Question

A mother inquires about pumping her breasts when she returns to work in 2 months. What will the nurse practitioner include in teaching?

a) Exclusive formula feeding
b) Introduction of bottle-feeding
c) Pumping schedule and storage guidelines
d) Early introduction of solid foods

Answer 1

A nurse practitioner should teach a mother returning to work about establishing a pumping schedule and breast milk storage guidelines. Education on the lactation process and the significance of maintaining breast milk as the primary source of nutrition in the first months of the infant's life is also important.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a mother inquires about pumping her breasts upon her return to work, it is most beneficial to include education on a pumping schedule and storage guidelines for expressed breast milk. Lactation is the process in which milk is synthesized and secreted from the mammary glands in response to an infant suckling at the nipple. Initially, the mother may produce colostrum, which is rich in immunoglobulins, followed by transitional and then mature milk. Mature breast milk changes during a feeding, where the initial foremilk is watery to satisfy thirst, and the later hindmilk is richer in fat to satisfy hunger.