Letter to the Editor: Breastmilk remains the only perfect baby food

As Medical Officer of Health with our recently published new Food and Nutrition Strategy (in which the unique benefits of breastfeeding are highlighted), and as the States Breastfeeding Champion respectively, we felt moved to respond too.

Without successful breastfeeding through the millennia, the human race would be extinct. Human mothers, as mammals, are uniquely designed to nourish, protect and sustain human infants.

Until the increasing traction during the 20th century of the artificial baby-milk industry, breastfeeding was the norm for almost all baby feeding and not in any sense controversial.

Anti-breastfeeding sentiments such as those expressed in the recent letter would have been roundly ridiculed. Sadly for many babies, the industry’s persuasive tactics have increased its ‘market share’ – in spite of the fact that breastmilk remains the only perfect food. Not only is it perfectly nutritionally balanced, served hygienically at exactly the right temperature and available on demand throughout 24 hours, but it also protects our babies from infections, allergies and asthma, improves their cognitive development and increases the likelihood of staying at a healthy weight in childhood and beyond. And it’s free.

Artificial milk is, of course, an acceptable alternative for situations when breast milk is unavailable. In times past, before the widespread availability of artificial milk, coupled with marketing messages implying equal benefit for babies (there isn’t), a mother who had difficulty establishing breastfeeding or who chose not to breastfeed herself would require the services of a ‘wet nurse’ (if the family had sufficient means to afford this).

We do hope that any mothers, whether in the calm waters of fully-established breastfeeding or still in those first few exhausting (and sometimes uncomfortable) weeks after giving birth, or expectant mothers about to do so, will take note of – and much heart from – the tidal wave of encouragement that ‘breast is (very definitely) best’, coupled with the vociferous support of breastfeeding mothers that your correspondent’s letter has precipitated.

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