Why Breast is Best

Claire Everett

I read this week that Elton John and David Furnish are having breast milk for their son Zachary flown into the UK from his US-based surrogate mother. Whilst this may obliterate the pro-breastmilk point of view that breastmilk is the cheaper option compared to formula milk (their FedEx bill must be through the roof!), I’m impressed that for once the media portrayal is positive and pro-breast-feeding.

Infant feeding is something that appears intermittently in the news, often as a short piece on the ‘breast vs. bottle’ debate. The formula milk companies heavily promote their products through TV advertising and other media. But the benefits of breast feeding are generally not as publicly promoted. The Bringing Up Britain series on BBC3 recently aired a programme on breast feeding which is being repeated until 6th May. So what are the advantages of breast-feeding and why have Messrs John & Furnish gone to such lengths to ensure their baby benefits from them, when in the UK over half of babies are fed exclusively on formula milk by 4-10 weeks of age (Mesure, 2011)?

Advantages
Although formula milks have advanced greatly since they were first developed, the nutritional content of breast milk is still optimum, containing the perfect balance of macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and hormones - in a form babies are fully able to digest. Formula milks have been based upon cows’ milk which cannot be digested until the baby is around 1-year old and therefore even if they contain a good balance of nutrients, the child may not be able to absorb them.

The health of the child can benefit from breast-feeding, for example breast milk contains antibodies that can help the baby resist infection both physically (Leung & Sauve, 2005). The mother’s health may also benefit through protection against ovarian and breast cancer (Lancet, 2002). The bond between child and mother develops more through the natural process.

Economically and practically, it makes sense for a mother to breastfeed her child, particularly when the health and nutrition advantages are considered. Breast milk is free and with no bottles to sterilise it is in this respect the easier option.

Disadvantages
With all the above considered, the disadvantages come down to situational factors that are individual to each mother and child. Whilst I have every intention of breastfeeding if and when the opportunity arises for me, I have close friends who have had the same intention but have experienced completely unforeseen difficulties after giving birth and been unable to do so. However, what I do believe is important is that mothers are given every opportunity to do the best they can for their child and there are many support groups to help with this:
NHS
Breast Feeding Network
National Childcare Trust
La Leche

Current Issues
A report from the Caroline Walker Trust (Crawley & Westland, 2011) highlights the need for medically valid information to be available on the composition of formula milks and commercial advertising of these products to be more closely regulated. I also think breastmilk should get equal promotion against the pro-formula campaign but with no obvious financial beneficiary in the breastmilk campaign it’s difficult to see how this will happen. In America and Australia however, there have been a number of TV adverts - they might not be the most high-budget commercials, but they definitely put a message out there!

Australian Breastfeeding Association #1
Australian Breastfeeding Association #2
American Breastfeeding Commercial