Ahh, mother. Ahh, infant. Ahh, life.
Last Fall, while working to understand the microbiome and its relationship to obesity, I knew it was in the cards that I’d focus on a neonatal study and breastfeeding (among other things).
I listen to podcasts as I paint. My drawing paper is a good place to note key points. #TheBodyIsPolitcal
I’ve learned to consider mother’s milk as food, medicine and signal (thanks to Katie Hinde and → Mammals Suck…Milk!). This is complicated stuff (I say this a lot lately). I’m sharing general notes to explain my direction and include a few links for the science.
So much happens behind the scenes, when mother feeds child. It seems somewhat multi-leveled and maybe multi-dimensional (I don’t mean the latter to read esoteric but admit I like implication). I know breastfeeding shapes babies immune system. I learn it shapes the brain, influences emotion and behavior, and more clearly I understand breast milk feeds (gut) microbes.
My representation of the structure of a lactating breast includes secretory lobules, alveoli, ducts, fat and connective tissue ↑. I circle and magnify area to emphasize the focus. Isolating and highlighting ↓ epithelial layer (I like these cells!), I note milk lipid droplets and casein (And I wonder if the same animal protein when added to pigment becomes my Casein paint!)
I read oxytocin makes muscle cells contract and prolactin support the milk secreting cells.
Stem Cells
I learn human breast milk contains (non-invasive) pluripotent ↑ stem cells → mammalssuckmilk. .
While initially I plan to only draw the intestine, I recall babies have a large (way large!) #ThymusGland. It enters composition as do heart and lungs. And I always include the mighty #Liver.
Mother’s breast milk is living. It is both nourishment (calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorous, potassium…etc) and hydration. And if I understand correctly…each and every time (wow) mother feeds baby, her milk satisfies the child’s needs at that particular moment in time.
Baby’s spit/saliva carries a signal as it washes ↑ back up into mother’s breast where receptors pick it up. Communication via fluids…you can imagine the benefit to a building immune system ↓. (Breast milk mixed with baby saliva generates hydrogen peroxide → H2O2 )
I don’t forget (I wrote about them before) the human milk oligosaccharides ↑ (HMO’s), the complex carbohydrates unique to human milk that baby cannot absorb. Reminder: HMO’s act as fertilizer for populating gut microbes. (fucosyllactose component of oligosaccharide feed bifidobacteria)
#IntestinalFlora #GutEcosystem #Microbiome #ImUnderstandingSymbiosis!
I go back to my desktop notes to make sure I’ve included particulars in the post. While there’s more to the artwork, I repeat and emphasize…the relationship between newborn and mother is multi-dimensional.
#ILoveMitochondria
A woman’s body. Will continue. Holding the life.
While painting this study, I read and listen to Katie Hinde, whose work was introduced to me by Dr Joe Alcock.
→ TEDWomen What we don’t know about mother’s milk
→ Blog Mammals Suck… Milk!
This post is dedicated to my sister who lives in Connecticut. Analissa had her first baby just as the country went into physical-distancing. I hope to meet my ↓ nephew before too long. In the meantime, I text her when I learn a fun fact.
Nephew Roberto AKA Tito
And to my neighbor Amy, mom to 4 week old Hailey (this Portrait of…).
A few years back after having her first baby, Amy came over carrying several of her text books on anatomy, physiology and microbiology, which she left for me to use. They’re heavy! (I use them regularly.)
©2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY MONICA AISSA MARTINEZ
I enjoy the challenge of capturing Veronica’s likeness while I work her profile. I organize and sketch in the brain. The small area of my drawing is detailed into a collaged map of El Paso,TX, where my cousin lives.
The single-celled microorganism 
Here is what I wonder:
Monica Aissa Martinez 