GOLD Learning Speakers

The current paradigm of infant and family care is: - Newborns are helpless - Mothers are clueless - Fathers are useless But helplessness and separation negate evolutionary processes developed over millennia of mammalian existence. For our ancestors, who constantly held and carried their infants, breastfeeding was frequent snacking on infant’s schedule. Now, infants eat scheduled meals and sleep separated from mother. Breastfeeding is considered nourishment only. In reality, breastfeeding is part of a nurturing process promoting affectional bonding, emotional, behavioral and cognitive development, and providing protection from acute and chronic illnesses. Full benefits of this process come when infants are in their evolutionary habitat, skin-to-skin on their mother’s chest (Kangaroo Care, KC). In KC infants receive non-noxious emotional and sensory stimuli leading to better utilization of breastmilk and optimal hardwiring of the central nervous system. During this presentation breastfeeding as part of a nurturing process and the optimal environment will be discussed.

Most of the lactation text books have a paragraph on the Prolactin Receptor Theory suggesting that after delivery of the placenta prolactin levels increase as progesterone levels decrease. The prolactin is then captured by the prolactin receptor triggering a jak-stat5 translation process within a lactotroph creating a component of breastmilk. Unfortunately, explanations of the Prolactin Receptor Theory rarely address the up-regulation of prolactin receptors, the impact of oxytocin on prolactin release, nor the impact of skin-to-skin care and frequent breastfeeding during the first several postpartum day on prolactin release and up-regulation of prolactin receptors. This presentation will expand the Prolactin Receptor Theory and discuss postpartum care and practices to promote earlier lactogenesis II and increased milk volume.