World Breastfeeding Week (3)

2 August, 2021

Thank you Dr Neil for exploring on such an important topic in this “breast Feeding Week”

An exclusive human milk diet (EHMD) is dominant in cost-effectiveness terms, that is it is both cost-saving and clinically beneficial, for VLBW babies in even in a US-based setting. BMC Pediatr. 2019; 19: 337.

Moreover it has shown that human milk reduces the incidence and/or severity of prematurity-related morbidities, human milk feedings have an indirect relation with healthcare costs during the NICU hospitalization Adv Nutr. 2014 Mar; 5(2): 207–212

There are still misleading marketing message promoting infant formula and toddler milks as repoted on Matern Child Nutr. 2020 Jul; 16(3): e12962.

Even in developing country there is misunderstanding between infant formula and other powder milk, lack of appropriate breastfeeding practices, superficial knowledge on harmful effect on infant formula; the influence of family and society and authoritarian power of hospital staff. PLoS One. 2019; 14(2): e0211761

Hence strong public health campaigns to counter marketing claims and regulation of toddler milk labels are required as well as strong policy making and develop more specific interventions targeting expected mother and their family members that can contribute to stop formula feeding and increase breastfeeding practices.

As a child care provider we play important role on these aspects

CHIFA Profile, Nisha Keshary Bhatta is a Professor of Pediatrics & Neonatology at the B.P.Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Nepal. I am passionately interested in Quality Improvement (QI) Science related to newborn health and their rights.

Email address: nishakesharybhatta AT yahoo.com