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. 2024 Spring;30(2):54-64.
doi: 10.46292/sci23-00080. Epub 2024 May 23.

Breastfeeding Following Spinal Cord Injury: Consumer Guide for Mothers

Andrei Krassioukov  1   2   3   4 , Stacy Elliott  1   5   6 , Shea Hocaloski  6 , Olga Krassioukova-Enns  7 , Karen Hodge  8 , Stephanie Gillespie  9 , Sherry Caves  10 , Teri Thorson  11 , Lindsay Alford  4 , Melanie Basso  9 , Laura McCracken  1 , Amanda Lee  1 , Kim Anderson  12 , Elena Andretta  13 , Harvinder Singh Chhabra  14 , Claes Hultling  15 , Christina-Anastasia Rapidi  16 , Fin-Biering Sorensen  17 , Ineta Zobina  18 , Francois Theron  19 , Allison Kessler  20 , Frederique Courtois  21 , Maryam Berri  22
Affiliations

Breastfeeding Following Spinal Cord Injury: Consumer Guide for Mothers

Andrei Krassioukov et al. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil. 2024 Spring.

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months of age. However, there are few resources available on the effects a spinal cord injury (SCI) can have for breastfeeding mothers. It is difficult to find information to address the unique challenges women with SCI experience when planning or trying to breastfeed. Our international team, including women with SCI, health care providers, and SCI researchers, aims to address the information gap through the creation of this consumer guide. The purpose of this consumer guide is to share the most common issues women with SCI experience during breastfeeding and provide information, practical suggestions, recommendations, and key resources in lay language. General information about breastfeeding is available on the internet, in books, or from friends and health care providers. We do not intend to repeat nor replace general breastfeeding information or medical advice. Breastfeeding for mothers with SCI is complex and requires a team of health care providers with complementary expertise. Such a team may include family physician, obstetrician, physiatrist, neurologist, occupational and physical therapist, lactation consultant, midwife, and psychologist. We hope this consumer guide can serve as a quick reference guide for mothers with SCI planning of trying to breastfeed. This guide will also be helpful to health care providers as an educational tool.

Keywords: breastfeeding; consumers; motherhood; spinal cord injury.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The somatic sensory (voluntary) and autonomic (involuntary) innervation (control) of the breast by the nervous systems. Black lines show the autonomic nerves (T1-T5 spinal cord levels) innervating breast tissues and blood vessels. Blue lines show the cervical (C) and thoracic (T) spinal nerves that convey sensory control of the breast and nipple areas. Milk production is a result of the coordinated functioning of the somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Breastfeeding positions that may be adapted for women with spinal cord injury.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Public Health Agency of Canada 10 Great Reasons to Breastfeed Your Baby. Feb, 2020. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/health-pr...
    1. World Health Organization Infant and Young Child Feeding: Model Chapter for Textbooks for Medical Students and Allied Health Professionals. 2009. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44117/9789241597494_eng... - PubMed
    1. American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Breastfeeding Handbook for Physicians. 2006
    1. Holmgren T, Lee AHX, Hocaloski S, et al. The influence of spinal cord injury on breastfeeding ability and behavior. J Hum Lact. 2018;34(3):556–565. doi: 10.1177/0890334418774014. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Wan D, Krassioukov AV. Life-threatening outcomes associated with autonomic dysreflexia: A clinical review. J Spinal Cord Med. 2014;37(1):2–10. doi: 10.1179/2045772313Y.0000000098. - DOI - PMC - PubMed