The Relationship between Breast Size and Breast Milk Volume of Nursing Primipara

Abstract

The aim of study was to determine if there is any relationship between breast size and the quantity of milk produced during sucking in 57 primiparas who practiced exclusive breast –feeding. The infants' ages range between 6 and 24 weeks with a mean age of 8.13 (5.2) weeks. There were 31 male and 26 female infants. Both babies and their mothers were apparently well and were not on any drug that could affect fluid balance or breast milk production.

The means breast volume (standard deviation) was 660.51(245.60) cm³ while the mean breast milk volume (standard deviation) produced was 131.75(58.82) mls. The breast volume of 15 mothers was less than 500 cm³ while the volume of 5 mothers was more than 1000 cm³. There was no correlation between breast size and breast milk production .The conclusion was that breast size does not determine the quantity of milk produced in the study subjects.


NQJHM Vol. 14 (1) 2004: pp. 104-106