日本における乳児用液体ミルクの利用状況と課題

抄録

　The purpose of this study was to determine whether baby liquid formula is effective in reducing the burden of childcare for mothers and to clarify what challenges parents need to face in order to feel comfortable using it if it helps to reduce the burden of childcare. The study consisted of a paper survey of questions for mothers raising their infants (Study 1) and a baby liquid formula tasting survey for infants (Study 2).

　Study 1 used a question paper-based survey of mothers raising their infants and was clarified how they breastfeed and whether they feel that baby liquid formula products are effective in reducing the burden of childcare.

　In Study 2, mothers raising their infants were asked to sample baby liquid formula by their children to determine whether their infants were able to drink baby liquid formula and how they felt it would affect their ability to reduce the burden of childcare by giving them baby liquid formula. The results of this study showed that mothers who had given their children baby liquid formula felt that baby liquid formula helped to reduce the burden of childcare. Moreover, some people say they feel safer if they have it at home as an emergency stockpile, making it a highly valuable item in Japan, where natural disasters are frequent.

　However, the problems were found that the high price, the inability to give it directly to children, and the lack of options.

　In addition, a certain number of children cannot drink baby liquid formula, or cannot drink it unless it is warmed up, so families considering stockpiling it for disasters indicated the need to test whether their children can drink baby liquid formula or not.

　Furthermore, it was inferred that some parents may be hesitant to use artificial milk, including baby liquid formula, due to the belief in breast milk. The one-sided opinion that "babies should be breast-fed” must be corrected, and we need to change our society to one where we can use artificial milk safely.