Newborns and infants who are breastfed are at a lower risk for a variety of conditions including diarrhea, respiratory infections, ear infections, diabetes, asthma, childhood obesity, lymphoma and SIDS (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2005b; U.S Department of Health and Human Services, 2011 as cited in Cook and Cook, 2014). Since 1970, the amount of mothers who have breastfed their child(ren) has increased from only 25% to 75% (CDC, 2011; Martinez & Nalizienski, 1979, as cited in Cook and Cook, 2014). There are also health benefits related to the mother for breastfeeding including a faster recovery time for the uterus, less blood loss after delivery, earlier return to pre-pregnancy weight, reduced risks of ovarian and breast cancers, and a delay in the next ovulation, which can help to increase the spacing to the next pregnancy (Cook and Cook, 2014). .
Throughout the world there has been a push to increase the amount of mothers who breastfeed, especially amongst the poorer countries where the children are at a higher chance of being malnourished (Cook and Cook, 2014). For example over the last decade the percentage of infants who were breastfed for the first six months in Sri Lanka has increased from 17% to 76% and from 23% in West and Central Africa to 47% in Eastern and Southern Africa (World Health Organization, 2011; UNICEF, 2011 as cited in Cook and Cook, 2014). However breastfeeding rates are still low in poorer nations. When mothers do decided to use formula, there is a challenge to find sanitary water to mix it with and then they may try to dilute it to make it last longer. However that is depriving the child from essential calories, nutrients and vitamins (Cook and Cook, 2014). Geography and money are essential in the choice of breastfeeding. If the mother is unable to provide nutrition to her newborn in the form of formula then she may decide to breastfeed because it is cheaper and more convenient.
