Posthospitalization breastfeeding patterns of moderately preterm infants

Little is known about how preterm infants make the transition from breast-feeding and bottle feeding to exclusive breast-feeding in the weeks following hospital discharge. This study examined the breastfeeding patterns of preterm infants born at 30 to 35 weeks' gestation over a 4-week period following hospitalization.

Daily feeding diaries were completed by 53 mothers. These diaries were used to describe the proportion of breast milk feeds and feeds directly at breast.

Infants received a high proportion of breast milk feeds, with 60% receiving breast milk exclusively for the first week, and 56% receiving breast milk exclusively for the 4-week period. The proportion of feeds at breast increased steadily over the 4 weeks, with 50% primarily breastfeeding in week 4. Infants who received breast milk exclusively in week 1 were significantly more likely to be primarily fed directly at breast in week 4.

Adequacy of the milk supply was a key factor in the successful transition from primarily bottle feeding at hospital discharge to primarily breast-feeding at home. The study provides some insight about this complex and poorly understood transition.