Formula Not as Good as Breastmilk

Mercy Hospital for Women acknowledges the large body of evidence related to breastfeeding and continues to value the importance of breastmilk and breastfeeding for both mother and baby. The recent media focus on health professionals being seen as over zealous in promoting breastfeeding is disappointing. As health professionals working in a tertiary setting we have a responsibility to remain current in our knowledge base with quality evidenced based research in matters relating to pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period.

Breastfeeding is the biological norm for babies and the evidence to support breastmilk as a superior milk to formula is clear. As such we cannot support the claim that formula is as good as breastmilk. Mothers have a right to choose between breastfeeding and formula feeding. Our responsibility is to enable women to be able to make an informed choice regarding the risks and benefits of either feeding method. The risks to mother and baby of the effects of smoking, alcohol and drugs are conveyed quite clearly to women in the antenatal period, so why are we criticised when we inform women of the risks of formula and expected to play down the benefits of species specific breastmilk?

The language we use and how well we support new mothers to establish breastfeeding may come across as "overzealous" for some mothers. Assisting mothers to establish breastfeeding correctly, so as to avoid nipple damage, enhances the likelihood of mothers continuing to breastfeed.

The recent media attention has been prompted by the publication of research by Professor Sven Carlsen of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in which levels of male hormones measured in mid-pregnancy were associated with duration of breastfeeding. His study, which was conducted over 20 years ago, did not include any measures of children's health. Professor of Paediatrics, Arthur Eidelman of Hebrew University and vice president of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine stated that "one cannot state that breastmilk affords no health advantages when no measures of health were studied".

An excellent brief summary of the current evidence for the health advantages of breastmilk for children can be read at UNICEF UK website - www.babyfriendly.org.uk. At Mercy Health we care for our mothers and babies. This caring ensures that we support them to make informed choices. If a mother is unable to fulfil her choice of feeding her baby we understand the sadness she experiences; that is regret not guilt.

- Hear Dr Opie in a 3AW radio interview on the subject of mothers feeding their babies breastmilk or formula (8 January 2010).