Final answer:
Baby-led latching contributes to improved breastfeeding success, reduced nipple pain, and enhanced mother-infant bonding, supported by a positive feedback loop involving prolactin and oxytocin.
Step-by-step explanation:
Baby-led latching can indeed lead to benefits such as improved breastfeeding success, reduced nipple pain for the mother, and enhanced bonding between mother and baby. The natural process of breastfeeding is intertwined with a positive feedback mechanism.
When an infant suckles, nerve impulses stimulate the mother's hypothalamus to instruct the pituitary gland to secrete prolactin into the bloodstream, which increases milk production. Additionally, oxytocin is released to promote milk ejection or 'let-down'. This system of lactation supports the baby's nutritional needs, provides passive immunity, and assists in maternal postpartum recovery, including the burning of fat reserves accumulated during pregnancy.
The regulation of milk production through the action of prolactin and oxytocin serves as an evolutionary advantage. It ensures that the infant's demands are met, fostering survival and growth. The milk produced changes in composition throughout a feeding, from foremilk, which quenches the infant's thirst, to hindmilk, which satisfies hunger and provides essential nutrients and immunoglobulins.
In the case of a woman experiencing breast engorgement and leakage after sudden cessation of breastfeeding, this may be due to the continued production of milk triggered by the previous regular suckling. Engorgement can also result from the build-up of milk resulting from the previously established positive feedback loop of milk production and ejection.