Lessons from the latest infant feeding survey.

The 2005 Infant Feeding Survey showed that in the U.K., despite promotion of breast-feeding by Government and professionals and an improving initiation rate, there is a sharp fall in the numbers of mothers exclusively breastfeeding during the early weeks and months after the birth. Early discharge from hospital, before breast-feeding is established, may be a factor Nine out of 10 mothers wh gave up breast-feeding in the first six weeks reported wanting to continue longer More support is needed to help these mothers, through a combination of professional and lay support. Most mothers turn to their midwife and health visitor for information and advice but the numbers of these professionals in the health service have been failing in recent years.

Does childhood nutrition matter?

Nutrition in childhood influences both the child's present and future health. Health professionals need to educate parents from all socioeconomic groups about good nutrition for their children from birth onwards. They should give priority to including this during consultations. All parents must be made aware of the nutritional benefits of breast-feeding. Since most babies receive formula at some stage during the first year of life, health professionals also have a responsibility to be aware of current developments in infant formulae (e.g. nucleotides, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, prebiotics) so they can give accurate information. Weaning is an important nutritional milestone with implications for present and future health. Advice on good weaning practice should be a priority and can help avoid several nutritional problems later on, such as excessively faddy eating, faltering growth, constipation, iron deficiency anaemia and obesity. The last two are key problems in children in the U.K. today. Families should be encouraged to cook, eat and enjoy food together as often as they can, which in itself has been shown to have nutritional benefits, as well as considering the quality of the food they eat.

Infant nutrition--from professional to personal.

The author, an experienced paediatric dietitian, describes what it was like breast-feeding and weaning her first baby and how she has modified her previous professional views of infant feeding in the light of her own experience. As a result, she makes some pragmatic recommendations for helping new mothers. She urges health professionals to be more realistic about the difficulties as well as the rewards of breast-feeding and to provide more practical support for breast-feeding mothers. She would like all new mothers to have the opportunity to stay in a supported setting--not necessarily a hospital--while breast-feeding is established. She recommends finding neutral ways to ensure that all health professionals keep up to date about all aspects of infant nutrition, including infant formulae. She suggests a flexible approach to when weaning starts, since all babies are different and reach developmental milestones at different ages. Advice on weaning is often lacking or conflicting, and needs to be more structured with good quality practical information and leaflets. Finally, the author recommends that babies have meals with the family from an early age, for both social and nutritional reasons.