Influence of Maternal Glycemia on Breast Milk Composition and Volume Ingested by Infants of Mothers With Type 1 Diabetes

• DOI: 10.2337/dc25-0096
• Publication Date: 2025-04-15T17:09:16Z
• Authors: Lois E. Donovan; Rhonda C. Bell; Jennifer M. Yamamoto; Patricia Lemieux; Josephine Ho; Denice S. Feig; Heidi Virtanen; Susan Crawford; Raylene A. Reimer

OBJECTIVE To examine relationships between maternal glucose and breast milk composition and volume ingested by infants of mothers with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and to compare breast milk composition in women with and without T1D.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Midfeed breast milk samples were collected from 11 mothers with T1D. Maternal continuous glucose monitoring data were correlated with breast milk composition and volume ingested. Breast milk composition was compared between the women with T1D and five without T1D.

RESULTS Forty-seven breast milk samples from mothers with T1D were analyzed. Maternal glucose 90–120 min before breastfeeding correlated with breast milk glucose and fructose but not with lactose, protein, fatty acids, leptin, or volume consumed. Breast milk leptin correlated with volume of breast milk consumed (r = 0.394; P = 0.008). Higher breast milk glucose (1.0 ± 0.3 vs. 0.7 ± 0.3 mg/mL) and leptin (463.6 ± 480.0 vs. 114.4 ± 68.6 pg/mL) were found in women with versus without T1D.

CONCLUSIONS Maternal glucose is associated with breast milk glucose and fructose in women with T1D but not with volume of breast milk consumed.