Reverse Pressure Softening

Written by K. Jean Cotterman

Jean Cotterman, RNC, IBCLC describes an excellent technique she developed to reduce the degree of edema surrounding the areola during breast engorgement. This technique is well accepted by Lactation Consultants and has proven to be very effective in aiding the baby to latch when mother's breasts are engorged.

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Social drugs and breastfeeding

Written by Denise Fisher

Handling an issue that isn't black and white.

Use of social drugs by a minority of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers is a fact of life. Breastfeeding is the only way to feed an infant for that infant to be able to achieve optimum growth, health and mental development. Drug-using mothers need to know how their drug habit will impact on their baby and their lactation and how artificial formula will affect them and their baby. Informed decision-making, which achieves the best outcome for both baby and mother, is the goal.

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Mothers and babies and HIV: What is the risk of breastfeeding?

Written by Pamela Morrison

Although early research appeared to show that breastfeeding increases the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, recent studies which clearly define "breastfeeding" show no additional risk of MTCT of HIV through exclusive breastfeeding over not breastfeeding at all. In addition, there is no difference in the overall mortality rate at 2 years between children of HIV+ mothers randomized to breast or bottle feeding.

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The Anatomy of Infant Sucking

Written by Michael Woolridge

This paper by Michael Woolridge aims to present a simple account of the mechanisms by which a baby removes milk from the breast, gleaned from past and current literature, to counter the tendency for inaccurate descriptions of the mechanics of infant sucking to be reproduced.

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When the Back of the Baby’s Head is Held to Attach the Baby to the Breast

Written by Robyn Noble

Read this article to learn the effect on latching when the mother, or an assistant puts their hand on the back of the baby's head at the time of latching.

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Milk Secretion: An overview

Written by Margaret Neville

The defining characteristic of the class Mammalia is the ability to produce milk, an externally secreted fluid designed specifically to nourish the young. The provision of milk frees the mother from the necessity of providing a specialized environment for rearing of the young. It allows birth to occur at a relatively early stage of development and provides a time of intense maternal interaction with the newborn during early behavioral development.

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Falling in Love: The chemistry of the first breastfeed

Written by Denise Fisher

There are many different types of love: sexual, romantic, platonic, filial, maternal, paternal, spiritual, love of self, love of country, love of possessions to name a few. Love for our mother, our first love, could be the pivotal love around which we build our ability to love in every other way. This paper will look at the chemistry that is involved in the baby’s first opportunity to love at that crucial time surrounding birth and the consequences of denying that opportunity. Love is as important to the individual as it is to their society and our world.

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