Foetal development and breastfeeding in early texts of the Islamic tradition.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of some early Islamic teachings regarding foetal development and breastfeeding may be of interest to health workers in paediatric practice. The Koran describes the creation of human beings in verses 22:5, 23:12 and 39:6. Some descriptions are reminiscent of phrases in Genesis and Ecclesiastes of the Old Testament. Symbiosis between mother and child is implicit in Koranic verse 46:15, which defines this period as lasting for 30 mo. Accumulated knowledge from earlier periods on the beneficial effects of breastfeeding is reflected in verse 2:233, as a recommendation that infants be breastfed for 2 y. In early Islam it was a father's obligation to ensure that his child received human milk, if the biological mother was indisposed to provide it. Securing human milk was of vital importance for the survival of the child. The historical solution was to employ a wet nurse. Paying a good salary to wet nurses and giving them a status similar to that of a biological mother was a precaution for securing that babies received sufficient milk. During the period of Islamic expansion, the medieval physician Ibn Sina of Buckara (AD 980-1037) contributed to the significance of breastfeeding by describing breast milk as "white blood".
CONCLUSION: The significance of breastfeeding was recognized in early texts of the Islamic tradition. These have inspired positive attitudes to breastfeeding in Muslim communities. Adherence may differ among contemporary groups, but it may be important to keep original teachings in mind when planning breastfeeding programmes in Muslim communities.