Abstract
Recent anthropological and biochemical studies question present feeding practices. To determine the effect of frequency and length of feedings we studied 46 healthy primiparous mothers and infants in the first month of life. Mothers were encouraged to nurse frequently. They recorded frequency and length of each feeding, and nipple pain for the first 14 days. We recorded infant weight and serum bilirubin. At 1 month, milk output was assessed for 24-48 hours by weighing at each feeding. Significantly lower bilirubin levels were noted with higher feeding frequencies (p<.01). Nipple soreness was not associated with frequent feedings. Although the number of feedings/24h in the first 14 days decreased significantly at 1 month (p<.001), the length of feedings remained similar (p>.1). At one month 89% of the infants were fully breast fed and the mean weight gain (39%) was greater than previously reported (30%) for breast fed infants (p<.01). Mothers nursing less than 8 times/24h in the first 14 days had a significantly lower milk output at 1 month (p<.05). In summary, encouraging unlimited feedings decreases serum bilirubin, increases the success of breast feeding and weight gain and is not associated with breast complications.
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Decarvalho, M., Klaus, M. & Merkatz, R. 538 THE EFFECTS OF FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF BREAST FEEDING ON SERUM BILIRUBIN, WEIGHT GAIN AND MILK OUTPUT. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 530 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00552
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00552
