Pharmacist advice on breastfeeding support

Breastfeeding is the natural way of feeding the youngest babies. The World Health Organization and the Czech Paediatric Society recommend exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age and, together with the gradual introduction of complementary feeding, to continue breastfeeding until at least 2 years of age. In addition to its nutritional importance, breastfeeding brings many other benefits for both the baby and the mother. Although it should be an obvious process, many women have problems with breastfeeding, which sometimes leads to a complete switch to formula milk. Given their wide range of activities, pharmacists should be able to provide expert advice on breastfeeding issues. Advice should be based on up-to-date recommendations and modern practices, as there are still some myths around breastfeeding even among health professionals. In the pharmacy, it is important to catch breastfeeding mothers not only in terms of the appropriateness of the drugs used (especially in self-medication), but also in practical matters. Those include, for example, the knowledge of general rules for successful breastfeeding, procedures to increase milk production (including the use of herbs and food supplements), appropriate techniques for breastfeeding, breast milk pumping and storage, injured nipples treatment or the breastfeeding mother´s diet, as well as information where else a woman can turn for professional help reflecting modern recommendations.

Keywords: breastfeeding, infant, breast milk, latching on, nipples damage, lactation support.