Breastfeeding in Japan: historical perspectives and current attitudes and practices

1. We took an extensive overview of the history of breastfeeding in Japan. Japanese people, especially farming villagers have lived with a mixed religious atmosphere including primitive religion, Shintoism and Buddhism during more than 1,000 years. In such circumstances, they had three kinds of traditional practices for inadequate breast milk production, that is, praying to God or Buddha, foods or medicines based on their experiences and wet nursing. 2. Farm villagers used to primarily feed their babies by their own breasts and some who couldn't supply adequate milk, compensated with their neighbor's milk until a century ago, because most villagers' wives had plenty of milk at that time. 3. The characteristics of farm villagers' customs were: A. irregular breastfeeding. B. a mother's keeping skinship with her baby all day. C. sleeping in the posture of KAWA's character. D. late weaning. E. EJIKO was popular nursing tool. 4. Instead of wet nursing, bottle feeding was initiated in Japan after 1867. As a result, many infants suffered from malnutrition. On the other hand, some breast-fed infants suffered from beriberi and lead encephalopathy. 5. Until 1974-75, when the recommendations of WHO and Japanese Government were announced, there had been a steady decline in breastfeeding throughout Japan. Thereafter, physicians supported breastfeeding and made efforts to diminish the disadvantages of breastfeeding in the medical field. 6. According to the report of the Japanese Government, difficulty to supply sufficient milk and obstacles against working were the most important complaints of breastfeeding mothers. I suggested strategies for solution of these complaints: A principles at puerperium in our maternity ward include effect of my low-calorie diet, and Japanese methods of massage for the breasts. B my proposals for working mothers who want to breastfeed. &. I have discussed some results of Japanese breastfeeding research. 8. Some results of our Breastfeeding Promotion Movement have been mentioned.