Editors: Michael Larsson and Goran Larsson
Publisher: Georg Thieme-Verlag and Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation – 405 pages
Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram
Evidence, facts, figures, foundation and proof, provide substantiation for anything that could create doubt in people’s minds. When I read the editors of this book state that this work is “an evidence-based book,” I was pleased, and further pleased when I read that it is “a key resource for decision makers and practitioners, and that it “explores the multi-faceted, multidisciplinary and complex world of breast feeding, breast milk, and lactation.”
The editors write, and I affirm, that that this book provides “a factual, and scientifically robust overview of key topics at the heart of breastfeeding and breast milk.”
What is the main purpose of this book? Michael and Goran Larsson indicate that they want “to empower decision makers and practitioners with knowledge required to increase promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding and use of breast milk.” The conclusions of the articles in this book – written by some 30 contributors who are recognized experts in their own fields – are based on evidence gathered from research.
This book of just over 400 pages consists of four basic Parts we name below to provide you an overview of its contents:
- Part I. Setting the Scene
- Part II. Different Perspectives
- Part III. Human Milk in Special Circumstances
- Part IV. This Way Forward
- Part V. Addendum
Among the key points presented and found in this book – on the importance of breastfeeding and breast milk – are the following:
- Breast feeding is the best choice for infant feeding. High quality of nutrition before and during pregnancy and lactation can directly and positively impact milk composition and breastfeeding outcomes
- Complex signals pass between mother and infant during breastfeeding which have subtle influences on the infants’ physiological well-being and assuring maternal good health
- Lactation is a robust, resilient, and reliable survival mechanism, and was critical to the mammalian evolutionary success to not only survive, but thrive. With the development of bovine derived products many infants are missing out on this valuable resource
- The integration of the many different national guidelines into unified global standards and tools will greatly facilitate the set-up of integrated, safe, effective, ethical, and sustainable milk banks
- Successful scaling-up of breastfeeding programs requires to have strong coordination between breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support activities and at the same time requires multi-level, multidisciplinary, and stable financial commitment
About the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation
This foundation is one the first organizations in the world with a prime focus on promoting and supporting breast milk and breastfeeding. It was founded in 2013 and is based in Zug, Switzerland.
