“Nearly 90% of women declare that they want to breastfeed after giving birth. And indeed, many women do initiate breastfeeding. Unfortunately, after the sixth week, and then gradually after three and six months, the number of breastfeeding mothers drops dramatically,” says Dr. Dyląg.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast milk is the ideal source of nutrition for infants. The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continued breastfeeding alongside complementary foods for at least two years.

The European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) supports these recommendations, encouraging continued breastfeeding through the first year and beyond, depending on the preferences of the mother and child.

However, Dr. Dyląg notes that these recommendations are not reflected in breastfeeding duration trends in Poland, despite high rates of initiation.

In her view, a significant barrier is the lack of structured and accessible lactation support, particularly after mothers leave the hospital.

“While lactation consultants are increasingly present in maternity wards, breastfeeding problems usually emerge after the mother and baby return home. Outside of hospitals, the support of consultants is mainly available to residents of large cities, and it is not reimbursed by the National Health Fund,” she says.

Another contributing factor, she adds, is insufficient knowledge of lactation among healthcare providers. “Doctors, including paediatricians, gynaecologists, and community midwives, do not always have sufficient knowledge of the physiology of lactation,” she says.

Breastfeeding often ends prematurely due to perceived or real issues such as cow’s milk protein allergy in infants. However, Dr. Dyląg stresses that even when allergies are present, breastfeeding should remain a priority if the mother is willing to continue.

She also cites aggressive marketing by formula manufacturers as an additional pressure that undermines breastfeeding. “Formula advertising is only banned for products for children under six months of age, so we see everything from TV commercials, to pens and notebooks with logos used by healthcare professionals, to pregnancy charts featuring photos of formula cans alongside test results,” she says.

Historically, formula milk has been promoted globally since the early 20th century. “A formula milk advertising was even painted by one of the leading representatives of the Art Nouveau movement, Alphonse Mucha,” Dyląg adds.

She draws a sharp comparison: “Formula is like fast food for children: it always tastes the same, which is a feature of highly processed foods. It profiles children based on their taste preferences, and may contain ingredients such as maltodextrin and high-fructose corn syrup.”

Despite public myths, medical reasons preventing breastfeeding are rare, according to Dyląg. “The list of absolute contraindications to breastfeeding for both mother and child is relatively short, and breastfeeding is also possible, for example, after dental procedures or while taking antidepressants,” she says.

The benefits of breastfeeding, she notes, are extensive — both short and long term. “For mothers, these include a reduced incidence of postpartum depression, reduced postpartum bleeding, faster uterine involution, and weight loss. For infants, they reduce the risk of acute middle ear infection, meningitis, pneumonia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS),” she says.

In the long term, breastfeeding is associated with lower risks of breast and ovarian cancer, obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis in mothers, and reduced risk of asthma, allergies, obesity, diabetes, and leukaemia in children.

“Recent studies have shown that mother's milk contains stem cells. According to one hypothesis, these cells catchdamaged tissues in the child's body and regenerate them,” she says.

Dr. Dyląg added that extended breastfeeding beyond the infant or toddler stage has no negative effects. “In the case of indigenous peoples of the Amazon or Africa, weaning occurs later than in our culture. Usually around the age of four, when primary teeth begin to fall out. The situation is similar – converting the age – in other primates. Breastfeeding can and should continue for as long as the mother and child desire,” she says.

Support, she stresses, is the most important factor in prolonged breastfeeding.

“Women who receive support from their immediate environment – both family and medical – breastfeed longer. Support should be based on knowledge, not beliefs,” she says.

Common breastfeeding myths persist in Poland and often discourage women.

“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,” she says.

She adds that inadequate milk supply is seldom a true biological issue. “The infamous lack of milk is extremely rarely the mother's fault. It most often results from problems with lactation development. Diagnostic and therapeutic measures can save this process. And replacing breast milk with a formula bottle can put an end to it,” she warns.

Still, Dr. Dyląg acknowledges that breastfeeding is not always possible or chosen.

“Sometimes breastfeeding is not possible or a woman decides not to breastfeed. And although the breast provides not only food for the infant but also closeness, a good bond between mother and child is also formed when feeding is done with a bottle,” she says.

Global research supports the significance of breastfeeding. A study titled “Breastfeeding in the 21st century: Epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect”, led by Cesar G. Victora, found that the longest breastfeeding periods are in Central Africa and South Asia, while Canada and France have some of the shortest durations.

Microscopic images of breast milk — revealing fat molecules, proteins, probiotics, and immune cells — underscore its complexity.

Katarzyna Czarnecka (PAP)

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