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Promoting Breastfeeding Among Obese Women and Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

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Abstract

Breastfeeding has many health benefits for women and their babies, but particularly if the woman is obese and/or had a pregnancy affected with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Women who have had GDM are at high risk for developing metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes, and their offspring are at greater risk for these metabolic disorders both in childhood and later in adulthood. There is considerable evidence that breastfeeding may attenuate these risks. The aim of this article is to present the most recent evidence on what is known about how breastfeeding can mitigate the adverse metabolic effects of obesity and GDM on both mother and child, and describe best practices that can support and sustain breastfeeding, particularly in racial/ethnic communities at risk.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Joanna McGrath, MSN, RN, for her editorial assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Villanova University College of Nursing, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA

    Kimberly K. Trout & Meghan Barowski

  2. University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Tali Averbuch

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  1. Kimberly K. Trout
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  2. Tali Averbuch
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Correspondence to Kimberly K. Trout.

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Trout, K.K., Averbuch, T. & Barowski, M. Promoting Breastfeeding Among Obese Women and Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Curr Diab Rep 11, 7–12 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-010-0159-6

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