DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i09.029

Pages: 3289-3301

Inspite of medical, scientific and natural recommendation of breast feeding, along with its mass media propaganda, breast feeding failure is still a common occurrence. The usual story of inadequate breast milk production starts soon after birth with a hungry baby and concerned family. The resultant anxiety leads quickly to top feeding usually by bottle which further aggravates the gloomy picture and the ultimate result is complete or partial cessation of breast milk production or Lactation failure. Infections, diseases and malnutrition line up fast to paint an ugly picture of future. Lactation is influenced by a lot of factors and failure may result due to interplay of any one or more than one factors. Understanding the whole process of lacto genesis is a must for planning strategies of interference. It is basically a hormonal driven process but modification occurs with demand and supply and control shifts to autocrine mode. Production and let down although inter related, are two different things. Perceptions of inadequacy, emotional bonding psychological support and diet go a long way in successful breast feeding experience. Prevention of lactation failure and reversal of failure both are important. Different strategies have been advocated and they usually work synergistically, including physical methods of milk expression, baby positioning, establishing good latch on, understanding baby cues, avoiding nipple confusion etc. Traditional and medicinal Galactogogues and lactogenic diet all play a role and must be considered. Each mother and baby duet having trouble has to be individually assessed and management personalized for them. To achieve the millennium development goals it is a must that all concerned in infant care, understand it properly to solve the concerned issues.