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To declare August 2014 to be Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Columbus.
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WHEREAS, the residents of the City of Columbus and the State of Ohio are deserving of good health throughout their lives; and
WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life in order to provide the best possible start to life in all areas of development; and
WHEREAS, the health benefits of breastfeeding infants include a reduced risk of obesity later in life, a reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), fewer ear and respiratory infections, a reduced risk of developing both juvenile and type-2 diabetes, and an average increase of six IQ points at age 6 ½; and
WHEREAS, mothers receive benefits that last a lifetime from exclusive breastfeeding, including a lower body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, triglycerides, waist circumference and LDL cholesterol; and
WHEREAS, a 2010 study published in Pediatrics found that, if 90% of new mothers breastfed, the U.S would save $13 billion per year in healthcare costs and prevent over 900 deaths; and
WHEREAS, despite these benefits, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2012 Breastfeeding Report Card found that 62% of Ohio babies are not fed any breast milk, and only 11% of breastfed babies are breastfed exclusively for six months as recommended; and
WHEREAS, although, Columbus and Franklin County has the highest birthrate in Ohio resulting in 17,851 live births in 2010, less than 2,000 of those infants were exclusively breastfed for the recommended 6 months; and
WHEREAS, the Surgeon General has issued a Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding that, in part, focuses on the essential need for communities to increase societal support for breastfeeding; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus joins the State of Ohio and the Surgeon General of the United States Breastfeeding Committee in the belief that breastfeeding rates will improve if social ...
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