Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas (PUC-Campinas), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010 May-Jun;86(3):179-88. doi: 10.2223/JPED.1984.
To retrace the history of infant nutrition with the objective of better understanding breastfeeding.
Bibliographic searches were run on MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, and the Internet. Encyclopedias, scientific textbooks and books for the general public, in addition to literature, art and history, were also used. Texts on child care from several different periods were consulted, in addition to the history of medicine and recent scientific articles on infant nutrition.
During the preindustrial period, customs varied little and the likelihood of survival was linked to breastfeeding or its substitution by a wetnurse's milk. Where this was not possible, infants were given animal milk, pre-chewed foods or paps that were poor in nutrients and contaminated, which caused high mortality rates. There was nothing that could successfully substitute breastfeeding and the survival of the species was dependent on breastfeeding. Once the industrial revolution had started, women who had been accustomed to breastfeeding went to work in factories, stimulating the search for alternative infant nutrition. Consumption of animal milk and formulae (diluted, flour-based, powdered milk) and premature introduction of complementary foods compromised children's health. The feminist movement and the contraceptive pill caused a fall in birth rates. Manufacturers in search of profits developed modified formulae and invested in advertising. Society reacted with breastfeeding support movements.
Nowadays, the advantages of breastmilk are recognized and exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months, to be supplemented with other foods from this age on and continued until at least 2 years of age. Infant nutrition, whether natural or artificial, has always been determined and conditioned by the social value attributed to breastfeeding.
追溯婴儿营养的历史，以期更好地理解母乳喂养。
在 MEDLINE、LILACS、SciELO 和互联网上进行了文献检索。此外，还使用了百科全书、科学教科书和大众读物，以及文学、艺术和历史文献。查阅了不同时期的儿童保健文本，以及医学史和近期婴儿营养的科学文章。
在工业化前时期，习俗变化不大，生存的可能性与母乳喂养或其被奶妈奶替代有关。在无法进行母乳喂养的情况下，婴儿会被给予动物奶、预嚼食物或营养不足且受到污染的糊状物，这导致高死亡率。没有任何东西可以成功替代母乳喂养，物种的生存依赖于母乳喂养。一旦工业革命开始，习惯母乳喂养的妇女就去工厂工作，这刺激了对替代婴儿营养的寻找。动物奶和配方奶（稀释、面粉基、奶粉）的消费以及过早引入补充食物损害了儿童的健康。女权运动和避孕药的出现导致出生率下降。制造商为了追求利润，开发了改良配方，并投资于广告。社会对母乳喂养支持运动做出了反应。
如今，人们认识到了母乳的优势，建议纯母乳喂养至 6 个月，从这个年龄开始补充其他食物，并持续至少 2 岁。无论是自然的还是人工的婴儿营养，都始终受到社会对母乳喂养的重视和条件的决定。
