[pronut-hiv] BB: Breastfeeding 'kills baby's pain'

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BBC: Breastfeeding 'kills baby's pain'

Breastfeeding may be the ultimate natural painkiller for newborn babies.

A review of research found that breastfeeding newborns helps relieve the
pain from a needle prick used to screen their blood for disease. 

Breastfed babies appeared to experience less pain than those who were
swaddled, given a pacifier, or a placebo. Comfort from a mother's
presence may be key. 

The Cochrane Library review, by Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, was
based on data from over 1,000 babies. 

The researchers say that breastfeeding could possibly help relieve pain
for premature babies who need to undergo many painful intensive care
procedures. 

However, they stress that their study did not test the impact of
breastfeeding on the pain associated with repeated procedures. 

The Mount Sinai team assessed pain by measuring changes in heart and
breathing rates, and the length of time a baby cried after receiving the
needle prick. 

Comfort 

The researchers say that the key to the effect of breastfeeding may be
that an infant simply draws comfort from the close proximity of its
mother. 

Alternatively, breastfeeding may help to divert attention away from the
pain of a needle prick. 

They also suggest that the sweetness of breast milk may be a factor. 

Another theory is that breast milk contains a high concentration of a
chemical which could ultimately trigger the production of natural
painkillers called endorphins. 

The researchers also found that giving babies a sugar solution seemed to
be effective. 

But researcher Dr Prakeshkumar Shah said: "Based on this review we
concluded that for a neonate undergoing painful procedure breastfeeding
is superior to no treatment, placebo, or swaddling alone for relieving
pain. 

"As it is the most inexpensive, safe and advantageous from other
perspectives, it should be offered to all neonates to relieve procedural
pain when possible." 

Dr Tony Williams, an expert in neonatal care at London's St George's
Hospital, said: "Newborn babies are often given dummies soaked in
concentrated glucose to help reduce distress during painful procedures. 

"This study shows that babies would do just as well by being breastfed."