Low milk supply and the pediatrician
Sarah W Riddle1, Laurie A Nommsen-Rivers
1aDivision of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center bDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Current Opinion in Pediatrics
|January 31, 2017
Summary
Low milk supply is a common breastfeeding concern. While often due to management knowledge gaps, impaired glucose tolerance may also play a role, requiring further research for effective interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Lactation Science
- Maternal-Child Health
Background:
- Human milk is optimal nutrition for infants, offering benefits to both mother and child.
- Low milk supply is a primary reason mothers discontinue breastfeeding.
- Pediatricians are key resources for breastfeeding mothers facing milk production issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current evidence on breastfeeding and low milk supply.
- To identify factors contributing to perceived or actual low milk supply.
- To guide evidence-based interventions for breastfeeding success.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific evidence and literature.
- Analysis of factors contributing to low milk supply concerns.
- Identification of knowledge gaps in breastfeeding management.
Main Results:
- Breastfeeding is crucial for maternal and child health globally.
- Most low milk supply issues stem from a lack of knowledge in breastfeeding management.
- Emerging evidence suggests impaired glucose tolerance may contribute to intrinsic low milk supply.
Conclusions:
- Close monitoring of breastfeeding mother-infant dyads is essential until lactation is established.
- Further research is needed to understand physiological contributors to low milk supply.
- Interventions should target optimizing breastfeeding success, especially for mothers with metabolic health issues.
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