This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Marquis, G. S.
Right arrow Articles by Marín, R. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Marquis, G. S.
Right arrow Articles by Marín, R. M.
Related Collections
Right arrow Nutrition & Metabolism

PEDIATRICS Vol. 109 No. 4 April 2002, pp. e56

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE

Postpartum Consequences of an Overlap of Breastfeeding and Pregnancy: Reduced Breast Milk Intake and Growth During Early Infancy

Grace S. Marquis, PhD*, Mary E. Penny, MBChB, MRCP{ddagger}, Judith M. Diaz, BS{ddagger} and R. Margot Marín, BS{ddagger}

* Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
{ddagger} Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Peru.

--> Objective. Despite cultural pressure to wean when a new pregnancy occurs, some women choose to continue breastfeeding. We determined the effect of an overlap of lactation and late pregnancy on breastfeeding and growth in early infancy.

Methods. We studied 133 Peruvian pregnant women who were >=18 years of age, had a child <4 years old, and who then had a vaginal birth with a healthy, normal weight infant. Of the 133 women, 68 breastfed during the last trimester of pregnancy (BFP), and 65 had not breastfed during pregnancy (NBFP). On day 2 and at 1-month postpartum, 24-hour intake of breast milk and other liquids was measured. Twice weekly home surveillance documented infant morbidity and dietary intakes. Anthropometry was taken at birth and at 1 month. Maternal anthropometric, health, and socioeconomic status data were collected pre- and postpartum.

Results. Pregnant BFP mothers breastfed 5.3 ± 4.3 times/day. BFP and NBFP infants did not differ in breastfeeding behavior or in colostrum intake on day 2. BFP infants breastfed longer per feed and per 24 hours (35.2 minutes/24 hours) than did NBFP infants; however, 1-month intakes per feed tended to be lower among the BFP infants. After controlling for confounders, BFP infants gained 125 g less than did NBFP infants (about 15% of mean weight gain). A sustained decline would result in a -0.7 z score change in weight-for-age by 6 months.

Conclusions. A lactation-pregnancy overlap had a negative effect on early infant outcomes. Additional studies are needed to determine whether the effect continues past 1 month of age.

Key Words: breastfeeding • pregnancy • overlap • breast milk volume • weight gain • infant feeding • Peru

Abbreviations: BFP, breastfed during pregnancy • NBFP, did not breastfeed during pregnancy • BMI, body mass index • SES, socioeconomic status • CI, confidence interval • OR, odds ratio

Received for publication Jun 11, 2000; Accepted Nov 28, 2000.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J DAIRY SCIHome page
E. L. Annen, R. J. Collier, M. A. McGuire, and J. L. Vicini
Effects of Dry Period Length on Milk Yield and Mammary Epithelial Cells
J Dairy Sci, July 1, 2004; 87(13_suppl): E66 - 76.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]