What choice in infant feeding methods?
Despite concerted efforts to encourage breast-feeding, one-third of women in the UK choose to formula feed from the onset, and 75% mothers are using formula by four months. Yet these mothers are often denied information on an appropriate formula to use, how to prepare formula correctly or how to sterilise and store bottles of formula or expressed breast milk. This is partly because of a deliberate policy by some health professionals and partly because of the regulations restricting manufacturers from communicating with the public. The author argues that parents are entitled to information on all aspects of infant feeding and infant nutrition, not solely on breast-feeding. Not to provide this may mean infants are put at risk by inappropriate use of breast-milk substitutes and poor hygiene practices in preparing feeds. There should be appropriate collaboration between health professionals, health promotion specialists, Government and the formula manufacturers to ensure a more balanced and realistic approach.
Watford and Three Rivers Primary Care Trust.
Alison
A
Wall
D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D006113:United Kingdom