Jimi Francis

Background: The benefits of breastfeeding are well recognized. However, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates are well below the Healthy People 2030 Guidelines, with a rapid drop in exclusive breastfeeding over the first 3 months of life. Although breastfeeding support has increased the initiation of breastfeeding, the role of perinatal interventions, particularly in the context of breastfeeding support, remains a topic of contradiction. Methods: This observational study was designed to assess the impact of a unique prenatal educational intervention in rural East Texas. The study had two aims: (1) to determine whether the addition of prenatal breastfeeding education increased the rate of exclusive breastfeeding at four time points, and (2) to assess the impact of hand expression education on breastfeeding exclusivity. Results: Differences in breastfeeding behaviors were seen between those who received the education and those who did not for exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding. Participants who received the hand expression education were 1.79 times more likely to continue EBF practices at three months postpartum, 6.27 times more likely to continue EBF practices at six months postpartum, and 3.34 times more likely to continue breastfeeding at twelve months postpartum than those who did not receive any hand expression education. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that prenatal education is beneficial for increasing breastfeeding exclusivity and duration and underscores its potential to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Further research is needed to resolve the ongoing debate and advance our understanding of interventions to increase breastfeeding duration.

Varied hospital systems demonstrate diverse and often very different approaches to patient care. This may best be analyzed by looking at specific disorders and outcomes in a population with these disorders. As one such lens, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) continue to pose a severe health risk for mothers and infants, and breastfeeding outcomes play a crucial role in determining long-term maternal and fetal health. This pilot study investigated breastfeeding outcomes in two hospitals, as representatives for differing healthcare systems, among patients diagnosed with HDPs. Data were collected for 12 months at two hospitals, one private and one military, on 729 patients diagnosed with HDPs. Data were analyzed for infant maturity at birth and breastfeeding outcomes. Most participants (83.2%) stated their intention to breastfeed for the first six months of life. By hospital discharge, only 56% (p = 0.0001) of the private hospital participants were breastfeeding compared to 65% of the military hospital participants. In addition, while 69% of infants were born before term, more infants were born before term at the private hospital (71%) than at the military hospital (65%), with 37% (private) and 42% (military) of preterm infants breastfeeding at hospital discharge. Significant differences existed between these two hospital systems in the number of those initiating breastfeeding and breastfeeding at hospital discharge. The military hospital was more successful in assisting these high-risk women in meeting their breastfeeding intentions. Changes in hospital practices, such as metrics and incentivization, focusing on breastfeeding support, could improve the rate of breastfeeding at hospital discharge and impact long-term health outcomes.

This narrative review comprehensively explores the cardiometabolic implications of two vital nutrients, magnesium and vitamin D, during gestation. Magnesium, a key regulator of vascular tone, glucose metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, plays a crucial role in mitigating gestational hypertension and diabetes, a point this review underscores. Conversely, vitamin D, critical for immune response and calcium level maintenance, is linked to gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The authors aim to enhance comprehension of the complex interaction between these nutrients and cardiometabolic function in pregnancy, knowledge that is pivotal for optimizing maternal–fetal outcomes. The mother’s health during pregnancy significantly influences the long-term development of the fetus. Recognizing the impact of these nutrient deficiencies on the physiology of cardiometabolic cycles underscores the importance of adequate nutritional support during pregnancy. It also emphasizes the pressing need for future research and targeted interventions to alleviate the burden of pregnancy complications, highlighting the crucial role of healthcare professionals, researchers, and policy makers in obstetrics and gynecology in this endeavor.

Introduction: Though the nature of breastfeeding is critical, scant information is available on how the action of the milk transfer from mother to infant is regulated in humans, where the points of dysfunction are, and what can be done to optimize breastfeeding outcomes. While better therapeutic strategies are needed, before they can be devised, a basic scientific understanding of the biomechanical mechanisms that regulate human milk transfer from breast to stomach must first be identified, defined, and understood.Methods: Combining systems biology and systems medicine into a conceptual framework, using engineering design principles, this work investigates the use of biosensors to characterize human milk flow from the breast to the infant's stomach to identify points of regulation. This exploratory study used this framework to characterize Maternal/Infant Lactation physioKinetics (MILK) utilizing a Biosensor ARray (BAR) as a data collection method.Results: Participants tolerated the MILKBAR well during data collection. Changes in breast turgor and temperature were significant and related to the volume of milk transferred from the breast. The total milk volume transferred was evaluated in relation to contact force, oral pressure, and jaw movement. Contact force was correlated with milk flow. Oral pressure appears to be a redundant measure and reflective of jaw movements.Discussion: Nipple and breast turgor, jaw movement, and swallowing were associated with the mass of milk transferred to the infant's stomach. More investigation is needed to better quantify the mass of milk transferred in relation to each variable and understand how each variable regulates milk transfer.

Current understanding of human infant milk transfer (bottle feeding or breastfeeding) does not have a sufficient evidentiary basis for planning interventions and supporting breastfeeding dyads when milk transfer fails. One aspect of this knowledge gap pertains to infant bio-mechanics during feeding. This work investigates the use of a biosensor to characterize infant oral pressure as one factor in feeding bio-mechanics. The methodology comprises a collection of infant oral pressure data during active feeding from breast and bottle using a bio-compatible MEMS pressure catheter. Participants comprised infants aged between 2 to 68 days. Sensor data were mathematically analyzed to evaluate the average magnitude of oral pressure, suckling period, number of suckles, and number of suckling bursts differences during feeding. Results suggest that breastfeeding infants' suckling periods are more varied and, on average, shorter than bottle feeding.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are risk factors for maternal and fetal complications with long-term sequelae for mother and children. HDP are not clearly understood; however, there appears to be a relationship with maternal weight gain. The effects of maternal weight gain and pregnancy outcomes, including HDP, are understudied. Few studies have assessed maternal weight gain in service-connected women and its effects on HDP. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between blood pressure and birth outcomes in women who delivered their infants at a military hospital. Methods: This birth cohort study included all patients admitted to a military hospital for delivery over a 12-month period. Data were analyzed for hypertensive disorders, maternal weight gain, delivery type, infant maturity, and infant weight at delivery. Results: Of the 1,018 participants, 186 were diagnosed with HDP with no statistical difference observed for maternal age. The hypertensive group had higher mean weight gain. More patients in the hypertension group delivered at term with lower mean birth weight. The rate of small-for-gestational age infants was higher in the HDP group (p < 0.001). Discussion: The rate of HDP in this cohort of military members and dependents was 18.3%, which was similar to the 19% rate reported for a southern US hospital, but higher than in other regions of the United States. This evidence indicates that HDP are increasing, and maternal/infant morbidity was affected by hypertension in this study.

Background: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a rare genetic connective tissue condition that is poorly understood in relation to lactation. As diagnostic methods improve, prevalence has increased. EDS, a disorder that impacts connective tissue, is characterized by skin extensibility, joint hypermobility, and fragile tissue which can affect every organ and body system leading to complications during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period. Traits of this disease can cause mild to severe physiologic and functional obstacles during lactation. Unfortunately, there is little clinical evidence and minimal guidance for lactation management, and providers may feel uncomfortable and hesitant to address these concerns with patients due to a lack of readily available resources on the subject and inexperience with such patients. This narrative review describes and discusses the types of EDS, identifying symptoms, considerations, and precautions for care providers to implement during lactation and breastfeeding. Methods: An electronic search of relevant citations was conducted using the databases Cochrane, PubMed, and Google Scholar from 1 January 2000 to 1 November 2021. Search terms used were Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Hypermobility Syndrome, breastfeeding, lactation, breastmilk expression, breastmilk collection, human milk expression, human milk collection, and infant feeding. The search of these databases yielded zero results. As no research articles on EDS were directly related to lactation, this narrative review includes articles found that related to the health of mothers relevant to maternal function during lactation. Discussion: For the healthcare provider, identifying characteristics of EDS can improve the management of lactation challenges. Mothers may experience generalized symptoms from gastrointestinal distress to fatigue or chronic pain, while they also may suffer from more specific joint complaints and injuries, such as dislocations / subluxations, or skin fragility. Such obstacles can generate impediments to breastfeeding and create unique challenges for breastfeeding mothers with EDS. Unfortunately, new mothers with these symptoms may have them overlooked or not addressed, impacting a mother’s ability to meet her breastfeeding intentions. While there are some published research manuscripts on EDS and pregnancy, there is a lack of information regarding breastfeeding and lactation. Additional research is needed to help guide EDS mothers to achieve their breastfeeding intentions.

Introduction: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) outcomes can vary by concomitant emotions, ongoing pain, and breastfeeding self-efficacy. The purpose of this study is to examine the association of ongoing pain with breastfeeding, concomitant emotions and breastfeeding self-efficacy scores (BSES) with EBF outcomes at 6 weeks postpartum. Design: A secondary analysis of a randomized pilot trial of a home-based breastfeeding pain self-management (BSM) intervention for 56 mothers (26 BSM, 30 Control). The BSM intervention provided self-management strategies for breastfeeding and breastfeeding pain. Effect modification of EBF and associated symptoms of depression, anxiety, sleep, well-being pain severity scores, BSES, and group assignment was assessed using the likelihood ratio test. Results: EBF at 6 weeks controlling for demographic covariates, the group, pain severity, anxiety and sleep were significant predictors. Mothers with every one point increase in their pain severity score and sleep score, had a decrease of 9% (OR = .91, 95%CI = [.79, .98]) and 25% (OR = .75, 95% CI = [.52, .95]) respectively and with a one point increase in the anxiety score, a 58% (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = [1.13, 2.72]) increase in the odds of EBF at week 6. Conclusion: Examinations of EBF at 6 weeks should include evaluation of mothers’ ongoing pain and emotional distress, as mothers continue breastfeeding even at personal cost. Early identification and validation of breastfeeding challenges, ongoing pain, and emotional distress are needed to bolster mothers’ confidence in their breastfeeding skills, thus supporting their EBF goals. Quick points: Unresolved pain during breastfeeding may affect breastfeeding self-efficacy, maternal self-efficacy and bonding The effect of maternal emotion on breast and nipple pain and breastfeeding outcomes is not consistently evaluated during breastfeeding Mothers who received breastfeeding pain self-management strategies reported higher breastfeeding self-efficacy scores and lower pain and anxiety scores Providing breastfeeding pain self-management is a pathway to increase breastfeeding self-efficacy and exclusive breastfeeding Empowering women with the skills needed to self-manage anxiety and pain by providing real-time support in the first weeks after birth support mother to reach their breastfeeding goals

Background: Expressing human milk using commercially available pumps has increased. Most women use mechanical means to transfer their milk at some point during lactation. Yet, there is very little quantification of any breast tissue changes that occur when using mechanical devices to facilitate milk transfer. Objective: Women comfortable with breastfeeding were recruited to participate in a study to measure physical changes of the breast with a variety of human milk transfer modalities under close observation. Materials and Methods: Direct breastfeeding with their infant, hand expression, and mechanical milk transfer using two commonly available breast pumps were utilized over four milk transfer sessions with each participant. Each participant directly breastfed on the first milk transfer session and the remaining modalities were randomized. Measurements were taken before and after each modality using digital calipers. Participants completed a modified pain scale after each observation. Measurements taken after breastfeeding were used as the control for data interpretation for each participant. After a 20-minute rest period, breast tissue was again examined, and tissue appearance was recorded. Within-subject modality differences were calculated, and paired analysis mean difference and standard error of the mean are presented. Results: Fifty eligible women were approached with 92% participating. The “before” measurements were not significant for all the modalities. The “after” measurements were significantly different at p < 0.003 for breast pumps but not for breastfeeding or hand expressing. Many participants indicated pain with pumping. Conclusion: Mechanical pump use correlated with significantly increased length and diameter of the nipple compared with the post-breastfeeding and hand expressing dimensions. Pump use correlated with significant pain scores and resulted in localized inflammatory changes. Understanding how pumps affect breast tissue is helpful in improving experiences with breast pumps and may improve breastfeeding outcomes. Additional research is needed to better understand ramifications of long-term use of breast pumps.