The nutritional value of breast milk from non-pregnant mothers
1981
Successful relactation, unrelated to postpartum milk production, has been reported in many nonpregnant mothers. In most cases, relactation is stimulated by infant suckling. The protein characteristics of milk from 5 adoptive mothers has been compared with samples from 5 postpartum (biological) mothers. Total protein concentration was noted to decrease with time in biological mothers as their milk volume increased. Protein and albumin concentrations in relactating women were equal to those in transitional milk of biological mothers. Although relactation samples were collected during the first 5 days of milk production, the albumin, IgA, and alpha-lactalbumin concentrations of these samples differed significantly from colostrum samples collected from birth to 5 days postpartum from biological mothers. Thus, suckling alone was not sufficient to produce colostrum in relactating women. Immunological properties of colostrum appear to be lacking in relactational milk. Nutritional characteristics other than protein--carbohydrates, fat, and micronutrients--need to be analyzed in the milk of nonbiological mothers who are breastfeeding infants. (nm)
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