Hello. I'm Mike Procter. And I'm Elizabeth Lickiss. Welcome to Spotlight. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
The baby needs feeding. But what sort of milk should the mother choose? Should she buy baby milk - or formula milk - from the store? She would buy it as dried milk. She would mix it with water. She would feed it to the baby in a bottle. This milk is balanced. It contains everything that the baby needs to give to grow. Or should she feed her baby with her own breast milk? It is free. Experts agree that it is an excellent, natural food for a baby. So what is best? What should the mother decide to do? Today's Spotlight programme looks at the issue of feeding a baby. Afua lives in Ghana. When her first baby was born she decided to use formula milk to feed her. Although it cost Afua a lot of money she believed the formula milk to be the modern, better way to feed a baby. The company selling the formula milk had given Afua information. The information told Afua about the excellent qualities of their formula milk. It would be good for her child. It would be best. So Afua fed her baby the formula. The baby girl seemed to grow well at first. But then, suddenly, she became very sick with diarrhoea. Afua took her baby to a doctor. But it was too late. The baby died.
This was a terrible time for Afua. Later, when she became pregnant again Afua went to her local doctors. At the doctors she met with Abiola Tilley-Gyado. Abiola is a health adviser for "Plan International". Plan International is a health organisation. It teaches that breast-feeding has a good influence on a child's future health. Abiola listened as Afua told her story. Abiola then advised Afua to breast-feed her next baby. Abiola said that the formula milk was good. But that breast-milk was even better. Breast milk can help protect the baby against conditions like diarrhoea. Breast milk contains small cells called antibodies. These antibodies come from the mother. The antibodies help protect the baby. They help the baby to fight infection. Formula milk does not have this protective quality. Abiola also explained that breast milk is able to change to meet a baby's growing needs. At first the milk contains a substance called colostrum. This substance is like water, but it contains many antibodies. It helps the very young baby fight disease. But as the child grows the breast milk changes its balance of molecules. The brain needs particular molecules to help it develop and grow - molecules such as fatty acids, lactose and amino acids. A baby fed on formula milk will grow fat but a breast fed baby will be generally healthier.
The World Health Organisation agrees with the work that Plan International and other groups do. They want to see more mothers breast-feed their babies. The World Health Organisation estimates that millions of babies die each year because they are not breast-fed. Diarrhoea is the main cause of death. Formula milk does not have the antibodies to help fight disease. But it also has another problem. It has to be mixed with water. It is not always possible for a mother to find a clean water supply. When the water is not safe, a baby fed on formula milk is twenty-five times more likely to die than a breast-fed baby. Clean water is very important.
All of this information was given to Afua. So what did she decide to do? Afua decided to breast-feed her second child. Breast-feeding does not completely protect a baby against disease. But a baby fed this way is more likely to develop well. This was true for Afua. Her baby boy survived. He has grown into a strong healthy child.
Maharaj Bhan is an expert on child development. She works for the "All India Institute of Medical Sciences". She understands that breast-feeding is best for most babies. Maharaj suggests that babies should be fed only breast milk for the first six months of life. After that the mother can give her baby other food as well as breast milk. Doing this for the first two years of a child's life means that they get the best food and health protection possible. Maharaj and many other experts agree that breast milk is best for most babies. But for some babies formula milk could be better. For example many experts are worried about babies born to HIV infected mothers. The HIV virus causes AIDS. Experts have noted that the breast milk of HIV mothers contains the virus. It is possible that the HIV virus could be passed from mother to child in breast milk. Experts are still researching the possible dangers. The United Nations group UNICEF has been looking at the research information. They suggest that HIV infected mothers talk to their doctors before choosing how to feed their babies.
But for the majority of women breast-feeding is possible. So why do so many women choose to use formula milk? Margaret Dale is an expert on child health. She has a lot of experience working in many different countries. Margaret believes that many mothers get the wrong idea. They get the idea that formula milk is best. Companies spend lots of money worldwide persuading mothers to choose their formula milk. Often mothers do not get a similar amount of information about breast-feeding.
Many governments across the world have accepted that breast-feeding is good for children. Some are now giving more money to provide information to new mothers. One such country is Brazil. The Brazilian government estimates that only eight per cent of women breast-feed their children for the first six months. They have asked famous Brazilian actress, Luiza Tome, to encourage mothers. She is beautiful and popular. Luiza is mother to twins, Luigi and Adriana. She breast-feeds her babies. She tells other mothers that breast milk is best. She shows them how easy it is. She tells them that it helps mothers to build a strong relationship with their babies. The Brazilian government hopes that she will be able to persuade the mothers of Brazil.
Margaret Dale would like to see more famous mothers like Luiza. They give breast-feeding a good image. This makes it easier for other mothers. It makes breast-feeding socially acceptable. Mothers need all the information, help and support possible early on. If breast-feeding is established it becomes easy. Most mothers who have breast fed one child go on to breast feed all their children. As Margaret says, keep your money. Breast-feeding is free, easy and best.
The writer and producer of today's programme was Elizabeth Lickiss. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom. Computer users can hear our programmes on our website at www.radio.english.net. This programme is called Feeding Baby. Thank you for joining us in today's Spotlight programme. Goodbye.
