London, May 2 (ANI): A recent research has found that breast feeding newborns in a lying down posture may reduce feeding problems and improve babies' natural reflexes.

A study of 40 mothers breastfeeding in various positions found that babies' natural reflexes started off more easily when the mothers were lying down.

The position seemed to activate primal reflexes usually seen in young mammals, the Royal College of Nursing conference heard.

Dr Suzanne Colson, senior midwifery lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University, advises that women should follow a technique called biological nurturing where the mother lies down on the back and lets the baby lie on its stomach on top of her.

The UK study reported that when mothers were lying flat or semi-reclined, it was easier for the babies to find the breast and in many cases attach themselves and feed while sleeping.

To find out whether this technique encourages feeding reflexes in human babies, Colson video-taped 40 women breastfeeding in sitting-up, lying down or reclining positions in the first month of the baby’s life.

The results showed that the lying down position led to 17 reflexes in the babies, including reflexes usually associated with other mammals who feed their young ones in this way.

Conversely breastfeeding in a sitting-up position only promoted the three generally seen reflexes i.e. routing, latching and sucking.

After using the lying down technique, mothers, who at first reported problems with breast feeding, continued breastfeeding and didn’t encounter any difficulty.

Dr Colson said the present study could not confirm whether the technique was more successful than the usual sitting-up position, but it faced up to the perception of teaching mothers to breastfeed in a permanent position.

"Nine out of 10 mothers who start breastfeeding stop because of problems. What was interesting to note is that, when mothers were lying flat or semi-reclined, babies could find the breast easier and in many cases attach themselves and feed whilst asleep,” BBC quoted Colson, as saying.

"The research suggests that babies when they are on their tummy display these primitive reflexes, head bobbing in particular, that is seen in other mammals who are abdominal feeders,” she added.

She recommended mothers to use the most comfortable position, but also added that in her experience mothers time and again find it easier to breast feed when lying down.

"For many new mothers breastfeeding can be difficult and challenging. Not being able to do something which is supposed to be as simple and as natural as feeding their own child can leave many new mothers feeling disappointed and let down,” Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said.

"By challenging conventional breastfeeding positions this new research could go a long way to helping those mothers who are experiencing difficulties feeding their infants by suggesting other easy-to-adopt positions,” he added.

Pat O'Brien, consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at University College London and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said that the knowledge of different feeding positions will prove useful for mothers.

"From a health point of view, there's no reason they couldn't try breastfeeding in that position and we welcome any research that might improve the chances of success. Maybe women just have to experiment and find a position that suits them best,” O'Brien said. (ANI)

I read with interest your story on the importance of the lying down position for breastfeeding. Dr. Colson’s work on biological nurturing reinforces what we have learned from our research on cosleeping. The fact that breastfeeding in the lying down position leads to myriad reflexes in the babies, including reflexes usually associated with other mammals who feed their young ones in this way makes confirms our work.

As publisher of the upcoming book, Sleeping With Your Baby: A Parent’s Guide to Cosleeping, by James J. McKenna, Ph.D. [Platypus Media, May 15, 2007], we have studied biological nurturing thoroughly. In fact, Dr. McKenna was the first scientist to undertake sleep laboratory physiological studies of both mothers and infants. We know that human children are dependent physiologically, socially and psychologically on the presence of the caregiver and that this dependence does not turn off when children are sleeping. For a baby to suckle in the lying down position and then fall asleep next to his/her mothers is nature’s way of ensuring that baby be nurtured and nourished.

This is why fully 95%, of the world sleeps with their children. Unfortunately, parents in the U.S. are told, in the sternest tones, that a baby should always sleep alone in a crib. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that an infant should never be allowed to sleep in a bed with his or her parents. We applaud Dr. Colson’s work!

Dia L. Michels, Publisher, Platypus Media, Washington, DC. 11 May 2007