Will I be able to breast feed my baby?
Even if your baby has been born early or is unwell, you
can usually breast feed him/her when the baby is ready.
We encourage the use of the mother's breast milk if possible
(see below).
Why is breast-feeding important?
All the available evidence tells us that breast milk is
better than formula milk, and is especially nutritious for
the preterm infant:
-
Human breast milk is the best nutrition for human babies,
and also contains immunity factors (eg antibodies) that
cannot be reproduced in formula feeds.
-
Small or sick babies find breast milk easier to digest
than cow's milk and it helps them to fight infection.
-
Human breast milk can protect some babies from developing
allergies in later life.
-
Breast-feeding is a very positive experience for parents,
especially when your baby has been unwell It also helps
you develop a strong bond between you and the baby.
NB. If the baby's mother is unable to breast feed for
whatever reason, we will support her. We have a bank of
donated breast milk, from which we may initially feed
the baby, with the consent of the baby's parents.
When can my baby start to breast-feed?
Babies begin to develop a meaningful suck at about 34
weeks of gestation, although the ability to co-ordinate
sucking, swallowing and breathing can take a little longer.
Until your baby's sucking develops fully, you can put him/her
to the breast for a 'nuzzle' once or twice a day, which
will be good for you both. These initial nuzzles are more
about close, skin-to-skin contact than nutritious feeding.
It gets your baby familiar with the breast, encourages closeness
and can stimulate and help maintain your milk supply.
Why is my baby being fed via a tube?
Until your baby can co-ordinate sucking, swallowing and
breathing, all milk (breast or formula) will be given by
tube (gastric or nasogastric) into your baby's stomach.
Initially, the milk will be given in small quantities,
and then we will increase the amounts as the baby tolerates
it better. Once your baby is tolerating full amounts of
nutrition by tube, we will start to give it less frequently
(eg we might feed a greater amount every two hours rather
than a smaller amount every hour).
Can I express my own breast milk for my baby?
If you are able, it is very important for the baby's mother
to start expressing her breast milk as soon as possible.
This means your baby can benefit from your milk as soon
as possible.
The midwives will show you how to use the breast pump or
how to hand express. It is important that you are expressing
regularly to stimulate the flow of milk, and we advise that
you do this every three-hours during the day. Once you begin
to get more milk than your baby requires each day, your
milk can be frozen and stored for later use. The nursery
nurses will discuss with you how to store your milk while
you are at home.
How often can/should I breast-feed my baby?
When your baby starts to suck and swallow properly, the
frequency of the breast feedings can increase. However,
don't expect your baby to be able to take a breast feed
every time you try.
During the early stages, the breast feed will also be topped
up by additional milk through the baby's gastric tube. This
ensures that your baby continues to get adequate nourishment.
The amount of this 'top-up' will be reduced gradually as
the breast feeding becomes more efficient. During this time,
the staff will be monitoring your baby's weight gain, to
ensure that he/she continues to thrive (gain weight).
If I can't produce any (or enough) breast milk, can my
baby receive donated breast milk?
The NICU has a bank of donated breast milk to help us supplement
your baby's needs. This might be necessary if:
-
Your baby weighed less than 1 Kg (about 2 lbs) at birth.
-
Your baby has a problem with his/her gastrointestinal
tract.
-
You are unable to produce an adequate supply of breast
milk, for any reason.
Before using donated breast milk, we will ask your permission.
All donated milk is screened for bacterial and viral infection.
It is also pasteurised before use to ensure that it is
safe.
We have a bank of donated breast milk because we are
aware of the benefits of breast milk over formula milk.
We know that small babies often tolerate breast milk better
than formula, and these babies also benefit from the protective
antibodies breast milk contains. If a mother is unable
to produce any or enough breast milk, we have an alternate
supply to use in the all-important first days in the NICU.
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