The media reports of this study are a disgraceful example of poor 
understanding, lack of reading and checking, and possibly the 
tendency to copy from press releases (though I have not seen the 
press release associated with this paper).

We have had a bit of discussion on a UK list about this, which has 
been useful to me as I cannot yet access the whole paper. My extra 
information about it has come second hand from someone who has read 
the whole paper.

What appears to have happened with the 40 babies in this study is 
that the intervention group had controlled and small amounts of 
formula supplement  given between day 2 and 4.

The control group had *uncontrolled* and *large* amounts of formula 
given throughout the first week.  The difference in volume between 
the two groups is very marked - the control group had up to almost 
four times the amount of formula compared to the intevention group.

OBVIOUSLY (shouting!!) the group who had the limited amount of 
formula  over a limited time is more likely to remain breastfeeding.

But the formula intervention has not *helped* breastfeeding. All it 
has done is had less effect on bf than huge uncontrolled amounts of 
formula.

(Astonishing that a clinically-unnecessary intervention has appeared 
to have got through ethics panel, but that's another issue)

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK


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