Aisaka K, Mori H, Ogawa T, Kigawa T
Nihon Sanka Fujinka Gakkai Zasshi. 1985 May;37(5):713-20.
Effects of maternal-infant interaction on maternal milk secretion and the dynamics of maternal serum prolactin levels in puerperium were examined in 183 normally delivered mothers without any complications. No significant change was observed in the amount of maternal milk secretion between the primiparas and the multiparas. However, there was a significant increase in the amount of maternal milk secretion in the breast feeding group compared to the supplementary feeding group from the second to the sixth day of the puerperium (p less than 0.005). Moreover, the amount of maternal milk secretion increased significantly in the group that adopted the rooming-in system compared to the non rooming-in group (p less than 0.005). And also the significant increase occurred in the encouragement of breast feeding following the adoption of the rooming-in system (x2 = 7.244, p less than 0.01). There was no significant correlation between the amount of maternal milk secretion and the puerperal maternal prolactin levels, but the maternal serum prolactin level at 24 hours after delivery was significantly higher in the breast feeding group than in the supplementary feeding group (p less than 0.01). Also, the maternal serum prolactin was increased by the stimulation of the baby crying the same as by suckling or manual expression. These facts suggest that the maternal-infant bonding plays the important role in the encouragement of the breast feeding and the maternal serum prolactin may have some actions on the mechanism of maternal milk secretion.