To read a good summary of breast massage see the article by Betty Bowles in
Clinical Lactation, December 2011 Vol 2, Issue 4. The concept of alternate
massage was expanded by Iffrig in 1967 where the breast was massaged and
compressed during the pauses between sucking bursts, i.e. it alternated
with the baby's sucking. This resulted in a greater volume of milk intake
in infants whose mothers used this technique. Bowles found the same outcome
in a study in 1988.

I am a fan of alternate massage as I find it effective in sustaining the
sucking of infants who have difficulty transferring sufficient amounts of
milk. I especially use this with late preterm infants who tend to be unable
to sustain sucking long enough to transfer sufficient volumes of milk. This
technique may also help improve milk production and reduce the chance of
plugged milk ducts, milk stasis, and mastitis.

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
Weston, MA

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