Society tends to have conflicted views of how new mothers feed their newborns, as breastfeeding is seen as the better choice… as long as it’s not done in public.  Jackie Binder is the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition and Training Coordinator for the Department of Health and says they do a lot of work to ensure new mothers have what they need…

 

Binder says there are laws in place that give working women the chance to take breaks at work in order to feed their new babies, and there are efforts to increase public acceptance across the state.  She says that although some women cannot feed their own infants after birth, those that can, should for several reasons…

 

The most recent data shows that almost 78% of mothers initiate breastfeeding in South Dakota.  The nation’s goal is 81%.

Binder says the reasons that many women do not breastfeed because they lack access to nutrition information and support.  Many women also feel that feeding their child in public is seen as offensive by others.