I REFER to the letter headlined 'Use Pump' (South China Morning Post, February 3) by Name and Address Supplied. I do not know the sex of the correspondent but can safely presume that he or she is not a breast-feeding mother.
The benefits of breast-feeding as a source of nutrition, comfort and protection against infection have been widely documented.
Breast milk undoubtedly provides everything a young baby needs.
The letter's author recommends that mothers express milk with a pump to give their babies milk in a bottle, thereby not offending the sensibilities of others.
Some women are unable to use a breast pump, the breast is not a machine and often will not yield its milk to a pump.
If a woman has succeeded in expressing enough milk for her baby's feed, then that milk must be either refrigerated or used within an hour to prevent the growth of bacteria.
