The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, since breastfeeding plays an important role in public health. Nevertheless, many mothers struggle with initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. Although this can be ascribed to a variety of limiting factors, many mothers (40% to 60%) stop breastfeeding due to a perception of low milk supply. Evidence is increasing that low milk supply is certainly not a perception only, with an estimated incidence of actual lactation insufficiency of 10% to 15%. The underlying causes of actual lactation insufficiency are currently poorly understood.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
