The Electrical Conductivity and Chloride Content of Women's Milk: Part 3: Relationship to Adequacy of Lactation

Abstract

For at least 50 years observations have been made on the chloride content of women's milk. Some of the results suggest a relationship between the chloride content of the milk and either the adequacy of lactation or the milk yield, the chloride values below 50 mg. % being usually associated with adequate and those above 50 mg. % with inadequate lactation (Holt, Courtney, and Fales, 1915;Sisson and Denis, 1921;Widdows, Lowenfeld, Bond, Shiskin, and Taylor, 1935;Nozaki, 1934;Ishii, 1937). It has been shown in Part IL that there is not only a relationship between the chloride content of milk and adequacy of lactation, but also a relationship between the electrical conductivity of milk and adequacy of lactation, the average values for both being lower in women with adequate than in those with inadequate lactation. However, a proportion of the women with poor lactation had milk of low chloride content and low conductivity while some women with adequate lactation had milk of relatively high chloride content and conductivity.To decide whether the determination of either the chloride content or the electrical conductivity of women's milk was of practical value, a series of 538 specimens of milk from women in the second week to the fifth month of lactation inclusive were examined; 352 were taken from women with adequate lactation, and 186 from women with inadequate lactation. The mothers providing the samples of milk gave two specimens from the same breast, one before the 6 a.m. feed and the other before the mid-day feed (12 p.m. or 2 p.m.) on the same day.A second series of observations involving the chloride estimation and the electrical conductivity measurement of milk taken from both breasts of each woman was considered necessary, in view of a number of anomalous results obtained in the first series. One hundred and thirty-six specimens of milk taken during the third week to fifth month of lactation were examined; 72 were obtained from mothers with adequate lactation, and 64 from mothers with inadequate lactation. The mothers providing samples gave one from each breast before the 6 a.m. feed and one from each breast before the mid-day breast feed. All specimens obtained from each mother were collected in separate containers and tested separately. In both series of cases, each sample amounted to about 8 ml. and was expressed into a special container that had been thoroughly cleansed, rinsed in distilled water, and dried in an oven.All the mothers were apparently healthy and had given birth to a mature infant which fixed well at the breast and was fed at regular intervals five or six times a day. The infants were apparently normal at the time of the test. The choice of a mother with adequate lactation was made by noting that her infant was gaining weight while it was entirely breast fed. Women with inadequate lactation were selected by first finding a mother whose infant was healthy, but who was not gaining weight, or who required complementary feeds. Such infants were then test-fed for at least 24 hours. If the results...

Novel At-Home Mother’s Milk Conductivity Sensing Technology as an Identification System of Delay in Milk Secretory Activation Progress and Early Breastfeeding Problems: Feasibility Assessment

“…Milk electrolytes are used in research as biomarkers of secretory activation, which have been highlighted as predictors of successful or failed breastfeeding [ 15 , 18 , 20 , 27 ]. Although precluded from routine practice, previous studies by Humenick [ 43 ], Humenick et al [ 23 ], and Morton [ 19 ] have identified the potential use of milk secretory activation biomarkers for clinicians’ per-case evaluation, suggesting that early assessment of secretory activation biomarkers can be used for early evaluation of the adequacy of lactation and the effectiveness of suckling, assist the optimal timing for a follow-up visit, enable the evaluation of progress, and evaluate the cause of inadequate lactation.…”