Breast Feeding:

New parents want to give their babies the best of everything and when it comes to nutrition breast milk is by far the best first food for young babies.

Extensive research has shown that breast milk is perfectly suited to nourish infants to protect them from a variety of illnesses. Breast fed infants have lower rates of hospital admissions, ear infections, diarrhoea, rashes, allergies and other medical problems than bottle fed babies.

Most health professionals recommend breast feeding for 6-12 months with the only acceptable alternative to breast milk being infant formula. Though solid foods can be introduced when the baby is 4-6 months old, a baby should not drink cows' milk until at least one year old.

Benefits for baby:

The main benefit of breast milk is its nutritional balance. It contains just the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water and amino acids for human digestion, brain development and growth. It contains at least 100 ingredients not found in formula milk and no babies are allergic to their mother's milk (although they may have a reaction to something which the mother has eaten which enters the breast milk - if the mother eliminates this from her own diet then the problem will resolve itself).

Cows' milk contains different types of proteins from breast milk and is good for calves but human infants can have problems digesting it. Formula milk is specially manufactured so that infants can digest it well. It, however, cannot have all the ingredients that breast milk contains. Bottle fed infants may be slightly fatter than breast fed babies but this does not mean that they are healthier.

Breast fed babies receive their mother's antibodies to disease in the milk which can protect them from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia, botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections and German measles. Similarly, because the mother produces antibodies to whatever disease is present in their environment, the milk is custom-made to fight diseases that their baby might be exposed to at the same time. Moreover, a breast fed baby's digestive tract (gut) contains a large amount of beneficial bacteria called lactobacillus that helps to prevent the growth of harmful organisms. So the gut is usually sterile and is not easily contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles which could lead to diarrhoea.

Breast feeding has some psychological benefits for the infant as well, allowing early attachment between the mother and child and many psychologists believe that the baby enjoys a sense of security from the warmth and presence of the mother, especially when there is skin to skin contact.

Suckling can produce good jaw development as well, it is slightly harder work to get milk out of a breast than a bottle and the exercise strengthens the jaw and encourages the growth of straight healthy teeth.

Benefits for mother:

One of the great advantages of breast feeding is the fact that there are no bottles to sterilise or formula to buy which is obviously a saving in time and money. It may be easier for the nursing mother to lose the pounds of pregnancy as nursing uses up extra calories and lactation can stimulate the uterus (womb) to contract back to its original size.

Bonding between mother and baby can also be encouraged by breast feeding.

Reasons to use formula milk rather than breastfeeding:

There are very few medical reasons for using formula milk as the most common illnesses such as colds, flu, skin infections or diarrhoea cannot be passed through the breast milk.

Breast cancer too cannot be passed through the breast milk and indeed breast feeding a child can reduce a woman's chance of developing breast cancer.

Certain viral illnesses such as HIV, some types of hepatitis and herpes, however, can be transmitted through breast milk and it is imperative to discuss feeding with your doctor if you suffer from one of these rare conditions.

Tips for successful breast feeding:

Start early. Nursing should begin as soon as possible after delivery when the infant is awake and the suckling instinct often strong. At this stage a mother's breast does not produce milk but instead produces a yellow/golden coloured fluid called colostrum which is rich in important antibodies and nutrients.
Positioning. In order to minimise soreness the baby's mouth should be wide open with the nipple as far back into his/her mouth as possible. Your Health Visitor can give you useful advice about finding a comfortable nursing position.
Nurse on demand. Newborns tend to breast feed an average of 8-12 times in 24 hours. Nursing on demand initially helps stimulate the mother's breast to produce plenty of milk and the baby will settle into a more predictable routine eventually. Because breast milk is more easily digested than formula milk, breast fed babies often eat more frequently than bottle fed babies and have looser stools.
No supplements are necessary. Nursing babies don't need sugar, water or formula supplements.
Delay artificial nipples. It is best to wait a week or two before introducing a pacifier if you feel that this is appropriate for your child. Similarly artificial nipples require a different suckling technique to a real one and suckling a bottle can also confuse some babies in the early days as they too have to learn how to breast feed.
Avoid switching breasts too soon. The milk a baby receives on each occasion when they begin to feed is called fore milk which is high in volume but low in fat. As the feeding progresses the fat content in the milk steadily rises. Milk near the end of the feeding (hind milk) is low in volume but high in fat. This allows the baby to decide when he has finished with the first breast and the mother can be sure that he is receiving the correct balance of fluids and fats. Switching breasts too soon may mean that the baby receives only fore milk from each breast, filling him up with high volume, low calorie milk.
Air dry the breasts. This allows the nipples to dry naturally and prevents them from cracking, which can lead to infection. Eventually the breasts will toughen and this will be less of a problem.
Watch for signs of infections. These include a fever and painful lumps with redness in the breasts which require medical attention.
Expect engorgement. A new mother produces large amounts of milk which make the breasts big, hard and painful. Feeding a baby frequently and on demand until the mother's body adjusts can help this. Once again, your Health Visitor can give you further advice about this.
Have a good diet, plenty of rest and enjoy the experience.

Health Visitors are keen to help with any breastfeeding problems. Here at Wellway, our Health Visitor Elaine Luff writes - Breast Feeding Article.

Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice or substituted for professional advice. Always consult your doctor with your questions and concerns.