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Healthy late preterm infants and supplementary artificial milk feeds: effects on breast feeding and associated
Elisabet Mattsson1, Eva-Lotta Funkquist2, Maria Wickström3
1Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Women׳s and Children׳s Health, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Insights
Supplementary artificial milk feeds delayed breastfeeding initiation and reduced feeding frequency in late preterm infants. Clinical routines can hinder mothers from establishing exclusive breastfeeding practices.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Lactation science
- Pediatric nutrition
Background:
- Late preterm infants (34 5/7-36 6/7 weeks) require careful feeding management.
- Maternal intent to breastfeed is crucial for successful lactation.
- Hospital routines can impact early infant feeding practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of supplementary artificial milk feeds versus exclusive breastfeeding on late preterm infants.
- To assess the influence of feeding methods on clinical parameters like hospital stay duration.
- To identify barriers to establishing exclusive breastfeeding in this population.
Main Methods:
- A comparative quantitative study involving 77 late preterm infants.
- Data collected through parental diaries and medical records.
- Mothers intended to breastfeed their infants.
Main Results:
- Infants receiving artificial milk had delayed breastfeeding initiation and lower feeding frequency.
- Exclusive breastfeeding was associated with greater initial weight loss but better long-term outcomes.
- Many mothers did not express breast milk, or started late, hindering exclusive breastfeeding.
Conclusions:
- Clinical practices and hospital routines significantly influence breastfeeding initiation in late preterm infants.
- These routines can create barriers to mothers establishing exclusive breastfeeding.
- Interventions are needed to support exclusive breastfeeding in late preterm infants.
Objectives:
to compare the influence of supplementary artificial milk feeds on breast feeding and certain clinical parameters among healthy late preterm infants given regular supplementary artificial milk feeds versus being exclusively breast fed from birth.
Design:
a comparative study using quantitative methods. Data were collected via a parental diary and medical records.
Methods:
parents of 77 late preterm infants (34 5/7-36 6/7 weeks), whose mothers intended to breast feed, completed a diary during the infants׳ hospital stay.
Findings:
infants who received regular supplementary artificial milk feeds experienced a longer delay before initiation of breast feeding, were breast fed less frequently and had longer hospital stays than infants exclusively breast fed from birth. Exclusively breast-fed infants had a greater weight loss than infants with regular artificial milk supplementation. A majority of the mothers (65%) with an infant prescribed artificial milk never expressed their milk and among the mothers who used a breast-pump, milk expression commenced late (10-84 hours after birth). At discharge, all infants were breast fed to some extent, 43% were exclusively breast fed.
Key Conclusions:
clinical practice and routines influence the initiation of breast feeding among late preterm infants and may act as barriers to the mothers׳ establishment of exclusive breast feeding.
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