Breastfeeding

2023

The technology of converting breast milk into powder for its long-term storage is presented

At the end of June 2023, medical technology company BBy introduced a spray drying method that hospitals can use to process human breast milk into a storable powder. Read more here.

WHO: Dairy Formula Market Destroys Breastfeeding

In early February 2023, it became known that one of the main reasons for the multiple reduction in breastfeeding is the marketing tactics of companies selling dairy formula.

According to The Lancet magazine, dairy formula producers present their products as scientifically "closer" to human milk and claim that milk mixtures help babies calm down, digest food more easily, sleep better, and even become smarter. Marketing messages present typical infant development behaviors, such as fussiness or crying, as problematic and suggest addressing these issues with specially designed products.

Dairy Formula Market Destroys Breastfeeding

More than half of the 56% of parents and pregnant women surveyed during the preparation of the WHO report at the beginning of 2023 report that they were recipients of marketing activities of dairy formula producers, often in violation of international standards on breastfeeding. The mothers' feedback confirms that these reports are very true and cause many to lose confidence in breastfeeding and look for expensive premium formula, despite the fact that these claims are not supported by evidence.

Health professionals, many of whom have received limited breastfeeding training, often exacerbate the problem by recommending formula to address common problems related to infant behavior, thereby giving credibility to these marketing statements. Medical professionals and leaders of medical organizations often receive remuneration from individual milk formula producers for promoting their products to the masses. Production consortia, examined each step of the infant feeding decision process and developed tactics to manipulate it. Using consumer data and digital technology, they refined messaging for different categories of parents.

To address these challenges, WHO and their partners are calling on governments, health workers and baby food producers to put an end to speculative marketing of formula milk and to strictly enforce and enforce the rulebook requirements. For this, in particular, it is necessary:

1. In accordance with the provisions of the International Code, ensure the adoption and control of legislation prohibiting the promotion of milk mixtures on the market, including the dissemination by producers of milk mixtures of statements about their nutritional and health benefits;

2. Allocate resources for policies and programmes to promote breastfeeding, including the payment of parental leave in accordance with international standards and quality support for breastfeeding;

3. To require manufacturers worldwide to publicly commit themselves to strictly abide by the Code of Practice and subsequent resolutions of the World Health Assembly;

4. Establish a ban on healthcare workers receiving sponsorship from companies promoting infant and early childhood food through scholarships, awards, grants, conferences and other activities.^[1]

2022: Russia has created a device for the rapid removal of HIV and COVID-19 from breast milk

In May 2022, scientists at the I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University announced the creation and start of clinical trials of a device for the rapid pasteurization of breast milk. The device is able to disinfect mother's milk from a whole range of infectious diseases that can be transmitted to the child through breastfeeding. Read more here.

2019: Breastfeeding mothers sell milk via Facebook

By July 2019, several groups appeared on Facebook where breastfeeding mothers can sell or give other mothers surplus milk free of charge. This alternative to breast milk banks has not been approved by the American Academy of Pediatricians.

By participating in a similar group, a nursing mother can help about 7 or 8 families with very small or premature babies. However, not everyone gives milk free of charge - some sell a surplus of $1 per 100 grams, distributing the product not only through Facebook, but also the so-called "underground" sites.

Several groups have appeared on Facebook where breastfeeding mothers can sell or give other mothers surplus milk free of charge

Doctors urge mothers to be cautious about such proposals. The Center for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration do not recommend the use of online milk sharing sites, but instead refer mothers to donor breast milk banks. In 2015, researchers studied breast milk samples bought online and found that about 10% were diluted with cow's milk. It has long been known that maternal and cow's milk are significantly different in composition and unintentional contact with foreign proteins can cause various allergic diseases.

It is difficult to estimate the difference between donated or sold milk - this requires larger studies. It is possible that when donor milk is used, the risks are lower, since in this case breastfeeding mothers follow other motives. However, in specialized banks, all incoming donor milk is tested for infectious diseases and pasteurized, which provides a much higher level of safety for the infant. In the case of milk purchased through Facebook, there are no such guarantees.^[2]

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