Breastfeeding the High-Risk
NewbornGiving birth to a premature or other high-risk baby
(or babies) does not mean you cannot breastfeed. Actually, the opposite
may be the case. There is even more reason to provide your own milk for,
and eventually breastfeed, a premature or a sick newborn. Providing your
milk for your baby lets you participate in your baby's healthcare in a
very crucial way. Because the benefits of mother's milk are so important
to the high-risk newborn, you are able to do something for your baby that
no one else can. Many neonatologists and NICU staff members now encourage
mothers to provide their own milk for high-risk babies, even if those
mothers do not intend to breastfeed later.
As the mother of a high-risk newborn, you may have to overcome
difficulties that a mother and full-term, healthy baby are unlikely to run
into when learning to breastfeed. However, you and your baby will learn to
breastfeed. It simply may take a bit more patience and persistence. How
soon you and your baby can begin to breastfeed will depend on the maturity
of your baby's brain and body systems. Although a baby's gestational age
influences the development of stable body systems and the development of
the reflexes needed for oral feedings, a baby's physical condition may
also affect when direct breastfeeding can begin.
Until your baby is able to breastfeed, you can express your milk
(remove milk from your breasts) to establish and maintain breast milk
production. Milk expression also allows your high-risk baby to get the
benefits of your milk as soon as his/her gastrointestinal tract is ready
to handle gavage (tube) or oral (by mouth) feedings. Plan to continue to
express your milk until you know your baby is able to get all needed
nourishment directly from your breasts.
Listed in the directory below is some additional information regarding
breastfeeding a high-risk newborn, for which we have provided a brief
overview.
If you cannot find the information in which you are interested, please
visit the High-Risk Newborn Online Resources page
in this Web site for an Internet/World Wide Web address that may contain
additional information on that topic.
|
