For as long as anyone can remeber, students and those with heavy social consciences have been boycotting one of the world's largest food companies: Nestle. This has proved to be an incredibly difficult boycott to enforce as Nestle produce a great deal of everyday items, from Coffee to Kit Kats. With this in mind, there must be a very good reason for such a long running and internationally supported boycott of this mullitnational corporation, and there is.

Nestle is accused of aggressively promoting its baby milk in African countries where the water with which the milk powder is mixed can be poisonous. Many mothers in Africa have given up breastfeeding in favour of bottlefeeding with milk formula. The WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund say that reversing the decline in breastfeeding could save over a million lives each year. Millions of infants become seriously ill because they are not breastfed. Where supplies of water are unsafe and conditions unsterile, a bottle-fed baby is up to 25 times more likely to die as a result of diarrhea. Expensive formula (often costing more than half the entire family income) arguably impoverishes people who are already poor. Milk is often watered down to make it go further, thus adding the extra risk of malnutrition.

Research shows that a breastfed child is less likely to suffer from gastroenteritis, respiratory and ear infections, diabetes, pneumonia, polio, allergies and other illnesses. Bottle baby disease is the name given to the deadly combination of diarrhea, dehydration and malnutrition, which is the result of unsafe bottle-feeding.

Luckily, in the West we don't have the same problem with poisonous water and poor sanitation. The argument for breastfeeding, however, is still a strong one as studies have shown that breastfed babies can be more engaged with their surroundings and develop a stronger link with their mother. Fortunately, there are numerous products which can help breastfeeding mothers avoid the discomfort which can sometimes be associated with the process. For instance, a mother can now use a breast pump to extract milk which can be given to the baby at a later point. Among the most popular brands are Medela breast pumps and Ameda breast pumps which have proven very popular with new mothers recently.

Breast pumps are not the only accessories for new mothers to consider to help with breastfeeding. There are items on offer ranging from a breastfeeding footrest to a breastfeeding pillow, designed to support mother and baby during the process. If your teats are worn out after a long day of infantile suckling, you can use breastshells to protect your nipples from your clothes and your clothes from your nipples! What, you may ask, is an areola stimulator? While this sounds like the kind of job title that top shelf magazines may advertise for, it is actually a wonderful device that provides increased stimulation to the areola area for faster milk flow. It mimics the feel of a baby’s mouth and helps stimulate the let-down reflex, apparently. Other wonderful products on offer include washable breastpads for the environmentally conscious, Nestle-boycotting types, and disposable breastpads for those who don't worry about global warming.

Fortunately, pregnancy advice is available on the internet for concerned or curious mothers. The best advice available, however, must be to ask if you are confused or scared about anything. Millions of mums have been through what you're going through!