Ted Greiner received a PhD in nutrition for developing countries from Cornell University. For 19 years he worked as nutrition advisor for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, based at Uppsala University where he was Associate Professor of International Child Health, helping to ensure their long-term support for IBFAN and WABA. Dr. Greiner was Professor of Nutrition at Hanyang University in South Korea for seven years. He has consulted for UNICEF, World Bank, FAO and others. He is now retired and edits the journal World Nutrition. He has lived in 8 countries and worked in 10 more. His areas of research expertise include infant feeding and programs to combat vitamin A, iron and iodine deficiency.
In the 1970s, he did the first scientific work on the impact of baby food advertising on breastfeeding patterns. His PhD dissertation was on the planning and evaluation of a 1978-81 project to protect, support and promote breastfeeding in Yemen (terminology quickly adopted by UN agencies). Over the next decades, the duration of breastfeeding there doubled. During the planning the Innocenti meeting, he represented Sida, one of the 4 agencies involved. He was active in changing how WHO viewed HIV and infant feeding. He has over 100 breastfeeding-related publications.
Moderate alcohol use by breastfeeding women appears to be relatively common. Alcohol concentrates in breast milk at levels similar to maternal blood, peaking at 30-60. Most studies find no link with the duration of breastfeeding. However, seven studies have found a link with a shorter duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Alcohol affects oxytocin release, leading to reductions in breast milk consumption in the following hours and reduces infant sleep, both temporary if the mother does not continue to drink. These effects on the infant and the breastfeeding process could be interpreted by mothers as signs of infant dissatisfaction with their breast milk, “insufficient milk,” or other causes for premature supplementation. Chronic alcohol consumption may have a number of more serious effects, including on infant development, but research is limited. Younger infants tolerate alcohol worse, so abstention or avoidance of infant exposure for the first months of breastfeeding may be wise. Messages to mothers on this issue are conflicting, confusing and often outdated. Too little is done to teach mothers how to reduce infant exposure. Research is needed in different cultures into whether various forms of cautionary messages are likely to discourage breastfeeding.
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