Breastfeeding, or lactation, is the physiological process by which an infant is fed milk produced by the maternal mammary glands, and it is the biologically normative mode of early infant nutrition. Milk synthesis and ejection are governed by the endocrine reflexes of prolactin and oxytocin, stimulated by infant suc…
Breastfeeding, or lactation, is the physiological process by which an infant is fed milk produced by the maternal mammary glands, and it is the biologically normative mode of early infant nutrition. Milk synthesis and ejection are governed by the endocrine reflexes of prolactin and oxytocin, stimulated by infant suckling, and human milk supplies a dynamically changing composition of macronutrients, immunoglobulins, enzymes, hormones, and bioactive factors that support growth, immune defense, and gut and neurological development. Exclusive breastfeeding in early infancy is associated with protection against infection and with benefits for both infant and maternal health, and its initiation and continuation are shaped by maternal physiology, knowledge, beliefs, social support, and health-system practices. The peer-reviewed research in this area reflects these dimensions, examining determinants of exclusive breastfeeding and beliefs about it across diverse populations, programs to promote perceived milk adequacy and maternal milk expression, the influence of religion and cultural practice on lactating mothers' infant-feeding behavior, the composition of breast milk and awareness of it, and physiological factors such as melatonin in milk and perinatal nutrition. As a subject within women's and infant reproductive and perinatal health, breastfeeding integrates lactation physiology, nutrition, immunology, and the behavioral and social determinants that influence feeding practice and outcomes.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 78 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Breastfeeding, linking to each citing work.