Abstract
Postnatal feeding in animals stimulates the maturation of pancreatic insular hormone secretion. Little is known on the effect of the first feeds on entero-insular hormone secretion in man. We have measured the levels of several hormones in arterial blood after the first feed of 5 ml/kg breast milk in infants of diabetic mothers (IDM, n:7) and in infants of non-diabetic mothers (INDM, n:12) suffering from mild respiratory distress. IDM had significantly lower basal blood glucose levels, but a rise occurred in both groups 25 min. after BM. Mean peak insulin increment in INDM was only 8 μU/ml. IDM had significantly lower basal glucagon levels (mean 15.0±17.6 fm/ml v. 65.2±11.7 fm/ml, p < 0.05) with a rise after 55 min, (mean 28.5±5.4 fm/ml). INDM showed a rise in enteroglucagon levels after BM (basal 145±130 fm/ml, peak 305±60 fm/ml, p<0.05). IDM had lower basal gastrin levels (4.8±1.7 pg/ml v, 10.9±1.3 pg/ml, p < 0.01), but a significant rise after BM occurred in both groups (mean at 55 min. 18.8±3.1 pg/ml and 26.1±1.9 pg/ml in IDM and INDM respectively). Entero-insular hormones are secreted after the first feed of breast milk in the human neonate.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Aynsley-Green, A., Williamson, D., Bloom, S. et al. THE ENDOCRINE RESPONSE TO THE FIRST FEED OF BREAST MILK IN THE HUMAN NEWBORN. Pediatr Res 9, 667 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197508000-00015
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197508000-00015