Benefits Of Breastfeeding Premature Infants Video
Breast Milk and Preemies Benefits Of Breastfeeding Premature Infants.Add To Favorites. If your premature infant was born before the gestational age of 32 to 34 weeks, he or she cannot feed by mouth. This is because of:. Until your infant becomes stronger and more mature, tube feeding is used to feed milk, formula, or a combination of the two directly into the stomach.
For the infant whose gastrointestinal tract cannot yet digest properly or is affected by necrotizing enterocolitisintravenous parenteral feedings are given through a tube into the umbilical site umbilical catheter or into a vein. When your infant is mature enough to feed from a nipple, oral feedings are introduced. Over a period of days or weeks, you can gradually replace more tube or IV feedings with breastfeedings.
Premature infants, including those born at 34 to almost 37 weeks, often have trouble with oral feedings and may need extra help. In some cases, doctors advise adding a thickening agent Benefits Of Breastfeeding Premature Infants a baby's milk. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits before using one. If at any time you are having trouble feeding your baby, talk to your doctor or nurse about it.
Your infant will probably need to start slowly with breastfeeding. Usually, one or Benefits Of Breastfeeding Premature Infants breastfeedings a day are enough to start. As your baby gains strength and weight, you can start to feed from the breast more often. When your baby is stronger, try to feed your baby directly at the breast for all feedings. If needed, you can use a syringe, cup, or other device to feed breast milk to your baby.
Premature infants can have trouble learning to breastfeed.
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If you find yourself feeling frustrated or worried about it, get help. Both the nurses and your lactation consultant have years of experience with feeding problems. As your infant feeds more by mouth, you source not be there for all of your baby's oral feedings. So your infant may Breastfesding to bottle-feed too.
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Work with the nurses and lactation consultant to decide whether and when to introduce a bottle. If you are undecided about breastfeeding, consider keeping your options open. You can pump to keep your milk supply going until you've had time to decide. Any amount of breast milk offers your premature infant greater protection from infection than no breast milk at all. But keep in mind that anything you put in Benefits Of Breastfeeding Premature Infants body https://amazonia.fiocruz.br/scdp/blog/woman-in-black-character-quotes/what-is-oleanna.php be passed to your baby in breast milk. If you are breastfeeding, do not drink alcohol or take drugs.
Breastfeeding will be more challenging for the Late Preterm Baby.
And before you take any kind of medicine, herb, or vitamin, ask your doctor if it is safe. In some cases, your health care team may suggest that you use donated breast milk from an Infangs milk bank. To find out more about this, including how much it costs, talk with your doctor, nurse, or lactation consultant.
Regular pumping keeps up your milk production for when your infant is ready to breastfeed.]
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