New Study: In-Hospital Formula Feeding Linked to Earlier Weaning

An important new study in the journal Pediatrics has found that in-hospital formula feeding is linked to earlier weaning from breastfeeding, with infants exposed to formula in the hospital at 2.5 to 6 times higher risk in the first year than infants exclusively breastfed.

In a video abstract of the study, the authors, Marcia Burton McCoy and Pamela Heggie, recommend “maternity centers adopt evidence-based best practices protocols, such as the Ten Steps of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.”

“When moms are having breastfeeding difficulties, formula is too often turned to as a quick-fix instead of managing the breastfeeding problem. It’s important to do a careful assessment to determine if supplementation is medically indicated,” says Dr. Heggie in the video.