Dear Lactnet Friends: Anemia reduces one's ability to fight infection, so it is worth it to check a mother's blood when she has recurrent mastitis. Anemia is also a risk factor for early weaning; mothers who are anemic are tired, and may not feel like or be able to respond to a healthy baby's needs for play, carrying, and breastfeeding. Such mothers blame their milk supply, perceiving that they have insufficient milk, never dreaming it is their own level of health that is the major factor. Birth. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7779228#> 1995 Jun;22(2):86-92. Anemia and insufficient milk in first-time mothers. Henly SJ<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Henly%20SJ%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=7779228> , Anderson CM<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Anderson%20CM%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=7779228> , Avery MD<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Avery%20MD%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=7779228> , Hills-Bonczyk SG<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Hills-Bonczyk%20SG%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=7779228> , Potter S<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Potter%20S%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=7779228> , Duckett LJ<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Duckett%20LJ%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=7779228> . Abstract Insufficient milk is a poorly understood problem that is often identified as a major reason for early discontinuation of breastfeeding. This study explored the relationship between anemia and insufficient milk in 630 first-time mothers. The frequency of anemia (postpartum hemoglobin < 10 g/dL) was 22 percent. Anemic mothers reported a higher level of symptomatology associated with insufficient milk and were more frequently classified as having insufficient milk syndrome. Mothers with the syndrome reported a shorter period of full breastfeeding, and weaned at an earlier age. They identified not having enough milk, baby nursing too often, and baby not gaining enough weight as the main reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding, compared with baby's disinterest and conflicts with school or work as main reasons among mothers not reporting symptoms related to insufficient milk syndrome. The study results suggest that anemia is associated with the development of insufficient milk, which in turn, is related to duration of full breastfeeding and to age at weaning. warmly -- Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI, ANLC, CKC craniosacral therapy practitioner www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com https://www.facebook.com/nikkileehealth *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome