Breast feeding

[Habib]

Hi all
any body knows what is this question asking and how to answer it?

Bottle fed babies are at greater risk of developing infantile gastroenteritis than breast fed infants. Explain why this is?

Kind regards
H

[Nik]

Question seems straightforward to me. To answer, you'll need to use relevant information sources, eg textbooks, appropriate websites, etc Reason is probably multifactorial, breastmilk providing immune protection and possible risk of bacterial contamination if bottles not sterilised properly. Just my thoughts however.

[Habib]

this question worth 15 marks and i know what you saying but i do not know if just contamination would be enough for 15 marks :S

[johnep]

I see what you mean is that Habib scores 0 and forum required to answer the question so you can falsely claim full marks?
johnep

[Nik]

Well I have given some starter tips, it's down to you to add the flesh to make it a 15 mark answer. Will need to research and find out the benefits of breastmilk over formula milk and go into greater depth.

[Habib]

I did not mean to use you just to fully answer my question
i just wanted to know what to include in the answer NiK told me one option so i thought for more mark i might need something else
i will post my fully answered question here soon
thanks Johnep and Nik

[johnep]

OK. I'll assume you have honest intentions. I was concerned in formulating a baby milk for east Africa in the 70s. This was in spite of the condemnation by 'do gooders'.
However, there was a market for a product and all that was available locally was that produced by Glaxo in Kenya and this was basically just powdered milk with added vits A and D. My customer wanted to provide a modern formulation, so I devised a suitable comprehensive balanced vitamin premix. There was then a campaign about high sodium levels in baby feed, so I contacted a dairy in Ireland to supply demineralised whey powder. As far as I know the product is still going strong .Breast is best if possible but, due to HIV/war/famine etc, not always available.
Breast milk contains antibodies to give some immunity, but if a wet nurse is being used, then possibilty of HIV transmission
johnep

[hibernia]

I was concerned in formulating a baby milk for east Africa in the 70s.

Is there anything you HAVEN'T done?

Will any future pharmacists have such a variety of roles?

[johnep]

You set me thinking. Yes, I have been a pharmaceutical Jack of all Trades, but never a master. Just fortunate to have a very varied career with hardly a dull day. Best job was five years as Marketing Manager for the galenical off shoot of a food ingredients company (Bush Boake Allen) and then seven years as Export Manager for Vitamin Division of Roche (Tons, not tablets). I sold vitamins to Food, Beverage, Pharmaceutical and Animal Feed Cos.
When overseas I found myself advising on many aspects, production, sales, marketing. It was here that my pharmaceutical training was invaluable. All I did in formulating the baby milk was to look at tins of SMA, Ostermilk, Gow and Gate, Similac etc and produce an average. My experience in selling to the Irish dairy industry helped.

To a no capital start up business, I would suggest a cough linctus or vitamin syrup which could be mixed in a plastic dustbin or even a plastic bag in a carton and use a broomstick. Actually saw in this Clonmel at beginning of what is now a huge generic business. Had also witnessed ointments being made at a London Hospital pharmacy using a trough and wooden paddle. (Benzamycin was same on very small scale).

I provided formulations and packaging advice. (Often Heineken beer bottles).
johnep

[Habib]

This is the answer i came up with: Any suggestion please


Remember formula fed babies have none of the protective factors from the living fluid which is breastmilk such as:

• Free iron in the gut from formula milk can cause bacteria thrive on (grow vigorously)
• No lacto-ferrin (to mop up free iron and transport it and make available for bioavailable)
• No bifidus factor (so increased pH conducive to bacterial growth)
• No oligosaccharides to inhibit attachment of pathogens
• No Secretory IgA therefore no protective coating for gut
• No entero/broncho-mammary pathway (for antibody production)
• No white cells (to destroy bacteria)
• No lysozyme (to destroy bacteria)
• No epidermal growth factor (for gut maturation)
• No viral fragments (to stimulate antibody response)
• No anti-inflammatory molecules (to moderate response to pathogens)


Also possibility of contamination as every feed is prepared