages public and private hospitals to work towards receiving a BFHI accreditation by supporting breastfeeding women. BFHI is the World Health Organization’s initiative that stipulates ten steps of successful breastfeeding.

The Australian 2013 Eat for health initiative is a government program that funds health professionals’ training to ensure they have sufficient knowledge concerning breastfeeding. Consequently, health professionals will have sufficient knowledge that will enable them to give teenage breastfeeding mothers adequate education. Some professionals involved in lactation consultation also get funding from the Australian and New Zealand countries to produce materials that will help in consultation and studying purposes.

Moreover, the Department of Health and Ageing children funds the helpline number, critical for an emergency. Thus, women who call usually get direction and orientation into a breastfeeding program. The Australian government also has a community support network that offers free cores to children until they attain eight years (Australian Department of Health, 2015). There is also a program that provides public sensitization and awareness of the need for infant breastfeeding. The strategy makes it easy for the public to support any breastfeeding woman in their vicinity.

Lastly, the Australian government has a program that supports priority groups such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. All in all, breast milk has rich nutritious elements that are essential for the child’s normal development – thus, women should plan on exclusively breastfeeding their infants for the first six months.

Reference

Australian Department of Health, 2015. Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy 2010-2015. Department of Health. Available at: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/aust-breastfeeding-strategy-2010-2015 [Accessed August 15, 2020].