Final answer:
The woman undergoing chemotherapy for a neoplasm should be advised to bottlefeed because chemotherapy drugs can harm the baby through breast milk. This answer covers lactation, the effects of prolactin, and general breast engorgement and leakage information caused by the sudden cessation of breastfeeding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Which Mother Should Bottlefeed Her Child?
Among the four pregnant women who wish to breastfeed, the woman who requires chemotherapy for a neoplasm should be advised to bottlefeed. Chemotherapy drugs are powerful medications that can be transferred through breast milk, potentially harming the baby. Therefore, breastfeeding during chemotherapy is generally contraindicated.
Lactation and Breastfeeding Overview
During the third trimester, a mother's mammary glands undergo changes to prepare for lactation and breastfeeding. When an infant suckles at the breast, the hypothalamus signals the release of prolactin from the anterior pituitary gland, stimulating the mammary glands to produce milk. Simultaneously, oxytocin is released, promoting the milk ejection reflex, or let-down. Sudden cessation of breastfeeding can lead to overfilled breast tissue, known as breast engorgement, and milk leakage due to the continued production of milk in response to prolactin, despite no longer suckling signals from the baby.
Regarding the Other Mothers
- The woman with cholecystitis may be able to breastfeed after her surgery, given appropriate medical guidance and care.
- The woman with a concussion should be evaluated individually but may not need to avoid breastfeeding.
- The woman with thrombosis may also be able to breastfeed, depending on her treatment and condition.