Breastfeeding in Practice

Question 1

At what age of the baby should they be exclusively breastfeeding?

Answer 1

6 months

Question 2

What happens when babies reach 6 months?

Answer 2

Complementary foods are added whilst the baby is breastfed.

Question 3

Explain the reasons why UK has one of the worst rates in breastfeeding.

Answer 3

• Lack of support
• Personal issues
• Social pressures
• Returning to work
• Personal preference

Question 4

Briefly state the pharmacist’s role in breastfeeding.

Answer 4

• Advice on feeding
• OTC medicines and breastfeeding
• POM medicines and breastfeeding

Question 5

What advice should be given to breastfeeding women?

Answer 5

• Skin to skin contact
• Colostrum - first milk made
• Baby may want to feed often, even every hour
• Fewer feeds once breasts produce ‘mature’
  milk after a few days
• The more a woman breastfeeds, the more
  milk is made.

Question 6

What is Colostrum?

Answer 6

• First milk produced
• Contains antibodies, WBCs
• High in carbohydrates and proteins, low in fat
• Delivers nutrients in a very concentrated, low volume form
• Mild laxative effect

Question 7

What is in ‘Mature’ milk?

Answer 7

• Carbs, proteins, fats, fluid
• Vitamins and minerals
• WBC
• Stem cells
• Enzymes
• Growth factors
• Hormones
• Antibodies

Question 8

What is in ‘Formula’ Milk?

Question 9

How often should you breastfeed?

Answer 9

• More often during the first few weeks (at least
  8 times/24 hours)
• Feed your baby on demand and look for cues
  your baby is hungry
• Avoid feeding ‘schedules’
• You can’t overfeed a breastfed baby
• Milk supply adjusts depending on baby’s
  needs.

Question 10

What is the main use of breastfeeding pumps?

Answer 10

• “Expressing”
• Electric or manual
• Extracts milk from breast
• Allows others to feed
• Allows continuation of breastfeeding if mother returns to work
• “Pump and dump”

Question 11

Explain how the Equality Act 2010 is implemented for breastfeeding in public.

Answer 11

• A business cannot discriminate against mothers
  who are breastfeeding a child of any age.
• It is unlawful to ask someone to leave the
  premises or refuse to serve them because they are
  breastfeeding a baby.
• Also applies to public, open places.

Question 12

What considerations do you need to take when prescribing medications to breastfeeding women?

Question 13

What does NICE guidelines state about medicines and BF?

Question 14

What Cold/Cough OTC medications can be used for breastfeeding women?

Question 15

What hayfever OTC medications can be used for breastfeeding women?