Breastfeeding Your Premature Infant

3 minutes

TL;DR

•   Because your new little one may not be able to breastfeed until he or she has grown, the doctor may recommend that your little one receive nutrition via a tube, cup or bottle.
• Your baby may be required to stay in the NICU until he or she is ready to be taken home, which can be difficult to manage with getting rest, healing and taking care of other children you may have at home. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and make sure to take some time just for you so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.
• While breast milk is best, the doctor may recommend that your new little one supplement your expressed breast milk with a formula specially designed for premature babies. This will increase his or her calories and give them the nutritional boost that they need to thrive and grow.
• Though your baby will spend much of his or her time in the NICU sleeping, care for your little one as often as possible. Ask the NICU nurses for a feeding and bathing schedule and be there as often as you can to help.
• Breastfeeding your new premature baby will have its own set of unique challenges. Leaning on friends and family for support during this time and explaining why breastfeeding is important to both you and your new baby will help you get the help you need during this time.

Breastfeeding your Premature Infant

After months of careful planning and preparing for your new little one’s arrival, it can be overwhelming to have everything change when your baby decides to make his or her debut early. One in every 10 babies is born prematurely, which is defined as being born before 37 weeks.

One of the most important things you can do for your new baby is providing them nourishing breast milk. Breastfeeding a premature infant presents some extra challenges, but with a little patience and work, your new little one will be breastfeeding and will be reaping all of the health benefits.

What to Expect When Breastfeeding a Premature Infant

You May Not Be Able to Breastfeed Your Baby Right Away

Breastfeeding is a lot of work for your baby. This is especially true if he or she was born prematurely. Because your new little one may not be able to breastfeed until he or she has grown, the doctor may recommend that your little one receive nutrition via a tube, cup or bottle. The doctor may place a nasogastric tube in your little one’s nose that goes directly to his or her stomach. This will ensure that he or she gets as much nourishment as possible.

Just because you can’t breastfeed right away, however, does not mean that you won’t be able to breastfeed your little one ever; you will just have to be patient until he or she is ready.

Your Baby May Have to Stay in the NICU

Leaving the hospital while your new baby is still there is one of the hardest experiences that moms of premature babies have reported. The NICU, or neonatal intensive care unit, is the best place for your new little one until he or she is ready to come home with you.

It can be difficult to manage visiting your baby in the NICU with getting rest, healing and taking care of other children you may have at home. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and make sure to take some time just for you so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.

The Doctor May Recommend Supplementing with Preemie Formula

While breast milk is best, the doctor may recommend that your new little one supplement your expressed breast milk with a formula specially designed for premature babies. This will increase his or her calories and give them the nutritional boost that they need to thrive and grow.

Breast Milk Can Help Your Preemie Thrive

Not only does your body produce breast milk, if your baby was born prematurely, it will produce breast milk specially designed for your new little one. Studies show that breast milk that is produced for premature infants is higher in protein and has slightly different fats than breast milk that is produced for older infants. The antibodies and live cells in the breast milk will help your new little one strengthen his or her immune system to prevent them from getting ill while he or she grows.

Keeping Up Your Milk Supply

Eating is a challenging process that involves coordinating sucking and swallowing with breathing. Infants who are younger than 32 weeks old won’t be able to breastfeed. It’s important to keep up your milk supply, however, in order to nurse your little one when he or she is ready.

Your body will make breast milk based on “supply and demand.” The more milk that you remove from your breasts, the more milk that your body will make. Until you can breastfeed your new baby, you can keep up your milk supply by pumping with a breast pump. Aim to pump at least eight times in a 24-hour period. Store the breast milk properly and bring it to the NICU when you visit in order for it to be fed to your new baby.

Advice and Tips

• Try “Kangaroo Care” as much as possible. With the permission of your baby’s doctor, hold your little one skin-to-skin with your body as often as you are able. This will help you bond with your baby, will help you heal emotionally and can help your little one thrive.
• Find a support group to connect with other parents of premature babies. Reaching out to others will help you cope with the challenges you are facing.
• Though your baby will spend much of his or her time in the NICU sleeping, care for your little one as often as possible. Ask the NICU nurses for a feeding and bathing schedule and be there as often as you can to help.
• Celebrate each step. Your baby will most likely have “good” days and “bad” days while in the NICU. Celebrating each small achievement will make the reality of your little one coming home someday easier to grasp.

Transitioning from the Bottle to the Breast

Once you get the okay from the NICU doctor to begin breastfeeding, don’t be alarmed if your new baby rejects breastfeeding right away. Working with a lactation consultant can help your little one transition to the breast. The consultant may suggest:

• Using a feeding tube. The tube will allow your baby to get extra milk while sucking at the breast.
• Using a nipple shield in order to help your baby learn to latch on to the breast properly.
• Nursing your baby before he or she begins crying in order to prevent them from getting too upset and using up vital calories.

Breastfeeding your new premature baby will have its own set of unique challenges. Leaning on friends and family for support during this time and explaining why breastfeeding is important to both you and your new baby will help you get the help you need during this time. It will take some time, but you will be able to have the breastfeeding relationship with your baby that you want.