Linda Volkovitch writes:

 Trained Peer Breastfeeding Counselor" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Fats in milk/diet
>
>Okay, here's one I've never heard of before.  A baby is 5 mos old and has
>consistently not gained weight well over the whole 5 months.  It is
>excusively breastfed.  The LC says the nursing is going well - good latch,
>good suck and good swallowing.  The recommendation was to get "more fat in
>the breastmilk" by *having the mother eat lots more fat in her diet*.
>Needless to say, the baby is still not gaining very well but the mother is
>really putting on the pounds!
>        Now, I do have trouble taking this suggestion seriously.  However,
>I am not an expert as some of you are, so I must ask - Is there merit to
>the suggestion?  Could this actually work??  Please let me know so I can
>pass it on!

Uh, no, I don't think so.

 Studies of breast milk composition around the world show very little
variation based on diet.  If the mother had been malnourished, or on a
totally vegetarian fat-free diet for years, then increasing the level of
fats in the diet might help.  I'll assume this isn't the case here.  Michael
Woolridge and colleagues have published several wonderful articles on how to
increase the fat content of the milk by (1) making sure baby IS latched on
properly, (2) nursing more often, as frequent nursing increases the fat
content, (3) not limiting the time at one breast (avoid frequent switching
back and forth), (4) sticking to one breast as long as possible so that the
baby drains all the fore milk and then continues suckling to get the hind
milk, and (5) massaging the breasts during feeding to dislodge adhered fat
molecules.  Has this mother's milk been tested for fat levels?  There are
standard protocols for doing that, although it is tricky.  I would also look
for other, more general problems -- does the baby sleep well (NOT all night
at this age, but just in general, as growth hormone is released during
sleep, and poor sleep can interefere with growth hormone release)?  Does the
baby have diarrhea a lot, which might indicate an intestinal infection or
parasite that could interefere with growth?  Is there any indication of
anything else at all wrong with this baby?  How did the parents grow as
children?  There are lots of other things I would want to know, but in no
case would I think that increasing the mother's fat intake would improve the
milk's fat levels.  Wouldn't that be nice, though.  "You need to go eat some
Ben and Jerry's, pronto, for the health of your baby."


Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology, Texas A&M University
e-mail to [log in to unmask]