Relationships between Breastfeeding Patterns and Maternal and Infant Body Composition over the First 12 Months of Lactation.

Breastfeeding has been implicated in the establishment of infant appetite regulation, feeding patterns and body composition (BC). A holistic approach is required to elucidate relationships between infant and maternal BC and contributing factors, such as breastfeeding parameters. Associations between maternal and breastfed term infant BC (n = 20) and feeding parameters during first 12 months of lactation were investigated. BC was measured at 2, 5, 9 and/or 12 months postpartum with ultrasound skinfolds (US; infants only) and bioimpedance spectroscopy (infants and mothers). 24-h milk intake (MI) and feeding frequency (FFQ) were measured. Higher FFQ was associated with larger 24-h MI (p ≤ 0.003). Higher 24-h MI was associated with larger infant fat mass (FM) (US: p ≤ 0.002), greater percentage FM (US: p ≤ 0.008), greater FM index (FMI) (US: p ≤ 0.001) and lower fat-free mass index (FFMI) (US: p = 0.015). Lower FFQ was associated with both larger FFM (US: p ≤ 0.001) and FFMI (US: p < 0.001). Greater maternal adiposity was associated with smaller infant FFM measured with US (BMI: p < 0.010; %FM: p = 0.004; FMI: p < 0.011). Maternal BC was not associated with FFQ or 24-h MI. These results reinforce that early life is a critical window for infant programming and that breastfeeding may influence risk of later disease via modulation of BC.

The effects of fish oil supplementation in pregnancy on breast milk fatty acid composition over the course of lactation: a randomized controlled trial.

This study evaluated the longitudinal effect of fish oil in pregnancy on breast milk fatty acid composition and infant outcomes. In a randomized, controlled trial, 98 women received 2.2 g docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 1.1 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or olive oil from 20 wk of gestation until delivery. Fatty acid composition in breast milk (at 3 d, 6 wk, and 6 mo) and infant erythrocyte membranes (at 1 y) were determined by gas liquid chromatography. Breast milk fatty acids were examined in relationship to growth and development. Compared with control group, breast milk from women who received fish oil had proportionally higher DHA and EPA levels at 3 d and 6 wk after delivery, but this difference was no longer apparent by 6 mo. Infant DHA status at 1 y of age was directly related to DHA levels at 3 d, 6 wk, and 6 mo postpartum (but not to antenatal supplementation). Both EPA and DHA in breast milk were positively correlated with Griffith's developmental scores including hand and eye coordination. Thus, supplementation in pregnancy was associated with increased n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in breast milk, particularly in early lactation, and this was positively associated with infant DHA status at 1 y.

The synthesis of 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-D-galactopyranose, and their evaluation as nutritional supplements for pre-term infants.

Four methods have been screened for the synthesis of some alpha-D-glucopyranosides, with the recently reported (Mukaiyama) combination of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl iodide and triphenylphosphine oxide being the most successful, especially in the diastereoselectivity exhibited. The alpha-D-glucopyranosides so obtained have been deprotected to yield 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-D-galactopyranose. Only the last disaccharide showed any hydrolysis by alpha-glycosidases but this success was not emulated by mucosal extracts from the small intestine of the pig.

Infant intake of fatty acids from human milk over the first year of lactation.

Despite the importance of human milk fatty acids for infant growth and development, there are few reports describing infant intakes of individual fatty acids. We have measured volume, fat content and fatty acid composition of milk from each breast at each feed over a 24 h period to determine the mean daily amounts of each fatty acid delivered to the infant from breast milk at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months of lactation in five women. Daily (24 h) milk production was 336.60 (SEM 26.21) and 414.49 (SEM 28.39) ml and milk fat content was 36.06 (SEM 1.37) and 34.97 (SEM 1.50) g/l for left and right breasts respectively over the course of the first year of lactation. Fatty acid composition varied over the course of the day (mean CV 14.3 (SD 7.7) %), but did not follow a circadian rhythm. The proportions (g/100 g total fatty acids) of fatty acids differed significantly between mothers (P<0.05) and over the first year of lactation (P<0.05). However, amounts (g) of most fatty acids delivered to the infant over 24 h did not differ during the first year of lactation and only the amounts of 18:3n-3, 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 delivered differed between mothers (P<0.05). Mean amounts of 18:2n-6, 18:3n-3, 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 delivered to the infant per 24 h over the first year of lactation were 2.380 (SD 0.980), 0.194 (SD 0.074), 0.093 (SD 0.031) and 0.049 (SD 0.021) g respectively. These results suggest that variation in proportions of fatty acids may not translate to variation in the amount delivered and that milk production and fat content need to be considered.