Early bfing article

[Duchessa]

Yet another documented reason to get them latched on :D...


A recent study in rural Ghana to assess the effect on newborn survival of early initiation of breastfeeding showed that the earlier breastfeeding is begun the more babies' lives could be saved. When breastfed the first hour after birth 22% of babies who would have died in the first 28 days of life will survive. Babies who did not begin breastfeeding until the day after birth died at a rate 2.4 times that of those fed the first day, but fared better than those who had to wait even longer, regardless of whether they had pre-existing medical issues. In addition, the study reiterated that exclusive breastfeeding is best. Babies who are given a combination of breast milk and milk-based fluids or solids were four times as likely to die. Pediatrics 117(3): e380–86.

[rynosmum]

Whilst I completely agree with the benefits of breastfeeding, I'm not so sure than an article from rural Ghana is relevant in Australia. The environment and living, steralising and illness conditions would be dramatically different to how they are here.

[Goosie22]

It is a relevant study to Australia, as all the sterilisation of equiptment and water is doing nothing to the contaminates actually present in the cows milk powder on purchasing.

The formula is not required to be sterile, it contains the very bacteria needed to cause serious illness in the immature infant.

Citrobacter freundii
Enterobacter sakazakii
Leuconostoc mesenteroides
Escherichia coli
Salmonella isangi
Salmonella saintpaul
Serratia marcescens
Salmonella bredeney


Contaminated Article (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0838/is_2000_May-June/ai_62141685)

[rynosmum]

Considering that Ghana still has outbreaks of many diseases including cholera and that travellers are warned specifically not to drink the water unless it is boiled, I completely disagree.

The high risk of contamination from poor water supply and the existence of other potentially untreated illnesses in the rural sector of an area like this would more than certainly have an adverse affect on infant survival. Breastfed babies wouldn't be ingesting the water. Certainly a reason to breastfeed but it's not the infant formula harming the babies but more the lack of proper steralisation and medical attention.

Considering this is the state of play in Ghana:
"As in other developing countries, infant and child morbidity and mortality are relatively high in Ghana. According to the 2003 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), Ghana’s infant mortality rate is 64 and its under-five mortality rate is 111 per 1000 live births (GSS, NMIMR and ORC Macro, 2004:128). One in nine Ghanaian children dies before reaching his or her fifth birthday."

So comparisons of data from an area like this to our own lifestyle is completely inaccuate. How about some Australian research...or perhaps this wouldn't exist because there wouldn't be any difference in mortality between breastfed or formula fed babies?

[melfunction]

Could someone please explain to me how a 'study' of Ghanaian babies is even remotely related to Australian babies? I know I'm a bit slow :o and I'm probably stating the obvious, but I thought Ghana was a 3rd world country?

[pookiesossige]

So comparisons of data from an area like this to our own lifestyle is completely inaccuate. How about some Australian research...or perhaps this wouldn't exist because there wouldn't be any difference in mortality between breastfed or formula fed babies?

I totally agree. At first I was hoping that some relevant, Australian, reasearch could be sourced- but then I thought how great it is that while breastfeeding's the go for me and my bub, we live in a country where the alternative is safe for babies without risk of harm or death. I'm sad for the many children of Ghana who don't get the best start in life that, as we all know, breastfeeding provides. But happy that we don't have issues here that make that study remotely applicable to our society and culture.

[Pippi Longstocking]

I can see the relevance. The article says
Babies who did not begin breastfeeding until the day after birth died at a rate 2.4 times that of those fed the first day, but fared better than those who had to wait even longer, regardless of whether they had pre-existing medical issues. Surely cholera would be a pre existing medical issue?

[Duchessa]

So comparisons of data from an area like this to our own lifestyle is completely inaccuate. How about some Australian research...or perhaps this wouldn't exist because there wouldn't be any difference in mortality between breastfed or formula fed babies?

Ummmm... if you actually read the OP you will find that it doesn't apply it to Australian conditions but rahter makes a general comment. I intended it as a wider celebration of the wonders of breastfeeding, that you want to turn this into a debate is a bit depressing. Why can't you just allow those of us who "Don't want milk from any old cow" get a kick out of the wonders of breast milk and breastfeeding??

However, seeing as you wish to pull it into an Australian context - there are many people living in Australia in suboptimal conditions where water quality and disease are HUGE problems. More than one Aboriginal community has been described as "the 3rd world" and the average infant mortality rate for the last 20 years in the NT is at least half of Ghana's :crying: and more than four times the total average - very sad (ABS data).

Goosie, that is an interesting link - I had no idea what a serious problem contamination is - I was horrified to see that hypoallergenic formula (such as Neocate, which my children are on) has the highest levels of contaminating neurotoxins... The only thing that makes me feel better is that they aren't on soy based or dairy based formula as the stuff about soy makes my skin crawl. Thank GOD I bfed them for the first 9 months and protected them for as long as I could :no:

[Can I?]

I intended it as a wider celebration of the wonders of breastfeeding, that you want to turn this into a debate is a bit depressing. Why can't you just allow those of us who "Don't want milk from any old cow" get a kick out of the wonders of breast milk and breastfeeding??

:yelclap::yelclap::yelclap:

It is interesting no matter where the research is from to find that so many little ones can be saved simply by breastfeeding asap. Such a simple thing to do to save a child's life (or to give it the best chance possible anyway). I thought it was a great article Duchessa....thank you.

[rynosmum]

Ummmm... if you actually read the OP you will find that it doesn't apply it to Australian conditions but rahter makes a general comment. I intended it as a wider celebration of the wonders of breastfeeding, that you want to turn this into a debate is a bit depressing. Why can't you just allow those of us who "Don't want milk from any old cow" get a kick out of the wonders of breast milk and breastfeeding??

I did read the OP completely. I hope that you also read my first response - I was a breastfeeding mother and certainly understand the amazing properties of breastfeeding - without a doubt.

What concerns me however is that for mothers who cannot breastfeed, for whatever reason, may see your article as fact in our own environment. Why not post some local articles which refer to the same topic - this would be much more beneficial and potentially even add more strength to your celebration?

Referring to the benefits of breastfeeding in a developing country are obvious - there is no way I would want my child drinking water in that country either.

pookiesossige - I agree completely - we are very lucky here.:yes:

Them, I view cholera as an 'acquired' illness mostly due to lack of sanitation as opposed to perhaps a bubby born with a disabling heart condition or the like. That's just my take on it.

[Duchessa]

Rynosmum, I must be missing something here... I quite liked the article, as did others. I posted it because I wanted to share that particular article. I wouldn't have thought it would even be on your horizon. Please clarify for me if you are speaking as a moderator here so I may understand whether or not it is frowned upon to post non-Australian articles (after all, the article clearly states that it is about Ghana - I don't see how people could become confused about its content nor its origin??)... I am quite confused as to why we are having this conversation if that is not the case... :confused: Have I done something that is against the forum code here?

[draught]

Duchessa
I think I can speak on behalf of Rynosmum to say that she is not responding as a moderator but as a parent, breastfeeder and regular user of the forum.

Does this really need to turn into another breastfeeding debate? No one is disputing the benefits of breastfeeding - just pointing out that an article from Ghana may not translate well into an Australian setting. Nothing more, nothing less.

Now as a moderator can I say - let's keep the thread on track?

[Duchessa]

Oh okay :) Thanks, Draught, for clarifying that - I thought I had done the wrong thing or something :o! Actually I just noticed that there is a "Celebrating Bfing" thread, perhaps that would be a better place for this thread? If you think so, could you please move it as this wasn't meant to turn into a debate at all! Just one of those, oh hey look everybody, breastfeeding is great kinda things. (Afterall, I'm hardly one to debate, my kids have been on formula for 9 months :laughing:!).

[stellarella]

However, seeing as you wish to pull it into an Australian context - there are many people living in Australia in suboptimal conditions where water quality and disease are HUGE problems. More than one Aboriginal community has been described as "the 3rd world" and the average infant mortality rate for the last 20 years in the NT is at least half of Ghana's :crying: and more than four times the total average - very sad (ABS data).



:yelclap:
I would also like to add that although i cannot give accurate information about mortality rates in bottle/breast fed infants i can say with certainty that formula fed bubs have a higher incidence of respiratory disease, pneumonia, bronchitis, diarrhea and gastrointestinal illness, ear infections, general infections, urinary tract infections, meningitis and SIDS.

so although this particular article may not be deemed relevant by some, there are many other articles coming to the same conclusion.

[Goosie22]

How about some Australian research...or perhaps this wouldn't exist because there wouldn't be any difference in mortality between breastfed or formula fed babies?

Mortality and Morbidity in Australia is recored by the Perinatal Data collection unit, Morbidity rates are high due to use of formula, many Millons of health care dollars are used because illness that may have been prevented by the baby recieving normal nuturition.

Policy makers KNOW the risks of giving babies anything other than Breastmilk, that is why the Australian Colledge of Physicians and Paeditricans have a Breastfeeding statement, that is why Australia signed of on the WHO code of Artificial infant milk marketing, and it is why Government is trying to implement Baby friendly Hospitals initiative.

HERE (http://www.health-e-learning.com/articles/Lactose.pdf#search=%22risks%20of%20artificial%20in fant%20milk%20%2B%20neonatal%20morbidity%22) is a paper that I have posted on Bubhub a number of times outlining the risks associated with Formula. It is written by a Brisbane LC and recognised Internationally.




It has not helped practitioners that formula manufacturers have avoided mention of these and many other critical issues related to artificial feeding, promoting instead a distorted, idealised view of their products in the minds of many health care providers(29,30,34). In fact, the use of any kind of infant formula should be recognised as having a status similar to most drugs - an automatic cause of side effects in the short-, medium- and long-term (35).
In the western country with the poorest of all breastfeeding rates (breastfeeding initiation rates no higher than 26%), the American Academy of Pediatrics has now firmly acknowledged the importance of
human milk for human babies with new breastfeeding guidelines that recommend babies be breastfed for at least the first year of life (36).


Artificially fed children have been shown to have a greater risk of:(30,39,40)
gastroenteritis
colic
insulin dependent diabetes
colitis
iron deficiency anaemia
acute leukaemia
coeliac disease
otitis media
childhood lymphoma
necrotising enterocolitis
bronchiolitis
SIDS
Crohn’s disease
pneumonia meningitis
inflammatory bowel diseases
aluminium toxicity
autism
pyloric stenosis
learning disabilities
urinary tract infections
hypernatremic
dehydration
neonatal death
upper respiratory tract infection
impaired vaccine response
poorer developmental outcomes
dental caries
food allergy
hospital admissions
orthodontic defects


With increasing concern over health spending, the economic value of breastfed babies to our world community needs to be emphasised. In Australia alone, it is easy to show that if our national target for the year 2000 were achieved - 80% of babies still breastfed at 6 months of age (instead of the current 22%), billions of dollars would be saved from our health care bills(37,38). Unfortunately, in place of this understanding of the cost of artificial feeding of infants, Australian perceptions are that illnesses such as middle ear infections are a “normal”, inevitable part of childhood.



Its also a good point to make about Idiginous Australian living standards being comparable to 3rd world. As statistics tell us that women of low socioeconomic standing and poor education often have the worst infant mortality/morbidity rates.

[Goosie22]

Here (http://www.cphn.biochem.usyd.edu.au/resources/CPHNBFreporterrata2Dec04.pdf#search=%22neonatal%20 morbidity%20%2B%20artificial%20feeds%22) is another Australian Report on Breastfeeding from 2004.




‘The main reason for neonatal morbidity and mortality
is an under-developed immune system at birth, a finding
that is true for pre-term as well as term infants, and
breastmilk enhances the development of the immune
system resulting in less illness and disease. The major
nutrients in human milk, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates,
fulfil multiple functions including protection of the infant
against infection.’ (Oddy 2001)


and




More recently, in a study of 2,277 infants aged six to
24 months, Chantry et al (2002) found that infants
fully breastfed for six months had a significantly lower
risk for respiratory infections in the first two years,
when compared with babies who were fully breastfed
for four months. Specifically, the chance of contracting
pneumonia was reduced fivefold with two additional
months of full breastfeeding, while the risk of recurrent
ear infections was minimised two-fold. The study is the
first to demonstrate that an additional two months of full
breastfeeding substantially increases an infant’s protection
against respiratory tract infection, including pneumonia,
and recurrent ear infections. This finding, coupled with
the proven increased protection babies receive against
gastrointestinal infections, adds to the mounting
evidence that the longer a mother breastfeeds her infant,
the greater the health benefits.

[rynosmum]

Perfect Goosie - Great articles!:thumbsup:

[Funkychicken]

Thanks for those articles Goosie. Always a wealth of information! Very easy and straightforward to read too-sometimes I think some of the scientific studies are actually written scientifically! :thumbsup:

[Goosie22]

There are lots of other studies/Articles, but not online format sorry. Breastfeeding is such a fantastic head start for children, much more important than trendy clothes or expensive toys.

[gremily]

Duchessa - I can understand where you were coming from posting that article. I think it shows how much we need to get behind countries like Ghana and help them out of the dire poverty that kills so many of the defenceless babies/children.

Goosie22 - You're articles, however, showed relevant information for the Australian women unsure whether they should bf or ff. As usual, bf comes away on top:thumbsup:

[Goosie22]

Goosie22 - You're articles, however, showed relevant information for the Australian women unsure whether they should bf or ff. As usual, bf comes away on top:thumbsup:

The Study brief that Duchessa posted, is still relevant to Australian Women/babies, how many children live below the povety line with out access to basic living standards? Bacteria dont discriminate unlike people.

[meme]

i live on tank water and when it runs out we pump dam water into our tanks and have to carry drinking water from one of our shed tanks down the hill.
if i was formula feeding having clean water would be quite an effort. it would involve carrying and/or boiling water, when you boil our water if gets a brown scum on the top- i would not want to be preparing feeds with it.

So comparisons of data from an area like this to our own lifestyle is completely inaccuate. so actually i find it quite applicable.


:thumbsup: great articles goosie.
even in australia there are risks to consider when using formula. everyone's situation is different so everyone will see these risks differently on a personal level.

i think that the op stands well as a tribute to breastfeeding. if breastfeeding can do such wonderful stuff in ghana i'm sure it is wondreful in Australia too.

[gremily]

Goosie22 - You seem to be attacking ppl even when they agree with bf. I never said anything about Duchessa's article not being relevant. Of course it is, we all live in the same world and need to work together, regardless of where we are situated.
I do, however, believe that the majority of Australian women have a choice whether to bf or ff, and like I said, your articles show the overwhelming positives of bf.
Poverty is in Australia, and like Ghana, something should be done about it, not just swept under the rug.

[Funkychicken]

Breastfeeding is such a fantastic head start for children, much more important than trendy clothes or expensive toys.
:yelclap: :yelclap: :yelclap: :yelclap:

[Duchessa]

Great articles, Goosie! I just love reading stuff in support of breastfeeding. Breast is just so the best, no matter where you are, who you are or how wealthy you are. Go the breast!

[cosmic]

Wow, that stuff about Ghana is really interesting Duchessa! I think the fact that it talks about how early they go to the breast, not just that they are BF, is really telling and can be translated to all other societies, regardless of other health/sanitation issues.

And Goosie - as always you're a wealth of good information. :thumbsup: