Breastfeeding Support Group

Experimental evidence suggests that, barring certain health issues, human breast milk provides the optimal nutrition source for human infants. Disagreement does remain between experts regarding the optimal duration of breastfeeding to realize the benefits, as well as the relative risk of harm in using breast milk substitutes.

Breastfeeding may occur between the infant and its own mother, or another lactating female. Breast milk substitutes are available for mothers or families who cannot or prefer not to breastfeed their children. Examples of medically accepted alternatives to breastfeeding include feeding the infant expressed breast milk from its own mother, from another lactating female, pasteurized donor human milk, or commercially-available infant formulas. There are conflicting studies concerning the equivalence between available breast milk substitutes. In both term and preterm infants, the use of commercial breast milk substitutes have been proven safe and effective as a nutrition source but inferior to breastfeeding. Donor breast milk handling processes have been suspected in the reduction of effectiveness in pasteurized donor human milk.

Many governmental strategies and international initiatives have promoted breastfeeding as the best method of feeding a child in his or her first year and beyond, as does the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The exact properties of breast milk are not entirely understood, but the nutrient content of mature milk is relatively consistent and draws its ingredients from the mother's food supply and the nutrients in her bloodstream at the time of feeding. If that supply is inadequate, content is obtained from the mother's bodily stores. (Some studies estimate that a woman exclusively nursing her infant uses an extra 500–600 calories per day simply producing milk for her offspring.) The exact composition of breast milk varies from day to day, and even hour to hour, depending on both the manner in which the baby nurses and the mother's food consumption and environment, so the ratio of water to fat fluctuates.

Foremilk, the milk released at the beginning of a feed, is watery, low in fat and high in carbohydrates compared with the creamier hindmilk which is increasingly released as the feed progresses. There is no sharp distinction between foremilk and hindmilk – the change is very gradual. Research from Peter Hartmann's group tells us that fat content of the milk is primarily determined by the emptiness of the breast—the less milk in the breast, the higher the fat content. The breast can never be truly "emptied" since milk production is continuous.

The maternal bond may be strengthened through breastfeeding, with the hormonal releases strengthening the mother's nurturing feelings towards the child. Strengthening the maternal bond is very important; up to 80% of mothers suffer from some form of postpartum depression, though most cases are very mild. A secondary parent can support the mother in a variety of ways and is an important factor in successful breastfeeding, and teaching partners about management of common difficulties is associated with higher breastfeeding rates.

Breastfeeding can also greatly affect the personal relationship between the partner and the child. While some partners may feel left out when the mother is feeding the baby, others may see the whole process as a chance to bond as a family. Breastfeeding, possibly alongside birth-related health problems, takes a lot of time. This may add pressure to the partner and the family, because the partner has to care for the mother and also perform tasks she would otherwise do. However, as partners are often very willing to give this support, this pressure can help to strengthen family bonds.

When looking after the child while the mother is away, an alternative caregiver may feed the child using expressed breast milk (EBM). Sometimes this may be impractical as the mother must produce and store enough milk to feed the child for the duration of her absence. The alternative caregiver may feel uncomfortable handling breast milk. These two situations may prompt the caregivers to use an alternative feeding method for the child either temporarily or permanently. However, a variety of breast pumps now on the market, both for sale and for rent, make it possible for working mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for as long as they wish.

There are many texts and videos available to new mothers to assist in the establishment of breastfeeding. Support for breastfeeding issues may be obtained by a lactation consultant in a hospital or private practice, or La Leche League, a volunteer organization of breastfeeding mothers.

The baby will usually indicate hunger by crying or moaning and fussing. When the baby's cheek is stroked, the baby will move his or her face towards the stroking and open his or her mouth, demonstrating the rooting instinct. Breastfeeding can make the mother thirsty and can last for up to an hour (usually in the early days, when both mother and baby are inexperienced) – it is therefore common for the mother to replace lost water by drinking during the process.

Since the nutritional requirements of the baby must be satisfied solely by the breast milk when exclusively breastfeeding it is important for the mother to maintain a healthy lifestyle, especially a good diet. Consumption of 1,500–1,800 calories per day could coincide with a weight loss of 0.45kg (one pound) per week. While mothers in famine conditions can produce milk with highly nutritional content, a malnourished mother may produce milk with decreased levels of vitamins A, D, B6 and B12. She may also have a lower supply than well-fed mothers.

There are no foods which are absolutely contraindicated during lactation, although a baby may show sensitivity to particular foods in the mother's diet.

Breastfeeding mothers must use caution if they smoke and therefore consume nicotine. Heavy use of cigarettes by the mother (more than 20 per day) has been shown to reduce the mother's milk supply and cause vomiting, diarrhoea, rapid heart rate, and restlessness in breastfeeding infants. Research is ongoing to determine whether the benefits of breastfeeding out-weigh the potential harm of nicotine in breast milk. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is more common in babies exposed to a smoky environment. Breastfeeding mothers who smoke are counseled not to do so during or immediately before feeding their child, and are encouraged to seek advice to help them reduce their nicotine intake or quit.

Heavy alcohol consumption harms the infant, causing problems with the development of motor skills and decreasing the speed of weight gain. There is no consensus on how much alcohol may be consumed safely, but it is generally agreed that small amounts of alcohol may be occasionally consumed by a breastfeeding mother. Considering the known dangers of alcohol exposure to the developing fetus, those mothers wishing to err on the side of caution should restrict or eliminate their alcoholic intake.

Excessive caffeine consumption by the mother can cause irritability, sleeplessness, nervousness and increased feeding in the breastfed infant. Moderate use (one to two cups per day) usually produces no effect. Breastfeeding mothers are advised to restrict or avoid caffeine intake if her baby reacts to negatively to it. Additionally, cigarette smoking is thought to increase the effects of caffeine in the baby.

Cannabis is listed by the American Association of Pediatrics as a compound that transfers into human breast milk. Research demonstrated that certain compounds in marijuana have a very long half-life.