Do a Mom’s Medications Affect Her Breast Milk and Baby? New Center Investigates

UC San Diego School of Medicine receives $6.1M to launch a new research center studying the effects of maternal antibiotic use on breast milk and infant health. The center is funded by National Institutes of Health, as part of their new Maternal and Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics (MPRINT) Hub.

August is National Breastfeeding Month: @UCSDHealth Experts on Health Benefits and Latest in COVID-19 Research

August is National Breastfeeding Month, intended to raise awareness of the health benefits that breast milk provides, including: Reduction in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Fewer infections: ear, respiratory, diarrhea, bladder, meningitis Decrease in childhood obesity Reduction in diabetes, celiac disease,…

‘Mother’s own milk’ for premature infants: Minority mothers need effective strategies

For premature infants who can’t breastfeed on their own, “mother’s own milk” (MOM) is by far the best nutrition. There’s an urgent need for effective ways to increase the relatively low rates of MOM feeding for preterm infants born to Black and Hispanic mothers. But so far, research has offered little or no specific guidance, concludes an evidence-based review in Advances in Neonatal Care, official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Promoting and Protecting Human Milk and Breastfeeding During COVID-19

With stressors mounting daily on the health care system due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a de-prioritization of the childbearing family has been noted. Their care has changed, resulting in mothers forced to go through labor and birth without their partners, parents barred from NICU visitation, and discharge of mothers and newborns early without enough expert lactation care. There is great concern that these changes in childbearing families’ care may become permanent – to the detriment of the health of both mother and child.

Initiating Breastfeeding in Vulnerable Infants

The benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child are well-recognized, including for late preterm infants (LPI). But because LPI do not have fully developed brains, they may experience difficulties latching and/or sustaining a latch on the breast to have milk transfer occur. This means that these infants are at high risk for formula supplementation and/or discontinuation of breastfeeding.