Authors

  1. Young, Patricia RN, APN, C, IBCLC

Article Content

"Premature Births on the Rise" (AJN Reports, June) discusses the economic impact of premature birth. But it doesn't mention the fact that failure to initiate or sustain breastfeeding adds another layer of cost, both short- and long-term, for infants and their mothers. 1,2 Lack of breastfeeding is a public health concern.

 

Patricia Young, RN, APN, C, IBCLC

 

Sewell, NJ

 

REFERENCES

 

1. American Academy of Pediatrics. Work Group on Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics 1997;100(6):1035-9. [Context Link]

 

2. Ball TM, Bennett DM. The economic impact of breastfeeding. Pediatr Clin North Am 2001;48(1):253-62. [Context Link]