Clinical Questions

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM What are the 2018 revisions to the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative? The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was established by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1991, after recognizing that breastfeeding support immediately after birth is crucial to breastfeeding success and to lowering […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Do premature infants who receive breastmilk have better cardiac outcomes as adults as compared to premature infants who receive formula? According to a recent review of research by Dr. Adam Lewandowski on prematurity’s effects on adult heart function, at least 10% of infant births globally are premature. Studies indicate […]

by Allison Laverty Montag IBCLC and Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Does racism affect breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among black women? Black women in the USA continue to have lower breastfeeding rates as compared to white women. Based on breastfeeding stats from 34 states for 2010-2013, the breastfeeding rates for initiation, exclusive breastfeeding at […]

by Allison Montag IBCLC and Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Does rooming-in with family reduce the use of medications, length of stay, and costs in the inpatient treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)? Infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) suffer from discontinuation of opiate exposure in-utero. Their symptoms include jitteriness, poor feeding, fussiness, sweating, diarrhea, […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Why do certain supplements help increase the milk supply for some mothers, but not others? The science of obesity and lactation is still in its infancy, yet we observe that women who are overweight have an increased risk of a delay in lactation and low milk supply, particularly if […]

by Allison Laverty Montag IBCLC Can breastfeeding practices reduce the risk of maltreatment in childhood? Childhood maltreatment includes neglect, the failure to provide the basic needs and supervision a child needs, or injuring a child emotionally, physically or sexually. In 2014, there were 700,000 substantiated cases of maltreatment in the U.S. and 1,580 deaths as […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM What interventions are proven to be helpful for breastfed infants with colic? Colic is typically defined by the Wessel rule of ‘3’s, occurring in infants who are growing well, healthy, but have episodes of irritability and who cry inconsolably for at least 3 hours a day, at least 3 […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Is prenatal breastfeeding education more effective when delivered during group prenatal care vs individual prenatal care? According to a new American College of OB/Gyn Opinion on Group Prenatal Care, the goals of prenatal care are to prevent poor perinatal outcomes and to provide education and support during pregnancy, labor, […]

by Alison Laverty Montag IBCLC Do demographic disparities exist in the use of mother’s own milk and banked donor milk in NICUs? Preterm infants who consume breastmilk have lower rates of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis. When mother’s own milk is not available, banked donor milk is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Black mothers […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM How can a breastfeeding mother with influenza protect her infant from the flu? It is widely known that we are having an aggressive worldwide influenza outbreak this year, with many deaths among young and old internationally. Our last very serious influenza season was during the H1N1 outbreak, also known […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Does maternal probiotic intake alter her breastmilk? We know that breastmilk creates a healthier bacterial balance in the infant gut, and this healthier gut bacterium plays an important role in the improved health outcomes that exist in breastfeeding infants. Probiotics in breastmilk as well as the breastmilk bioactive factors […]

by Allison Laverty Montag IBCLC What effects do support interventions have on early initiation, exclusive, continued and any breastfeeding rates? Mothers may receive breastfeeding education and counseling in multiple settings. To increase breastfeeding rates, interventions need to be provided in the most effective manner, which has yet to be defined. Authors of a 2015 metanalysis […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Do we need to be concerned about the zinc level in breastmilk? According to a 2017 article Zinc Concentrations in Human Milk and Infant Serum in the first 6 Months of Lactation zinc is essential as a component of at least 300 enzymes in breastmilk. It also plays a […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Is it safe for a breastfeeding mother to sell or share her breastmilk? Most families know that breastfeeding is the gold standard for infant nutrition, yet there are many mothers who cannot produce enough breastmilk. Some mothers have medical conditions which preclude breastfeeding, and families who adopt or give […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM How does the maternal diet affect the make-up of a mother’s breastmilk? Mothers often wonder if their diets are sufficient to provide all necessary nutrients in their breastmilk. In addition, many mothers ask whether they should alter their diets or take supplements to improve their breastmilk quality. Authors of […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Will paying women to breastfeed increase breastfeeding rates? Despite the existence of programs that financially reward women to breastfeed, there is little evidence that this strategy is effective in increasing breastfeeding rates. A research group sought to explore this question in the recently published Nourishing Start for Health trial, […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM Do you ever wonder how much healthier your community would be if the breastfeeding rates increased? Well, now you have access to hard data to answer such questions. A group of researchers developed a free online tool that allows anyone to calculate the change in national or state population […]

by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM How do prolactinomas impact breastfeeding? A prolactinoma is a non-cancerous tumor of the pituitary gland which secretes excessive prolactin. Common symptoms are irregular menses, nipple discharge, headaches, and difficulty becoming pregnant. According to a recent summary entitled ‘Prolactinoma through the Female Life Cycle’ they are the most common cause […]