Management of lactation following the death of a baby | Article

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Keywords

loss; bereavement; breastfeeding; lactation; milk bank; milk donation

Key points

Bereaved mothers who were breastfeeding have to cope with the physical effects of acute cessation of lactation while grieving for the loss of their baby.
Understanding lactation science is essential in order to best help mothers during this difficult time.
Non-pharmacological and pharmacological methods to aid lactation suppression are reviewed alongside the role of lactation continuation and donation of expressed breast milk.