Effects of Diet During Breastfeeding on Infants

Dear Colleagues, 

In this Special Issue of Nutrients, we will bring together papers focusing on the influence of maternal nutrition and infant health and growth. 

Proper maternal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation is crucial for optimal fetal development, infant growth, and long-term health outcomes.

During pregnancy, a well-balanced diet is essential to prevent fetal complications and support an optimal intrauterine environment. In the postpartum period, maternal caloric reserves play a critical role in sustaining sufficient energy levels for breastfeeding. Human milk composition dynamically adapts to various maternal factors, including diet, nutritional status, and body composition. 

Recent studies have highlighted significant correlations between maternal body composition and human milk macronutrient profiles. For instance, total protein content in breast milk has been linked to maternal fat mass, fat-free mass, and muscle mass. Similarly, milk fat content appears to be positively correlated with the maternal body mass index (BMI), particularly during the first month postpartum. These findings suggest that maternal body composition directly influences the nutritional quality of breast milk, regardless of dietary patterns. 

Inadequate maternal energy intake during lactation can lead to the depletion of maternal nutrient stores, potentially compromising both maternal health and infant growth. For example, low maternal vitamin B12 intake during lactation has been associated with decreased vitamin B12 content in breast milk, which can result in permanent neurological impairments in infants.

Additionally, specific fatty acids in human milk are influenced by maternal diet, either sourced from maternal plasma or synthesized endogenously in the mammary glands. The composition of these lipids plays a crucial role in infant brain development and immune function.

Beyond macronutrient and micronutrient composition, maternal diet during lactation may also shape the infant gut microbiome through the transfer of maternal microbes during delivery and breastfeeding. The microbiome, in turn, influences immune system maturation, inflammation regulation, and susceptibility to infections and diseases. 

This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that explore various aspects of maternal nutrition during breastfeeding and its impact on the following:

• Human milk composition (macronutrients, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds);
• Infant growth and metabolic health;
• Neurodevelopment and cognitive function;
• Infant gut microbiome and immune programming.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and to advancing scientific knowledge in this critical area of maternal and child health.

Dr. Giorgia Sebastiani
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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.