Since being a student teacher in the last two years only six infants have been breastfed and none of the mother’s breastfed their child within the centre environment. This made me wonder whether the parent was either shy, felt uncomfortable or we weren’t providing an environment that is breastfeeding ‘friendly’.
There are many reasons to why mothers discontinue breastfeeding their infant but the main reason is because the mother needs to return to paid employment and therefore the child is enrolled in child care (Manhire, Horrocks, Tangiora, n.d). Galtry (2003, as cited in Rankin) also supports this being the main reason to children not being breastfed but has a particular concern for Maori and Pacific Island women. She has this concern as many Maori and Pacific mothers don’t qualify for paid parental leave therefore they have to return to work and may have jobs or early childhood centre’s that are not breastfeeding friendly.
Between the years of 2004-2008 there has been a 20% increased number of infants under the age of one attending childcare providers (Manhire, Horrocks and Tangiora, n.d). Since the number of infants in childcare is increasing I believe that early childhood centres need to encourage and support breastfeeding mothers. This may then develop an increase in the number of children that get breastfed from birth right through to 12 months plus.
Early childhood centres need to support breastfeeding by providing an appropriate/ supportive breastfeeding setting that has a comfortable dedicated area that a mother can use to breastfeed (Bartle & Duncan, 2010). The staff may also support mothers to breastfeed in the main room if they choose to. Staff should provide support and knowledge to parents if they ask, the centre could also have pamphlets and books that parents have access to.
Dr. Sarah Farquhar (n.d, as cited in ECE express, 2010) also states that staff should ask parents when enrolling their child about their infants nutrition and whether they breastfeed and discuss what they can do to support the parent.
“Early childhood services have an educational, health and social responsibility to ensure effective support for mothers breastfeeding their babies at least up to age 12-months but preferably up to 24-months and beyond if mothers desire.”
(Dr. Sarah Farquhar, n.d, as cited in ECE express, 2010)
Breastfeeding can affect many management/pedagogical implications in early childhood. One management implication may be that if the early childhood setting is a non breastfeeding friendly centre than the parents may not enrol their child into the centre. This is a management implication because then the enrolment numbers may drop and the centre may also get a ‘bad’ name for not supporting breastfeeding.
If a child is breastfed it can protect the child as well as the mother from infection, therefore the child and mother will have less sick days (Bartle & Duncan, 2010). If a child is constantly away from the centre because they are sick this can be a management implication because the attendance of children may drop. If the mother that is breastfeeding is a staff member than this can benefit their attendance and therefore be a positive for management as they can then ‘count on’ that staff member to attend work.
My next blog will be about the pedagogical implications breastfeeding has on practice and I will also talk about policies behind breastfeeding. I
References
ECE express. (2010). ECE express. E tipu e rea. Growing our future. Retrieved April 16, 2011 from: http://www.ece-express.co.nz/ECEquestions.php
Manhire, K., Horrocks, G., & Tangiora, A. (n.d) Early childcare centre, support, knowledge,attitudes and beliefs about breastfeeding. Retrieved April 1, 2011 from: http://www.maorisids.org.nz/assets/files/pdf/Risk%20Factors/Early%20childcare%20centre%20support.pdf
Rankin, J. (2003,August 6). Work and breastfeeding good mix. Independent newspapers. Retrieved from Pro Quest database. http://library.eit.ac.nz:2053/pqcentral/docview/314255665/12EDADE6BC0A918DD8/1?accountid=39646
Bartle, C., & Duncan, J. (2010). Food for thought: Breastfeeding and early childhood education services. Early childhood folio, 14, (2), 31-36.
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