Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : April 6, 2018 5:40 PM IST
Most mothers plan to breastfeed their babies. However, in some cases, this might not be feasible as if the mother is sick or the baby is having a problem to latch and carry on nursing. Of course, there are challenges both the mother and the baby have to overcome to make breastfeeding a success. But for some babies breastfeeding becomes almost impossible, especially for preemies or premature babies. Born too soon, they are unable to latch and suckle the way a full term baby can do. But this is not to say that mothers should abandon the idea of breastfeeding preemies. Instead, one should know that for such tiny babies breastfeeding is even more crucial. It is like that elixir of life that can help them grow, nourish and nurture. Here is why it is necessary to breastfeed a premature baby.
Here Dr Vidhi Beri CAPPA Certified Childbirth Educator, a Lactation consultant with Medela India gives some particle tips to breastfeed preemies.
Use a breast pump: Breast milk provides many vital health benefits for all newborns, especially premature or preemie babies. But NICU babies usually aren't ready to take a feed from the breast right at start. But you have to provide your baby with breast milk to ensure pure nutrition for growth and development. So use a breast pump to collect your breast milk which can be fed to the baby through a feeder later. Here are few myths about breastfeeding debunked by an expert.
Practice Kangaroo Care: Breastfeeding in the NICU requires an enormous amount of patience. Preemies and weak babies take a long time to learn the coordination between suckling, breathing and swallowing while taking a feed. A popular method to start breastfeeding is by initiating Kangaroo Care, a method that involves skin-to-skin contact by placing the baby on the mother s chest. This process creates more opportunity for the baby to go to the breast. This is a time for the baby to explore and smell mother s nipple. But before you take your baby on your chest, remember to use a breast pump to partially empty your breasts. It might not be ideal to feed a preemie when your breasts are full, as preemies aren t capable of taking a feed from a full breast. They need time to master that act.
Have a feeding schedule in place: If your baby is in the NICU, a feeding plan is imperative for reaching breastfeeding goals. There are high chances that despite practice, patience and proper feeding schedule in place, it might take some time for your baby to learn to feed (read suckle) with ease. Premature babies may have more digestive problems than full-term babies. This means your preemie will need to be slowly fed. If she feeds too fast she might spit up or develop a feeding aversion. Here are expert tips on how to tackle preterm babies.
Discuss your plan with the NICU team: It is important to make your NICU team aware of your desire to breastfeed. A collaborative effort between you, the nurses, and your lactation consultant is required for you to be successful in breastfeeding your preemie baby. To heighten the chance of successful breastfeeding, you should start pumping immediately after birth and make sure to pump until the breast is empty of milk, including the hind milk that is high in milk fat and essential to baby s nutritional needs. Do not be discouraged if you are producing a small amount of milk at first. It is important to be persistent during this process. The more you pump, the more will your breasts produce milk and more you will be able to collect for your preemie baby. Breast milk is the best milk for your baby more so if it is a premature baby.
As a new mother, you will receive a lot of advice on what and how to feed your baby in the NICU, but one thing to remember is to do what is comfortable for you and your baby.
