About this Research Topic
Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways of ensuring a child's health and survival. However, contrary to WHO recommendations, less than half of children under 6 months of age are exclusively breastfed. Breastfeeding is not the sole responsibility of women, but society’s collective responsibility.
Current research into human milk feeding ranges from basic research, such as the elucidation of its thousands of bio-actives, to implementation research, such as studies into the behaviors that influence the practice of breastfeeding. However, researchers still work in silos, and the results of each other's research do not feed the others. We believe it is necessary to develop multidisciplinary knowledge to tackle the multiple reasons behind the problems associated with human milk feeding. This Research Topic aims to highlight progress in this direction.
This Research Topic welcomes original research, analysis and perspectives on how human milk and breastfeeding research contribute to enabling mothers to breastfeed. Manuscripts that highlight how bridges between knowledge generated by researchers from different backgrounds, such as biochemists, dieticians, nurses, anthropologists, psychologists, epidemiologists, clinicians or economists, have an impact on successful human milk feeding will be encouraged. Both empirical and theoretical papers are welcome. Specifically, research questions could focus on (but are not limited to) the following research questions:
- How do mothers feel about their decision to breastfeed or not to breastfeed?
- What are the specific barriers to breastfeeding and how can these be overcome? How do these barriers vary between countries?
- How have attitudes to breastfeeding changed over time and across cultures?
- Which interventions promote breastfeeding duration?
- How different human milk feeding practices affect the success of human milk feeding in infants and their health outcomes.
- What intervention should be advocated to increase successful breastfeeding of vulnerable newborns?
- How a mismatch between the stage of lactation and the age of the newborn, such as in wet nursing and milk banking, affects the success of human milk feeding and infant health outcomes.
- How climate change may affect the breastfeeding experience and the benefits of human milk feeding.
Current research into human milk feeding ranges from basic research, such as the elucidation of its thousands of bio-actives, to implementation research, such as studies into the behaviors that influence the practice of breastfeeding. However, researchers still work in silos, and the results of each other's research do not feed the others. We believe it is necessary to develop multidisciplinary knowledge to tackle the multiple reasons behind the problems associated with human milk feeding. This Research Topic aims to highlight progress in this direction.
This Research Topic welcomes original research, analysis and perspectives on how human milk and breastfeeding research contribute to enabling mothers to breastfeed. Manuscripts that highlight how bridges between knowledge generated by researchers from different backgrounds, such as biochemists, dieticians, nurses, anthropologists, psychologists, epidemiologists, clinicians or economists, have an impact on successful human milk feeding will be encouraged. Both empirical and theoretical papers are welcome. Specifically, research questions could focus on (but are not limited to) the following research questions:
- How do mothers feel about their decision to breastfeed or not to breastfeed?
- What are the specific barriers to breastfeeding and how can these be overcome? How do these barriers vary between countries?
- How have attitudes to breastfeeding changed over time and across cultures?
- Which interventions promote breastfeeding duration?
- How different human milk feeding practices affect the success of human milk feeding in infants and their health outcomes.
- What intervention should be advocated to increase successful breastfeeding of vulnerable newborns?
- How a mismatch between the stage of lactation and the age of the newborn, such as in wet nursing and milk banking, affects the success of human milk feeding and infant health outcomes.
- How climate change may affect the breastfeeding experience and the benefits of human milk feeding.
Keywords: human milk, breastmilk, breastfeeding, mutidisciplinary
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
