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Breastfeeding is a fundamental aspect of our species-specific biopsychosocial system, evolved to enhance the health and survival of both mothers and infants. Recent research has highlighted the significance of interactions during breastfeeding, with breast milk containing hormones and metabolites that promote bonding, reduce stress, regulate infant appetite and sleep, and contribute to the lifelong health of mothers.
Breastfeeding involves intricate immune system communication, microbiota transmission, and various adaptations that support infant development. Direct breastfeeding, compared to using bottles or other methods, offers benefits such as influencing infant craniofacial structure, improving oral microbiota, and fostering better energy regulation, potentially guarding against conditions like obesity.
Breast milk is not just about nutrients; it contains dynamic bioactives like hormones, immune factors, and live microbes, which, in synergy with the psychological and physiological states of both mother and infant, play a vital role in infant growth and development. These unique interactions and outcomes of breastfeeding cannot be replicated artificially.
Breastfeeding has significant positive impacts on infant, child, and maternal health as well as societal well-being, but challenges persist.
Many mothers wish to breastfeed but are hindered by structural barriers like inadequate maternity protection policies, commercial influences, and societal norms. To enhance breastfeeding outcomes, a comprehensive approach grounded in public health principles, equity, and human rights is necessary.
Breast milk’s superiority over commercial milk formula (CMF) is well-established, and despite improvements in breastfeeding initiation and exclusive breastfeeding rates, achieving global targets remains a challenge due to disparities and external influences. Harmful practices like prelacteal feeds and CMF marketing interfere with breastfeeding, while factors like parental misinterpretation of infant behaviors contribute to premature cessation of exclusive breastfeeding.
Promoting breastfeeding self-efficacy and combating CMF marketing are crucial, requiring evidence-based support, effective lactation management, and better maternity care.
Multicomponent, multilevel programs, supported by political commitment and financial investment, are essential for scaling up effective breastfeeding support. Legislation and actions to implement and enforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes are needed to counter CMF industry influence. Strengthening maternity protection policies and addressing CMF marketing are pivotal in creating an enabling environment for breastfeeding.
The panel’s recommendations to support breastfeeding mothers include:
Investment in Public Awareness and Education:
- Raise awareness about the scientific evidence that breastfeeding is best for maternal and infant health among policy makers and the public.
- Address misconceptions about the equivalence of commercial milk formula and breast milk through health education programs for both the public and policy makers.
Skilled Counselling and Support:
- Provide skilled counselling and support for mothers before and after childbirth to prevent and address self-reported insufficient milk, and to discourage the early introduction of prelacteal feeds or CMF, which can reduce exclusive breastfeeding rates.
Educational Support for Unsettled Baby Behaviours:
- Educate health professionals, mothers, families, and communities about the normalcy of unsettled baby behaviours as a phase of development. Counteract misleading industry marketing with evidence-based information.
Intersectoral Policies for Breastfeeding:
- Implement cross-sectoral policies across domains like health, social development, education, labor, and regulations to tackle barriers to breastfeeding. Prioritize equity, human rights, and public health principles, requiring broad societal and political commitment to support breastfeeding mothers.
Link to the full article (The Lancet):
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673622019328
