Breastfeeding: advice and difficulties – Related resources

Cochrane reviews

• Short-lasting breastfeeding or exclusive milk substitute feeding appear to increase the risk of acute otitis media in infants .
• Breastfeeding, non-nutritive sucking-related interventions, and rocking or holding are effective in reducing pain in infants undergoing acutely painful procedures. Breastfeeding appears to be more effective than other methods .
• There is insufficient evidence on the effect of pain-relieving agents for infantile colic .
• There is no evidence from randomised controlled trials evaluating the effect of baby-led compared with scheduled (or mixed) breastfeeding for successful breastfeeding for healthy newborns .
• Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) supplementation to breastfeeding mothers might possibly not improve infant growth and development, although the evidence is insufficient .
• Mothers seem a greater volume at one expression during the second week when provided with a relaxation tape .
• Supplementing breast feeds by cup compared to bottle may increase the extent and duration of breast feeding in preterm infants.
• There may be no benefit and possible negative effects on the duration of breastfeeding from the brief use of additional water or glucose water for healthy breastfeeding babies in the first few days after birth .
• Infants who are exclusively breastfed for six months appear to have normal growth, and may have less morbidity from gastrointestinal infection. The mothers of such infants appear to have more prolonged lactational amenorrhoea .
• Breastfeeding or glucose appears to be effective in reducing pain in neonates undergoing a single painful procedure compared to placebo or positioning .
• Breastfeeding education interventions such as health education and peer support interventions appear to be effective at increasing breastfeeding initiation rates among women on low incomes .
• Bromocriptine may be effective in suppressing lactation in the first postpartum week compared to no treatment .
• There is insufficient evidence from randomised controlled trials to assess the effect of mother-infant separation versus rooming-in for increasing duration of breastfeeding .
• There is insufficient evidence of interventions for preventing mastitis after childbirth .

Clinical guidelines

• Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
• Stockholms läns landsting. 2008: Regionalt vårdprogram. Bröstkomplikationer i samband med amning
• EU Project. 2004: Protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in Europe: A Blueprint for action

Other Internet resources

• Blackburn S. Breast-feeding: Internet resources. Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, July/September 2007;21(3):189–190
• Palda VA, Guise JM, Wathen CN; Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. Interventions to promote breastfeeding: updated recommendations from the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. CTFPHC Technical Report #03-6. October 2003. London, ON: Canadian Task Force.

Literature

• Hoddinott P, Tappin D, Wright C. Breast feeding. BMJ 2008 Apr 19;336(7649):881-7.
• Collins CT, Makrides M, McPhee AJ. Early discharge with home support of gavage feeding for stable preterm infants who have not established full oral feeds. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003;(4):CD003743.
• Philipp BL, Merewood A. The Baby-Friendly way: the best breastfeeding start. Pediatr Clin North Am 2004 Jun;51(3):761-83, xi.
• Kramer MS, Guo T, Platt RW, Shapiro S, Collet JP, Chalmers B, Hodnett E, Sevkovskaya Z, Dzikovich I, Vanilovich I, PROBIT Study Group. Breastfeeding and infant growth: biology or bias? Pediatrics 2002 Aug;110(2 Pt 1):343-7.