Katie Jones, Senior Midwife, Danone Baby Nutrition, discusses how midwives can incorporate innovation into their everyday practice.
Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the publisher or editorial staff.
In recent years there have been huge advances in the way that midwives offer breastfeeding support. Both the World Health Organisation and UNICEF’s Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) have helped to improve midwifery practice.
However, there remains a large numbers of women who do not breastfeed at all or for only a very short period of time. These non-breastfeeding women also need accurate information on nutrition for their babies.
While the BFI recommends that midwives should support women who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, there is limited clear and factual information on how they might do this.
Innovation through information
Clearly, the responsibility is with midwives themselves to find out the information they need to offer practical guidance on formula feeding to women who are not breastfeeding their babies.
So, what information do we need to know? And where can we get it?
Midwives should find out more about:
• Which formulas are most suitable for which babies (and why)?
• What ingredients does each formula contain?
• From where are these ingredients sourced?
• What processes are used in manufacturing?
Hygiene advice is also of paramount importance to safe formula feeding. This should be directed towards women antenatally.
For their part, formula companies can offer factual information about their products via education establishments rather than at hospital sites. Cascade from this point will not touch the women who are thinking about breastfeeding.
Innovative changes within postnatal wards
Hospitals have continued to stock formula feeds in individual bottled portions throughout the BFI. This has been especially important for neonatal units and for term babies with particular difficulties post birth.
Any innovation that helps improve the content and delivery of these feeds should be welcomed by all on the postnatal ward.
The recent improvements to milk formulas,
click here for more detail, offer advances that will be of genuine practical use.
Changing from glass bottles to smaller and lighter plastic bottles, made with recyclable materials is a significant improvement. The new bottle is easy to handle, light and small, to encourage less waste. The graduation is simple and easy to see how much feed is taken. The wide neck allows for the easy addition of medicines where necessary.
A new flattened teat, which is physiologically shaped and fits into the baby’s palate. Where cup feeding is not possible this teat may be beneficial for babies.
Lighter products make storage and lifting easier for support staff, especially as formula milks are not kept on display in postnatal wards.
Conclusion
Where women cannot or choose not to breastfeed we have a responsibility to offer women support and the best information to find safe alternatives. Both the content and preparation of formula feed is important for these women and their babies. To do this factually and discretely is vitally important for the minority of women who leave our postnatal wards with babies who are formula feeding.
Click on the bottle to find out how Cow and Gate are supporting hospital practice through innovation.
