Expert: Polish women eagerly start breastfeeding, but unfortunately they end it quickly

Polish women eagerly begin breastfeeding, but unfortunately, they quickly discontinue it. Women lack support, including from medical professionals, Dr. Katarzyna Anna Dyląg, a specialist in pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology, told the Polish Press Agency (PAP). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast milk is the ideal food for infants.

The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a child is six months old and continuing breastfeeding with complementary foods until at least two years of age. The European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN), in agreement with the WHO on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, recommends continuing until the first birthday and thereafter for as long as desired by both mother and child.

When asked about the reflection of these recommendations in Polish statistics, Dr. Katarzyna Anna Dyląg, MD, PhD, associated with the St. Louis Provincial Specialist Children's Hospital in Krakow, emphasized that in Europe, Polish women are among those most willing to start breastfeeding.

"Nearly 90% of women declare they want to breastfeed after giving birth. Indeed, many women initiate breastfeeding. Unfortunately, after the sixth week, and then gradually after three and six months, the number of breastfeeding mothers drops dramatically," she said.

She believes these declines stem from a lack of structured and easily accessible lactation support. While lactation consultants are increasingly present in maternity wards, breastfeeding problems usually arise once mother and baby are at home. Outside of hospitals, the support of lactation consultants is primarily available to women living in large cities, and is not funded by the National Health Fund. Doctors, including pediatricians, gynecologists, and community midwives, do not always have sufficient knowledge of lactation physiology.

Another common reason for discontinuing breastfeeding is a cow's milk protein allergy, or a suspected allergy. Even if an allergy occurs and the mother wants to breastfeed, guidelines suggest that protecting the breastfeeding process should be the priority.

In the doctor's opinion, the low percentage of breastfeeding mothers is also influenced by the lobbying of formula milk producers and the advertising of formulas: from TV spots (banned only for milk for children under six months of age) through pens and notebooks with logos used by health care representatives, to pregnancy cards containing – next to tables with test results – photos of milk cans.

Formula milk has been promoted worldwide since the early 20th century. Formula milk advertising even came from the brush of one of the leading representatives of the Art Nouveau movement, Alfons Mucha. Meanwhile, as Dr. Dyląg put it, formula milk is like fast food for children: it always tastes the same, which is a characteristic of highly processed foods; it profiles children based on their taste preferences; and it may contain ingredients such as maltodextrin and high-fructose corn syrup.

She added that the list of absolute contraindications to breastfeeding for both the mother and the child is relatively short, and breastfeeding is also possible, for example, after dental procedures or while taking antidepressants.

She emphasized the many benefits of breastfeeding. In the short term, these include reduced postpartum depression, reduced postpartum bleeding, faster uterine involution, and weight loss for mothers, and in the case of infants, reduced risk of acute otitis media, meningitis, pneumonia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

In the long term, mothers who breastfeed have a lower incidence of diseases and ailments such as breast and ovarian cancer (even among women genetically predisposed to the disease), obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Long-term benefits for children include a lower risk of asthma, allergies and atopy, obesity, diabetes, and leukemia.

"Research conducted in recent years has shown that mother's milk contains stem cells. One hypothesis is that these cells "catch" damaged tissues in the baby's body and regenerate them," said the expert.

She added that breastfeeding after one or two years of age – regardless of the social perception of this phenomenon – has no negative consequences.

"Indigenous peoples of the Amazon or Africa, weaning occurs later than in our culture. Usually around the age of four, when baby teeth begin to fall out. The same is true for other primates. Breastfeeding can and should continue for as long as the mother and child desire," the doctor explained.

Dr. Dyląg's observations show that women who receive support from their immediate environment—both family and healthcare providers—breastfeed longer. Support should be based on knowledge, not beliefs. Much of the information about breastfeeding, such as the need for large breasts or eliminating certain foods from the diet, is based on myths that are not supported by research and are harmful to women.

"The notorious lack of milk is extremely rarely the mother's fault. It most often results from problems with lactation development. Taking diagnostic and therapeutic measures can save this process. And replacing the breast with a formula bottle can put an end to it," she said.

However, she said, it's important to remember that sometimes breastfeeding isn't possible or a woman decides not to. And although breastfeeding provides not only food but also closeness for an infant, a good bond between mother and child is also formed when feeding with a bottle.

The study "Breastfeeding in the 21st Century: Epidemiology, Mechanisms, and Lifelong Effect," conducted by Cesar G. Victor and his team, shows that mothers living in Central Africa and South Asia breastfeed the longest, while those living in Canada and France breastfeed the shortest.

Under 400x magnification, a microscope slide reveals the perfect baby food—molecules of fat, lactose, proteins, and oligosaccharides, as well as amino acids, peptides, and lactoferrin. Among them dance vibrant probiotic bacteria and cells. This is breast milk.

August 1 is World Breastfeeding Day.

Katarzyna Czarnecka (PAP)

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