Just one bottle—helpful or harmful?

Time-frame: 60 minutes
CERP: yes

Can one bottle of formula (or more) really affect a newborn infant or derail breastfeeding? While it may sound harmless and helpful, bottles of infant formula given to newborn breastfeeding infants have been shown to interfere with the successful establishment of breastfeeding, reduce both the exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding, and permanently alter the infant gut microbiome. One bottle of formula per day for the first week of life is enough to shift the gut microbiome toward proinflammatory taxa, a condition where gut inflammation becomes the precursor to both acute and chronic diseases and conditions such as autoimmune diseases and obesity. Yet, some infants and maternal situations may require medically indicated supplementation, so how can unwanted side effects of infant formula be reduced or prevented? This presentation will explore the side effects of just one bottle, discuss scenarios where a supplement may be needed, and present approaches and alternatives to the high rate of formula supplementation seen in some hospitals and in the early days following birth.



Marsha Walker RN, IBCLC


Country: USA
Phone number: 781-893-3553
Email: Marshalact@gmail.com
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Publications

Breastfeeding Management for the Clinician: Using the Evidence, 5th edition

Breastfeeding Management for the Clinician: Using the Evidence is the perfect tool for busy clinicians who need a quick, accurate, and current reference. It provides the essentials of breastfeeding management to support best outcomes for breastfeeding families. Now in an updated and modernized fifth edition, this unique resource features new information on the political and social landscape of breastfeeding, LGBTQI+ families, milk sharing, exclusive pumping, new breastfeeding products, breastfeeding in emergencies, additional feeding care plans, and access to downloadable Patient Care Plan Handouts to help both patients and clinicians navigate common breastfeeding challenges and questions. Breastfeeding Management for the Clinician: Using the Evidence, Fifth Edition includes literature reviews while covering incidence, etiology, risk factors, prevention, prognosis and implications, interventions, expected outcomes, care plans, and clinical algorithms. With a focus on the practical application of evidence-based knowledge and a problem-solving approach, this reference helps busy clinicians integrate the latest research into their everyday clinical practice.