Experimental Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
J Hum Lact. 2019 Nov;35(4):742-747. doi: 10.1177/0890334419844234. Epub 2019 May 3.
Although lactation dysfunction and breastfeeding difficulties after spinal cord injury have been previously reported, there is still a lack of research on the specific challenges and aspects that require more support. This unique case of a mother with C6 tetraplegia details her breastfeeding experience before and after spinal cord injury.
A 23-year-old woman with a 20-month-old daughter sustained a motor and sensory complete traumatic spinal cord injury in a motor-vehicle crash while she was 6 months pregnant with her second child. This resulted in complete absence of sensory function below the level of injury (including the breast) and limited hand function. In comparison with her breastfeeding experience before injury, after injury she experienced decreased milk production, absence of the milk ejection reflex, and impaired ability to pick up, hold, and position her infant.
Care aides and family members assisted this mother with picking up, positioning, and latching her infant. She also utilized alternative breastfeeding positions, nursing pillows, and wedges. Domperidone was suggested by her physiatrist to increase milk production but ultimately was not used as there were no concerns with her infant's growth or development.
Breastfeeding as a recently injured mother while undergoing intensive post-injury rehabilitation was challenging. Her second child developed well and was breastfed for 3 months compared to her first child (9 months). Breastfeeding was possible for this mother after spinal cord injury, in part due to previous experience successfully breastfeeding her first child, assistance from care personnel, and nursing aids.
尽管已有研究报道过脊髓损伤后哺乳功能障碍和母乳喂养困难，但仍缺乏对具体挑战和需要更多支持的方面的研究。本案例报道了一位 C6 四肢瘫母亲的母乳喂养经历，她在脊髓损伤前后都有母乳喂养的经验。
一位 23 岁的女性，在怀二胎 6 个月时因车祸导致完全性颈 6 脊髓损伤，合并运动和感觉功能完全丧失（包括乳房），手部功能受限。与受伤前的母乳喂养经历相比，受伤后她的产奶量减少，没有奶阵反射，且无法抱起、抱稳和放置婴儿。
护理人员和家属协助母亲抱起、安置和让婴儿含接乳房。她还使用了其他哺乳姿势、哺乳枕和楔形垫。她的物理治疗师建议使用多潘立酮增加产奶量，但最终未使用，因为婴儿的生长和发育没有问题。
对于正在接受密集康复治疗的新伤母亲来说，母乳喂养是具有挑战性的。她的第二个孩子发育良好，与第一个孩子（9 个月）相比，母乳喂养了 3 个月。这位母亲在脊髓损伤后能够进行母乳喂养，部分原因是她之前成功地母乳喂养了她的第一个孩子，护理人员和哺乳辅助工具的协助。
