The Effect of Gravity on the Occurrence of Lactational Mastitis

Time of recruitment: 1 December 2021 - 30 April 2022. Two thousand women who meet the following criteria are to be recruited:(1) primparious women; (2) full-term delivery;(3) age ≤35 (4) breastfeeding within 7 days after delivery; (5) with autonomous behavior ability; (6) provide voluntary informed consent; (7) ability to breastfeed individually(8) prenatal breast ultrasound shows no breast lesions.. Exclusive criteria: (1) abnormal breast or nipple development (Poland syndrome or degree II and above inverted nipple); (2) history of breast surgery; (3) history of chest radiotherapy; (4) history of malignant tumors; (5) History of mastitis; (6) severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, chronic diseases (Ecog score \>3, long-term medication affects breastfeeding); (7) skin diseases or connective tissue diseases; (8) Hepatitis, syphilis, gonorrhea, AIDS and other infectious diseases. Criteria of elimination after recruitment: (1) failure to follow the breastfeeding instruction; (2) painless breast mass. Participants are to be randomly divided into the interventional group which provides guidance on gravitationally assisted breastfeeding, and into the control group which provides general breastfeeding guidance. Through the social media network WeChat, each participant receives breastfeeding guidance before their first breastfeeding, and once a month until 6 months after childbirth. Additionally, at 3 and 6 postpartum, the breasts will be examined by a breast surgeon at Shenyang Women and Infants Hospital. Infant's height and weight will be measured and recorded at 6 months. The incidence of breastfeeding mastitis and the rate of baby weight gain are compared between the groups. This clinical cohort study aims to investigate effects of scientific guidance on the gravitationally assisted breastfeeding positions on the occurrence of breast mastitis.