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Advances in Nutritional and Supportive Interventions for Breastfeeding Success

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 May 2026 | Viewed by 3619

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jinyue Yu

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Guest Editor

1. Childhood Nutrition Research Group, Population, Policy & Practice Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
2. Evidence Synthesis Group, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
Interests: pediatric nutrition; human lactation; breastfeeding; maternal mental health; infant growth

Dr. Evgen Benedik

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Guest Editor

1. Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
2. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva ulica 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: human nutrition; child development; metabolism; nutritional education; nutrition assessment

Dr. Adriana del Pilar Vazquez Vazquez

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Guest Editor

UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
Interests: human milk intake; body composition; child behavior; maternal mental health; child nutrition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optimal maternal nutrition plays a critical role in breastfeeding outcomes, yet evidence on effective nutritional interventions remains diverse and evolving. This Special Issue, "Advances in Nutritional and Supportive Interventions for Breastfeeding Success", aims to explore the impact of maternal nutrition during pregnancy and the postpartum period on breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, duration, and breast milk composition. We welcome studies investigating a wide range of dietary patterns, nutritional supplements, and culturally specific practices across varied maternal populations. Both observational and interventional research, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses are encouraged. Research examining underlying mechanisms, such as changes in breast milk nutrients, maternal health, and infant growth outcomes, is also highly relevant. We hope this Special Issue will contribute to advancing evidence-based strategies for promoting breastfeeding through nutritional support.

Dr. Jinyue Yu
Dr. Evgen Benedik
Dr. Adriana del Pilar Vazquez Vazquez
Guest Editor

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Keywords

maternal dietary pattern
maternal nutrition
breastfeeding promotion
nutritional intervention
pregnancy nutrition
postpartum nutrition
breast milk composition
exclusive breastfeeding
infant growth
nutritional supplements
lactation support
maternal dietary intake
early-life nutrition
mother–infant interaction

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Research

17 pages, 458 KB

Open AccessArticle

Birth Satisfaction and Breastfeeding Attitudes Among Mothers Aged 35 and Older

by Amelia Julia Sobala and Anna Weronika Szablewska

Nutrients 2025, 17(23), 3796; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17233796 - 3 Dec 2025

Viewed by 690

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Delayed motherhood is becoming increasingly common, yet limited evidence exists on birth satisfaction and breastfeeding attitudes among women aged ≥35. In this study, the hypothesis was tested whether higher birth satisfaction and stronger social support are associated with more positive breastfeeding attitudes and if previous childbirth experience moderates these relationships. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 148 Polish women up to 12 months postpartum. Participants were recruited via social media and parenting-related online communities; the survey was disseminated across multiple online channels to enhance representativeness and reduce potential sampling bias. Eligibility included age ≥35 at childbirth and informed consent. The sample size was considered adequate based on recommendations for regression models with the number of included predictors. Validated tools were used (MSPSS, IIFAS-Pol, BSS-R PL). Assumptions for Pearson’s correlation coefficients and linear regression (normality, homoscedasticity, absence of multicollinearity) were checked prior to analyses. The analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 29 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, NY, USA). Results: Women aged ≥35 reported high birth satisfaction and generally positive breastfeeding attitudes. Among multiparous women, birth satisfaction was moderately positively associated with breastfeeding attitudes (BSS-R PL; r = 0.396, p < 0.01), and perceived social support showed a small but significant association (MSPSS; r = 0.249, p < 0.05). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that, in women over 35 with a subsequent child, psychosocial variables significantly predicted breastfeeding attitudes, whereas the control model—including education, socioeconomic status, and delivery mode—was not significant. Adding birth satisfaction and perceived social support improved model fit (R² = 0.194), with birth satisfaction emerging as the only significant predictor (β = 0.31). The corresponding effect size (f² = 0.143) indicated a near-medium effect. In contrast, neither the control nor the extended model was significant among primiparous women, suggesting no meaningful associations in this group. Conclusions: Higher birth satisfaction and perceived social support may promote more favorable breastfeeding attitudes in women becoming mothers at ≥35, with stronger effects among multiparous mothers. These findings highlight the need for individualized prenatal education, enhanced psychosocial support, partner involvement and efforts to improve childbirth experiences. Interventions tailored to women entering motherhood at an advanced maternal age are warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nutritional and Supportive Interventions for Breastfeeding Success)

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26 pages, 2227 KB

Open AccessArticle

Maternal Adiposity, Milk Production and Removal, and Infant Milk Intake During Established Lactation

by Zoya Gridneva, Ashleigh H. Warden, Xuehua Jin, Jacki L. McEachran, Ching Tat Lai, Sharon L. Perrella and Donna T. Geddes

Nutrients 2025, 17(23), 3726; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17233726 - 27 Nov 2025

Viewed by 581

Abstract

Background: Whilst maternal body mass index (BMI) is linked to suboptimal breastfeeding outcomes, maternal body composition has not been assessed with respect to milk production (MP). Methods: Lactating mothers 1–6 months postpartum (n = 281) completed a demographic questionnaire and a 24 h MP measurement using the test-weigh method, enabling the calculation of 24 h MP parameters, breast storage capacity (BSC) and the percentage of available milk removed (PAMR). Body composition was measured with bioimpedance spectroscopy. Linear regression models were used to determine maternal and infant factors associated with MP parameters; structural equation modelling was used to assess the mediating role of BSC. Results: Higher maternal adiposity was associated with lower BSC (p ≤ 0.028), MP (p ≤ 0.003), infant breast milk intake (p ≤ 0.003) and total milk intake (p ≤ 0.026). Higher BSC was associated with higher MP (p < 0.001), with BSC confirmed as a mediator of the relationship between adiposity and MP (67.5%). Mean PAMR was negatively associated with BSC and milk removal frequency (both p < 0.001), and was lower in occasionally pumping compared to breastfeeding only (p = 0.037) and exclusively pumping mothers (p = 0.012). Conclusions: Our findings confirm maternal adiposity as a major contributor to low MP and reveal BSC, which is a measure of glandular tissue volume or breast development, as a mediator between adiposity and MP. This provides a rationale for antenatal lactation assessment of mothers and timely intervention in high-risk mothers to ensure they reach their full lactation potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nutritional and Supportive Interventions for Breastfeeding Success)

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16 pages, 281 KB

Open AccessArticle

Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates at Hospital Discharge Across the Robson Ten-Group Classification System: A Retrospective Study

by Rafael Vila-Candel, Anna Martin-Arribas, Joaquín Mateu-Mollá, Fatima Leon-Larios and Desirée Mena-Tudela

Nutrients 2025, 17(23), 3708; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17233708 - 26 Nov 2025

Viewed by 369

Abstract

(1) Background: While the Robson Ten-Group Classification System (RTGCS) is widely used to assess and monitor caesarean section rates, its association with exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) outcomes at hospital discharge remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to examine differences in EBF rates at hospital discharge across RTGCS groups among births attended at Hospital Universitario de la Ribera (Spain). (2) Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at a public hospital between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2023. EBF at hospital discharge was analysed across Robson groups. Sociodemographic, obstetric, and neonatal variables were collected. A binomial logistic regression model was developed to identify predictors of EBF at discharge. Model fit was assessed using the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test and Nagelkerke’s R². (3) Results: The study analysed 23,081 births classified using the RTGCS, and 23,037 were included in the breastfeeding analysis. The overall EBF rate at discharge was 74.10%, with significant variation across Robson groups. Group 1 showed the highest EBF rate (78.339%) whereas Group 8 had the lowest (56.485%). Key factors positively associated with EBF included non-Spanish origin, nulliparity, cephalic presentation, singleton pregnancy, and term gestation. (4) Conclusions: Group 1 demonstrated the highest EBF rates, whereas Groups 8, 5, and 7 exhibited the lowest. These findings are essential for informing the development of targeted support strategies to improve breastfeeding outcomes in high-risk populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nutritional and Supportive Interventions for Breastfeeding Success)

13 pages, 4734 KB

Open AccessArticle

Development of the Breastfed Infant Oral Microbiome Is Associated with Concentrations and Intakes of Human Milk Oligosaccharides

by Roaa A. Arishi, Ali S. Cheema, Jacki L. McEachran, Zoya Gridneva, Annalee Furst, Ana Roman, Lars Bode, Ching Tat Lai, Matthew S. Payne, Donna T. Geddes and Lisa F. Stinson

Nutrients 2025, 17(22), 3622; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17223622 - 20 Nov 2025

Viewed by 686

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are bioactive carbohydrates abundant in human milk that shape the infant gut microbiome, yet their influence on the oral microbiome remains poorly understood. This study investigated associations between HMO concentrations and infant HMO intakes and the composition of the oral microbiome in predominantly (n = 2) and exclusively (n = 54) breastfed infants. Methods: We profiled infant oral samples collected at 2 months of age using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing, alongside paired milk HMO analyses from 56 mother–infant dyads from the Western Australian BLOSOM cohort. Daily HMO intakes were calculated using 24 h milk intake data. Results: Concentrations of human milk 3FL and LNFPIII were negatively associated with infant oral Shannon diversity (p = 0.027) and richness (p = 0.037), respectively. LNFPII concentration and daily intake were linked to increased abundance of Neisseria subflava (both p = 0.025), while daily intakes of DFLNT and DFLNH were positively associated with Streptococcus parasanguinis (p = 0.028 and p = 0.040). Notably, the associations observed for daily HMO intakes were modest in effect size. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate a statistically significant but biologically limited effect of HMOs on the development of the infant oral microbiome. By clarifying how specific components of human milk shape early microbial development, this work provides mechanistic insights relevant to nutritional and supportive interventions that promote breastfeeding success. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nutritional and Supportive Interventions for Breastfeeding Success)

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14 pages, 406 KB

Open AccessArticle

Breastfeeding Attitudes and Their Associated Factors Among Chinese Nursing Undergraduates: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Han Liu, Yutong Xia, Yuchen Deng, Zhuosen Shang, Xiyang Li, Yalan Gu, Jing Sun and Ying Chen

Nutrients 2025, 17(19), 3169; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193169 - 8 Oct 2025

Viewed by 887

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding promotion is a public health priority in China, yet the exclusive breastfeeding rate remains below national targets. Nursing students, as future key promoters, often report insufficient knowledge, but their attitudes are less clear. Objective: This study aimed to assess breastfeeding attitudes and identify their associated factors among Chinese nursing undergraduates, thereby providing an evidence base for the design of effective educational interventions. Design, Setting and Participants: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2024 to January 2025 at a medical university in Anhui Province, China, with 753 nursing students participating. Methods: The participants completed the General Information Questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Comprehensive Breastfeeding Knowledge Scale (CBKS), and the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS). We analyzed the data via Spearman correlation, univariate analysis, and multiple linear regression. Results: The overall IIFAS score for nursing students was 54 (51, 59), with attitude scores showing a significant positive correlation with knowledge (r = 0.462, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression revealed that breastfeeding attitudes were significantly predicted by CBKS score (β = 2.975), grade (β = 2.887), major (β = 3.235), and breastfeeding intention (β = 8.089, all p < 0.001), as well as by feeding type before six months (β = −1.591, p = 0.020). The overall model accounted for 32.7% of the variance (R² = 0.327, F = 51.666, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that Chinese nursing undergraduates hold predominantly neutral attitudes toward breastfeeding. These attitudes show significant associations with their knowledge level and personal feeding intention, which underscores the necessity of integrating attitude-focused education into nursing curricula. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nutritional and Supportive Interventions for Breastfeeding Success)

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