BREASTFEEDING
Sometimes it's the only thing that we feel we can actually do for our preemies!
You want your premature baby to receive the special health benefits available from their mother’s milk. And because most premature babies are not ready to feed directly from the breast when they are born, you will have to express/pump your milk.
Beginning Steps
Begin pumping as soon as you are physically able to in the hospital. Because frequent pumping is the only signal that tells your body to produce milk, you should pump at least 8 times a day during the first 2-4 weeks.
The first day or two you will see a few drops of thin, yellowish milk. Do not get discouraged – this is colostrum. Collect and save it all! The colostrum contains antibodies and is nutrient dense. As you move into the next week, pump every 2-3 hours for 15 minutes – even if the stream of milk has stopped. Continuing to pump after the milk stream has stopped will further stimulate your breasts, helping to produce more milk. You will eventually move from an ounce each pumping to 20-25 ounces of milk each day.
What Kind of Pump?
One sided or hand/battery powered pumps are good solutions for moms that are separated from baby part of the day. Double collection, electric pumps work better to provide enough stimulation to maintain adequate milk supply while your baby is in the hospital. Contact your nurse, doctor, or lactation consultant to find hospital grade breast pump rentals in you area.
Benefits of Breast Milk
Studies suggest that human milk reduces the incidence of some infection in both premature and full term babies.
Human milk is more easily tolerated and a preferred source of nutrition. Mother’s milk has special substances called enzymes which help the baby’s immature stomach and intestines develop. These enzymes also break down the nutritional parts of the milk and reduce the chance that the baby will develop feeding intolerances.
Since premature babies have limited ability to fight bacteria and viruses on their own, breast milk’s antibodies and defensive agents provide protection from infections. They ‘paint’ the inside of baby’s intestines and prevent bacteria and viruses from being absorbed into the bloodstream. The defensive agents work directly to kill germs or stop them from growing, making it difficult for germs to live and grow in baby’s intestines
Parts of Breast Milk
Colostrum – thin, yellowish drops in the first few days of pumping that contain antibodies and is nutrient dense
Foremilk – milk pumped early in the session
Hindmilk – milk pumped later in each session, contains higher amounts of fat and calories
Links
http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBpremature.html
http://www.preemie-l.org/bfaq.html