Can I breastfeed my premature or ill baby
Breast milk is the best food for your baby, especially if your baby is premature or ill. Some benefits of breastfeeding include:
- Complete nutrition. Breast milk contains all of the nutrition and the infection-fighting immune factors that your baby needs.
- Reduced risk of health conditions later in your baby’s life, such as asthma, obesity, and bowel disease or damage.
Many premature or ill babies are not ready to breastfeed at first. Until your baby’s health care provider thinks that your baby is ready, tube feeding is the best way to give breast milk to your baby. Learn how to pump (express) your milk, using either a breast pump or your hands so your milk can be delivered by tube to your baby.
Guidelines for Pumping
- Begin pumping as soon as possible after birth.
- Pump for 15 minutes, 8–10 times in a 24-hour period to stimulate your milk supply. After your milk has “come in,” increase the amount of time that you are pumping. Pump for 2 minutes after the last drop of expressed milk, but do notpump longer than 30 minutes total on each breast.
- Empty your breasts with each pumping.
- Try not to go more than 4–6 hours without pumping.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before you handle the breast pump or collection kit.
- Be sure to rest and drink plenty of fluids. This will help to maintain your milk supply.
- If possible, use a hospital-grade electric pump. These can be rented for use at home.
- To pump from both breasts at the same time (double pump) use a double milk-collection kit that attaches to the breast pump. Double pumping increases the hormone that stimulates your breasts to produce milk (prolactin). It also saves time.
- Massage your breasts before pumping and again during the final minutes of pumping. This helps to stimulate the “let-down” of the milk.
- Start with a low pump setting and increase it as you get used to the feel of pumping. Some hospital-grade pumps have special settings that help you to get more milk during those early days of milk expression.
Guidelines for Hand Expression
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water.
- Have a clean plastic dish or a wide bowl nearby to use under your breast.
- Gently massage your breast. Start from the top of your breast and stroke toward your nipple. Massage the underside of your breast too. Do this several times to ensure that your whole breast is massaged. This helps to improve your let-down reflex.
- While you hold the dish or bowl up to your nipple with one hand, place the thumb and index finger of your other hand directly opposite each other on one breast, about one inch back from your areola. The areola is the darkened circle around your nipple.
- Start by gently pressing back toward your chest.
- Then squeeze your thumb and index finger toward each other using a rhythmic rolling movement toward your nipple. This will compress the ducts, and milk will flow out of your nipple. You might only express a few drops at first, until your let-down reflex happens. After that happens, you should get sprays from your nipple with each squeeze.
- As soon as the milk flow slows down, move your fingers to a different position around the areola and repeat the motion. This helps to express more milk and empties all areas of your breast. Switch to using your other hand if your fingers get tired.
- Repeat the process on your other breast.
- If you need more milk, change from breast to breast, or wait and try again later.
How can I successfully breastfeed my premature or ill baby?
Breastfeeding usually stimulates the breasts to produce more milk. If your baby is not able to nurse, it is important to stimulate your breasts to produce milk. The milk that you collect will be given to your baby or stored for future use. The best time to start pumping is within a couple hours after your delivery. If you delay milk expression, or if you do not express milk every few hours, it may take longer to increase your milk supply.
Before your baby is ready to breastfeed, you may start with practice (non-nutritive) breastfeeding. This means putting your baby to your breast, even if he or she cannot draw milk from your breast. This will help with your baby’s digestion and will strengthen his or her tongue and other muscles that are used during breastfeeding. It can also encourage bonding between you and your baby and prevent nipple confusion. Your baby should eventually start to take in some milk at each feeding. This amount will increase as your baby grows stronger. Sometimes, a health care provider will weigh your baby before and after a feeding to ensure that the baby is taking in enough milk.
How can I know if my baby is getting enough calories?
Breast milk is the best nutrition for all babies, including those who are born prematurely. Premature babies may have additional nutritional needs compared to babies who are born at full term. Depending on your baby’s condition, or depending on how much breast milk you are able to express, you may need to have calories or nutrients added your milk. This can be done by supplementing with infant formula or donated breast milk from a breast milk bank. Your baby’s health care provider will discuss this with you. Even if your baby is too small to breastfeed, pumped milk can be used for oral care and can also be saved for future use.
What are the safest breastfeeding positions to use?
Premature infants need to feed in positions that provide extra support for the neck and head. These are the safest positions for nursing premature infants:
- “Football hold.” Put one or two pillows at your side next to the breast that you are going to use. Lay your baby on the pillow at breast height. Hold your baby’s head just below the ears, at the base of the neck. Use your forearm to support the shoulders and spine. Tuck your baby’s legs between your arm and your body.
- “Cross-cradle hold.” Put one or two pillows in your lap. Lay your baby across your lap at breast height. Support your baby’s head and neck with your hand. Hold your baby’s head just below the ears, at the base of the neck. Use your other hand to support your breast.
Where can I get help with breastfeeding?
Your health care team will teach you how to express milk using a breast pump or hand expression. After your delivery, this is very helpful in expressing the first milk that is produced for your baby (colostrum). Whether you chose to use a breast pump or to hand express your milk, a lactation specialist can:
- Help you choose the right pump for you.
- Teach you how to hand express breast milk.
- Teach you how to feed your baby with a bottle or a tube feeding system.
- Identify specific problems with milk supply, infant latch, or other breastfeeding challenges.
