Advancing Lactation Research: Innovations, Challenges and Global Perspectives
A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Neonatology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 May 2026 | Viewed by 21
Special Issue Editors
2. Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Interests: breastfeeding; human milk; neonatology; preterm nutrition
2. Department of Pediatrics, Irvine School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Interests: breastfeeding; human milk handling; human milk banking; neonatology; neonatal nutrition
2. Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Interests: breastfeeding; neonatal care; perinatal medicine
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Lactation is a critical biological and social process with profound implications for maternal and infant health, nutrition, and development. As the science of human milk and breastfeeding evolves, it intersects with a wide array of disciplines—including neonatology, immunology, endocrinology, anthropology, public policy, and technology. This Special Issue, Advancing Lactation Research: Innovations, Challenges and Global Perspectives, seeks to highlight groundbreaking research, emerging clinical practices, and critically examine the structural, cultural, and systemic challenges that shape breastfeeding practices around the world.
The aim of this Special Issue is to present a comprehensive and clinically relevant overview of current advances in lactation research, while also addressing the systemic, cultural, and global barriers to optimal breastfeeding outcomes. We seek submissions that contribute to an evidence-based understanding of lactation and inform clinical practice, public health policy, and future research directions. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, human milk composition and function, clinical management and interventions, technology and innovation, global health and health systems research, and equity and ethics in lactation.
Dr. Sudha Rani Narasimhan
Dr. Christine Bixby
Dr. Priya Jegatheesan
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- human milk
- breastfeeding
- public health
- infant feeding
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