Acute alcohol consumption by lactating women impacts upon infant nutrition and behavior, the lactational performance of the mother and her interaction with the infant, and the sensory qualities of human milk. The ultimate goal of this project is to investigate the short- term effects and the mechanism of mechanisms underlying these changes from the perspective of both mother and infant, with a practical aim of providing information on a much neglected area in scientific research. First, we aim to determine the effects of lactational alcohol exposure on the infant's regulation of milk intake and sleep-wake patterning, and to assess how maternal beliefs about alcohol impact upon their interaction with their infants. Second, we aim to determine how ethanol consumption affects the endocrine milieu of the lactating woman and how such alterations impact upon lactational performance.
The third aim explores the role of experiences with alcohol in mother's milk on the recognition and preference for the sensory properties of alcohol during infancy and childhood since non-human animal studies have revealed that early exposure to alcohol affects later preferences. These studies will have important ramifications for our understanding of issues relating to women's health during lactation and the effects of early experience with alcohol on infant nutrition, development and later preferences.
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