Thank you to Amy for flagging this up. The Daily Mail is giving people incorrect advice and promoting a particular brand of infant formula. There are a couple of sensible comments on the Daily Mail page as I type but it would be good if the Mail would retract the incorrect information.

“Claire Byam-Cook’s quotes are simply incorrect. Nearly every woman except in very exceptional circumstances can exclusively breast feed her baby. Early supplementation undermines the development of the mother’s own milk supply and expressing breastmilk is often harder than actually breastfeeding. Why do only 1% of women follow government guidelines which are based on WHO recommendations? Many reasons, but not being able to produce enough milk is a perceived reason, but not a fact. There are many ways to build up milk supply. Lots of skin-to-skin with baby and feeding on demand during the early days is the best way in general. There are many people who can give good advice on breastfeeding but I would not put Claire Byam-Coook forward as one of them, she doesn’t seem to have fantastic success does she, even by her own reckoning. Juliet , Maidenhead, 06/8/2012 16:18″

Full article below:

Health: How to keep a hungry baby happy

By Sarah Stacey

UPDATED: 00:01, 5 August 2012

Q: I am a first-time mum and don’t produce enough milk for my hungry six-week-old baby boy at night, which makes us both stressed. I want to avoid using formula if possible so the health visitor advised expressing milk with a pump in the mornings – when I have plenty – but I find a manual pump very difficult to use.

A: Many mothers have problems, according to breast-feeding expert and author Clare Byam-Cook. ‘One in three of my clients doesn’t produce enough milk to satisfy their newborn baby.

Every woman produces milk at different rates and, for no clear reason, some will simply not produce enough – although keeping properly hydrated, well-nourished and rested certainly helps increase the supply. It’s also important to make sure your baby is properly latched on to your breast.’

Women are often made to feel that they have failed if they don’t solely breast-feed their babies. But, in fact, only one per cent of women follow government recommendations to breast-feed exclusively for the first six months. ‘By six weeks old, 70 per cent of babies in Britain are given bottles,’ says Clare.

In your case, Clare advises using an electric pump. She recommends the award-winning Medela Swing Pump (£129.99, medela.com): ‘It’s good value, easy to set up, painless, and simple to use while watching TV or reading.’ Use it when milk is plentiful – in your case, in the mornings. Electric pumps can also be rented from the NCT, see below.

Manual pumps are cheaper and can work well if the mother has plenty of quick-flowing milk. Try Philips Avent (£28, from Boots and Mothercare). A double pump such as Ameda Lactaline (£129.99, ameda.co.uk) may help mothers who express a lot.

Pumping milk usually increases breast supply. Attach it immediately after having fed for ten minutes on each side.

Good feeding bottles are important. The most successful are those most closely emulating the nipple sucking action. Try Tommee Tippee (£5.29, from Boots) or Medela Calma (£14.99, medela.com).

Formula milk is the best option if mothers can’t produce enough milk to breast-feed or express. ‘A baby is far better being fed this way than going hungry,’ says Clare. She recommends Aptamil First Milk (about
£9.49 for 900g, available nationwide).

For further advice, contact the NCT helpline (tel: 0300 330 0700, nct.org.uk) or the breast-feeding helpline (tel: 0300 100 0212, nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk). Your health visitor can give you details of your nearest drop-in breast-feeding clinic. Also read What To Expect When You’re Breast-feeding…And What If You Can’t by
Clare Byam-Cook (Vermilion, £8.99*).