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Following today’s Global Breastfeeding Collective webinar on Achieving Health Equity: Providing Skilled Breastfeeding Support Universally, we are focusing today’s World Breastfeeding Week action on the importance of access to skilled lactation care. As a part of World Breastfeeding Week, World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has identified six action areas for creating change. We will […]

How can YOU support action steps to support breastfeeding for a healthier planet? As a part of World Breastfeeding Week, World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has identified six action areas for creating change. We will share one with you for the next six days.  Just learning about this year’s World Breastfeeding Week celebrations? Get […]

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.

As part of your World Breastfeeding Week celebrations, please join us for Achieving health equity: Providing skilled breastfeeding support universally. In this webinar sponsored by the Global Breastfeeding Collective, WHO and UNICEF, key global leaders will discuss why investment in skilled breastfeeding support is essential to achieving equitable health outcomes. The audience will hear from […]

How can YOU support action steps to support breastfeeding for a healthier planet? As a part of World Breastfeeding Week, World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has identified six action areas for creating change. We will share one with you for the next six days.  Just learning about this year’s World Breastfeeding Week celebrations? Get […]

How can YOU support action steps to support breastfeeding for a healthier planet? As a part of World Breastfeeding Week, World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has identified six action areas for creating change. We will share one with you for the next six days.  Just learning about this year’s World Breastfeeding Week celebrations? Get […]

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.
BackgroundMother-to-mother breastfeeding support organizations provide important information and guidance for helping mothers initiate and maintain breastfeeding, postpartum. However, the availability of this support is limited by a constellation of barriers, including race, culture, socioeconomic status, and geography.Research aimsTo identify the geodemographic composition of communities where breastfeeding support was available from the mother-to-mother support organizations Breastfeeding USA and La Leche League, identify underlying issues of equity, and highlight locations where more support resources may be needed.MethodsThe locations of mother-to-mother support meetings were collected by ZIP code (N = 180) and were combined with a geodemographic database and exploratory spatial data analysis to explore the compositional characteristics of communities served (N = 1,173).ResultsSignificant gaps in the geographic distribution of breastfeeding support existed. While many metropolitan areas benefited from numerous mother-to-mother support groups and peer counselors, the geographic footprint of this support favored communities that were white, affluent, and suburban.ConclusionSpatial analytics combined with geodemographic analysis provide a unique perspective into the diverse landscape of mother-to-mother breastfeeding support groups at a local level. Our results highlighted inequities in the distribution of support provided and prescriptive guidance regarding where more resources may be needed.

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.
BackgroundThe human milk microbiome is an emerging scientific area. Careful, accurate collection and measurement for microbial sequencing is imperative. There is controversy about a core microbiome, and little is known about factors that influence composition. Even less known are ways that the milk microbiome might seed the infant gut and affect health.Research aimThe aim of this paper is to provide a critical appraisal of milk microbiome research. The four areas of critical appraisal were collection and measurement, composition, effects on composition, and potential health effects for infants related to the milk microbiome.MethodsUsing a PRISMA-ScR scoping review, we reviewed sources of evidence extracted from PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, and PSYCHINFO data sets using the following criteria: English language, published in past 6 years, primary data, and sequencing using Next Generation Sequencing. Charting of sources of evidence included authors, title, journal year, sample, design, and results. The research questions posed were: How is human milk collected and how are the microbes identified? What is the composition and what factors affect the human milk microbiome? What is the relationship of the human milk microbiome to infant biology and health?ResultsThe reviewed studies were quantitative, cross sectional, or longitudinal. A core microbiome may be present. The microbiome may seed the early infant gut and promote physiological functions and thus influence human health.ConclusionsWe have suggested concerns about collection and measurement that lead to gaps in knowledge generation, and mechanistic studies are lacking.

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.
BackgroundThe use of donor human milk is rising. Maternal awareness of donor human milk use, milk donation, and milk banks has not been well described in the United States.Research AimsTo explore maternal experience, knowledge, and attitudes regarding donor human milk use and milk donation. We also assessed counseling by medical providers about donor human milk use and donation.MethodsA cross-sectional prospective survey design was used in this study. We anonymously surveyed mothers (N = 73) attending the 1 to 2-week well newborn appointment. Analyses were completed using one-way ANOVA and logistic regression.ResultsParticipants’ infants primarily received their own mother’s milk (87%, n = 61). No infants received donor human milk, but 4% (n = 3) of participants donated milk. The majority of participants had positive responses to attitudinal statements about donor milk. When presented with a hypothetical scenario, participants chose formula (89%, n = 59) over donor human milk (11%, n = 7) for their infant. Moreover, if donor human milk was the only option available, they chose donor human milk from a relative or friend (60%, n = 40) over a milk bank (40%, n = 26). Medical providers had discussed donor human milk use or donation with 4% (n = 3) of participants.ConclusionsThe majority of participants previously had minimal experience using donor human milk and limited knowledge regarding donor human milk and milk banks. According to participants, medical providers did not routinely discuss milk donation and the role of donor human milk with families.

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.
BackgroundDonor milk is the preferred substitute to mother’s own milk, which can protect high-risk infants from many complications. Several milk banks have been established in China. However, the small number of donors and insufficient milk donated have become the primary obstacles for these milk banks.Research aimsTo explore the level of, and the factors influencing, knowledge and attitude about donor milk among currently lactating women across mainland China and to provide a reference for the development of Chinese milk banks.MethodsA brief, self-reporting, prospective, cross-sectional, online survey was conducted in 2018 using The Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire of Human Donor Milk for Hospitalized Women. Lactating women aged >18 years and willing to consent to study participation were recruited throughout China.ResultsAll completed questionnaires (N = 489) were included. 40.1% (n = 196) of the participants had heard of donor milk or milk banks, and 76.7% (n = 375) were willing to donate their milk. In the multiple linear regression analysis, educational level, cohabitation status, parity, history of delivering preterm or low-birth-weight infants, education provided by health professionals, and infants’ gestational age, weight, and feeding patterns were associated with the participants’ knowledge about donor milk (F = 12.387, p < .001). The parity, delivery mode, mothers’ milk production, history of delivering preterm or low-birth-weight infants, education provided by health professionals, and infants’ age were associated with their attitude (F = 9.420, p < .001).ConclusionThe participants’ attitudes about donor milk were positive. However, there were gaps in their knowledge about donor milk.

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.

Journal of Human Lactation, Ahead of Print.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week! #WBW2020 Happy World Breastfeeding Week! International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) is excited to join World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and other organizations and individuals the world over in celebrating #WBW2020. The theme of World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) 2020 is Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet! Lactation Matters will feature blog […]

In an effort to prevent infants being infected with SARS-CoV-2, some governments, professional organisations, and health facilities are instituting policies that isolate newborns from their mothers and otherwi...

Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet. Although this theme was created before the first news reports of COVID, equitable access to human milk is now more important than ever.  1 August marks the first day of World Breastfeeding Week, sponsored by ILCA partner World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). Celebrated for seven days through 7 […]

Human breast milk is one of the key early postnatal biological exposures for the developing child. It includes bioactive compounds, such as cortisol and fatty acids, which may be linked via the mother’s lipid ...

You’ve just seen a new breastfeeding family for their first visit. You analyzed the situation and gave research-driven advice. You left them with a care plan you feel good about and a schedule for following up. You covered all your bases.  Or did you?  Did you happen to ask what the infant feeding history is […]

China has an extremely low exclusive breastfeeding rate. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) has been shown to increase the exclusive breastfeeding rate among infants born extremely or very preterm. However, there is l...