The onset time of lactation after delivery

Abstract

Background: As any delay in the onset of milk production and ejection in the first few days after delivery can cause breast-feeding failure, this study has been done to determine factors that may affect the onset time of lactation in vaginal and cesarean section deliveries with and without labor pain (elective). Methods: 300 parturient mothers selected from two private and university hospitals were divided in three separate groups (each consisted of 100 cases) according to their delivery type [vaginal and cesarean section with and without pain (elective)], interfering factors like mothers' or newborns' illnesses were omitted, the needed information about filling of breasts and milk ejection was given to mothers before parturition, then a questionnaire was provided and offered to them, data collected and statistical analysis carried out. Results: There was a meaningful difference between average time of milk-ejection in groups with different types of delivery (p=0.001), but no difference was found between elective cesarean section and cesarean section with labor pain (p=0.741). We found that milk-ejection time has a strong correlation with type of delivery (r= 0.510) and also the time of taking the neonate back to mother (r=0.256), and this correlation is statistically meaningful (p=0.000). Conclusion: Any kind of stress including cesarean section may postpone milk ejection by hormonal inhibition for a few days after delivery and this will result in newborn weight loss and failure of nursing by the mother. So, to support breast feeding in our country, the rate of cesarean section must be wisely diminished, vaginal delivery encouraged, and after delivery every newborn taken back to his or her mother as soon as possible for nursing.