Maternal obesity, insulin and low milk production in new mothers

What is it about?

Breastfeeding provides important benefits for mother and infant. Exclusive breastfeeding—that is, without any other food or fluids provided to the infant—is recommended for the first six months of life by multiple public health organizations. Some mothers, despite their best efforts, have difficulty establishing and sustaining sufficient milk production to support exclusive breastfeeding. There is particular concern that obese mothers are at risk for poor breastfeeding outcomes. My program of research is pointing to mothers with less optimal glucose tolerance as being at risk for sufficient milk production. This paper, for the first time, provides a critical overview of the research pointing to insulin as possibly explaining the long observed link between maternal obesity and poor lactation outcomes.

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Why is it important?

We are in the midst of an obesity epidemic, to which new mothers are not immune to. At the same time, the research evidence in support of the benefits of breastfeeding continues to grow. There is a huge gap in our knowledge of how maternal metabolic health in general, and healthy insulin action in particular, influence a mother's ability to meet her breastfeeding goals. This paper provides an overview of what is known and why it is critical that more attention be given to the link between maternal insulin action and milk production.

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