make oily secretions (lipoid fluid) that keep the areola and the nipple lubricated and protected.

Volatile compounds in these secretions may also serve as an olfactory stimulus for newborn appetite.

Areolar glands, particularly during pregnancy and lactation, emit odors that reliably prompt newborns to turn toward the breast and locate the nipple. Cleaning the breast or masking these scents makes it more difficult for newborns to find the nipple and obtain their critical first drink of immunoprotective colostrum.

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