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Transgender men and lactation: what nurses need to know
Emily Wolfe-Roubatis1, Diane L Spatz
1Emily Wolfe-Roubatis, RN, BSN, BA is a student in the women's health nurse practitioner and midwifery programs at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, in Philadelphia, PA. She can be reached at emwo@nursing.upenn.edu. Diane L. Spatz is a Professor of Perinatal Nursing & Helen M. Shearer Professor of Nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing & Nurse Researcher & Manager of the Lactation Program at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. The author can be reached via e-mail at spatz@nursing.upenn.edu.
Research examining needs of postpartum transgender men in relation to lactation and infant feeding is missing from nursing literature. Accordingly, little is known about how perinatal nurses can best support this unique subset of postpartum patients. Case studies presented here reveal that transgender men would appreciate care from nurses who are knowledgeable about transgender individuals and their healthcare needs, but this type of care is not always available. Nurses need more education about how to best support transgender patients and families in order to achieve optimal lactation and infant nutrition in this population.
Research examining needs of postpartum transgender men in relation to lactation and infant feeding is missing from nursing literature. Accordingly, little is known about how perinatal nurses can best support this unique subset of postpartum patients. Case studies presented here reveal that transgender men would appreciate care from nurses who are knowledgeable about transgender individuals and their healthcare needs, but this type of care is not always available. Nurses need more education about how to best support transgender patients and families in order to achieve optimal lactation and infant nutrition in this population.
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