Establishing breastfeeding is exceptionally difficult with premature babies, but these babies especially need the benefits of breast milk. Under normal circumstances, full-term babies help their mothers develop a breast milk supply through frequent nursing after birth. However, preemies are too weak to suck and mothers must pump to build a milk supply. According to a study led by BR Vohr and the NICHD Neonatal Research Network at the Brown University Medical School, breast milk improved behavior and cognitive skills in premature babies. While establishing a milk supply for premature babies is difficult, the benefits make it a worthwhile pursuit.
Step 1
Buy or rent a hospital-grade breast pump. According to Paula P. Maier, RN, breast pumps with a double collection kit allow pumping of both breasts at once, and this type of equipment is most effective for stimulating prolactin, the hormone that produces breast milk. Hospital-grade pumps are more powerful and better at stimulating the breasts to produce milk than most pumps available to consumers.
Step 2
Pump frequently and on a regular schedule. The more often you pump, the more milk your body will produce. ExclusivelyPumping.com recommends pumping eight to 10 times in each 24-hour period for the first few weeks. Each pumping session should last about 10 to 12 minutes. The first milk you pump will be mostly colostrum, which is very high in nutrients and immune boosters.
Step 3
Wait for a week or two to notice an increase in your milk supply. Continue pumping at least six to eight times per day as you prepare to transition the baby to breastfeeding.
Step 4
Meet with a hospital-affiliated lactation consultant if your milk supply is not increasing after two or three weeks. The lactation consultant will teach techniques to boost milk production. If those techniques do not work, ask your doctor about medications that might increase your milk supply. Some medications used to increase breast milk production include Reglan and Domperidone.
Tips and Warnings
- Express breast milk by hand in addition to using the pump. Relax as much as possible before pumping sessions; stress can inhibit the body's milk-ejection reflux. Drink plenty of water; being well-hydrated is key in producing breast milk.
References
- Medela.com: Expressing Milk for Your Premature Baby
- Persistent Beneficial Effects of Breast milk Ingested in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on Outcomes of Extremely Low Birthweight Infants at 30 Months of Age
- Exclusively Pumping: Pumping for Your Preemie
- Medical News Today: New Breast Pumping Approach Helps Preemies' Moms to Improve Milk Supply
