Bottle Feeding Education Needed

A systematic literature review of mothers' experiences with bottle-feeding published in the July 2009 edition of the Archives of Disease and Childhood found that while mothers recognize the benefits of breastfeeding, those who bottle-feed with infant formula did not receive adequate information and support from their healthcare providers and thus, ultimately put their baby's health at risk.

According to the authors, this was the first systematic review of mothers' experiences of bottlefeeding. The review was conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. A major finding of the review, which examined 23 studies (six qualitative studies and 17 quantitative studies; seven from the United States, 14 from the UK, one from New Zealand, and one from Australia) with over 13,000 participants, was that mothers who did not receive bottle-feeding information from their healthcare providers often turned to family and friends for guidance. The authors found that this trend can perpetuate errors in infant formula preparation and handling.

Additionally, the authors found that, "mothers who bottle-fed experienced a number of negative emotions such as guilt, anger, uncertainty and a sense of failure. Mothers were usually well informed of the benefits of breastfeeding but often found the pressure to breastfeed unreasonable."

According to the authors, without appropriate education, mothers may be making preparation mistakes and conclude that "such errors and other variations in formula-feeding may have both short- and long-term health consequences."

A strength of this study is the use of a systematic review that included both qualitative and quantitative studies. A limitation is that most studies were from the UK and the US, so applicability to developing countries is limited.

The study authors conclude, "While it is important to promote breastfeeding, it is also necessary to ensure that the needs of bottle-feeding mothers are not overlooked." The authors recommend and IFC supports the recommendation that, "Since the vast majority of babies receive at least some formula milk during the first year of life, it is important that this is prepared and administered safely and correctly."

References Cited:

Lakshman R, Ogilvie D, Ong K. Mothers' experiences of bottle feeding: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. Arch Dis Child 2009.