Question

During a prenatal clinic visit, a woman states that she probably will not plan to breastfeed her infant because she has very small breasts and believes she cannot provide adequate milk for a full-term infant, The best response of the nurse would be:

1. "Ask the physician if he or she will prescribe hormones to build up the breasts."
2. "I can provide you with exercises that will build up your breast tissue."
3. "The fluid intake of the mother will determine the milk output."
4. "The size of the breast has no relationship to the ability to produce adequate milk."

Answer 1

Breast size does not determine the ability to produce adequate milk. Milk production is mainly influenced by hormonal signals and the baby's demand for milk. The correct response to the woman's concern is that the size of the breast has no relationship with the ability to produce milk.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concern of a woman that her small breasts may not produce enough milk for her full-term infant is a common misconception. Breast size is not an indicator of milk production capability. The mother's mammary glands undergo changes during the third trimester to prepare for lactation and breastfeeding. The production of milk is primarily influenced by the hormone prolactin, which stimulates the mammary glands to produce milk once the baby begins suckling. Additionally, oxytocin is released, aiding in the milk's release.

This milk production does not depend on the size of the breasts but on hormonal signals and the demand for milk by the infant which maintains high circulating prolactin levels. It is also worth noting that the milk provided by the mother contains all the necessary nutrients and immunoglobulins for the baby's growth and immune system development.

Therefore, the best response to the woman would be, 'The size of the breast has no relationship to the ability to produce adequate milk.' Lactation is a process that adapts to the infant's demands and is not influenced by breast tissue amount or size.