Obese Moms May Have
  Trouble Breastfeeding

  NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Obese or significantly
  overweight women may have more difficulty initiating
  and continuing breastfeeding than their normal-weight
  counterparts, according to New York researchers.

  Weight-related complications of delivery, such as
  cesarean section, as well as maternal health problems
  associated with obesity can inhibit these women from
  initiating early breastfeeding, the researchers report in
  the December issue of the American Journal of
  Clinical Nutrition.

  In the United States, approximately 15% of white
  women of reproductive age are overweight,
  compared with 32% of blacks and 30% to 45% of
  Hispanics. In the new study, Julie A. Hilson and
  colleagues from the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital
  and Research Institute in Cooperstown, New York,
  found that women who were overweight or obese
  before becoming pregnant breastfed for shorter
  periods of time than those with a normal
  pre-pregnancy weight.

  Cesarean delivery was more common among obese
  and overweight women, a factor that may play a big
  role in the decision not to breastfeed. Women
  delivering by cesarean suffer more pain after delivery,
  receive more pain medication and nurse their infants
  later than women who deliver vaginally. These
  conditions interfere with both the milk-ejection reflex
  as well as milk production, according to Hilson.
  ``Women undergoing cesarean section are less likely
  to try breastfeeding and have a lower rate of
  breastfeeding at hospital discharge than do women not
  undergoing this procedure,'' she said. Cesarean
  delivery also may negatively affect breastfeeding
  duration due to delayed introduction of the baby to its
  mother's breast.

  In addition to a higher risk of cesarean delivery,
  women who are obese during pregnancy or
  overweight before pregnancy have a greater risk of
  high blood pressure and pregnancy-related diabetes,
  which can delay milk production. These women are
  also more likely to have babies with health problems
  that require intensive care immediately after birth, a
  factor that can hinder early initiation of breastfeeding.

  Previous studies have indicated that women who are
  most likely to breastfeed are white, well-educated and
  middle-class. Underprivileged women are much less
  likely to breastfeed because the cultural context
  surrounding these women often is not supportive of
  breastfeeding, the authors wrote. However, in this
  study, 68% of women classified as being in the lower
  socioeconomic class attempted to breastfeed at
  delivery. The study also found that a
  higher-than-expected number of obese and
  overweight women attempted to breastfeed after
  delivery, possibly due to strong encouragement and
  support on the part of the researchers. Hilson and
  colleagues conclude that although obesity can
  significantly impede the chances of successful
  breastfeeding, these women should be encouraged
  and educated about the benefits of breastfeeding.

  ``Given the high prevalence of obesity and overweight
  in the United States, coupled with the known benefits
  of breastfeeding and human milk for infants, it is
  important to know what limitations to breastfeeding
  women face. This is particularly important for obese
  women and their infants because breast milk may
  protect children from obesity itself and from
  developing a variety of childhood illnesses,'' the
  researchers wrote.

  SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
  (1997;66:1371-1378)

  Reut13:55 12-10-97

  (10 Dec 1997 13:54 EST)




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Cindy , RN, IBCLC  ***** Virginia , USA
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http://www.erols.com/cindyrn
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