Breastfeeding Patterns in Preterm Infants Born at 28-33 Gestational Weeks
Paola Oras1, Ylva Thernström Blomqvist2, Kerstin Hedberg Nyqvist2
1Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden paola.oras@kbh.uu.se.
Summary
Breastfeeding preterm infants showed high frequencies, with mothers reporting varied patterns. These findings offer insights for supporting breastfeeding mothers of premature babies.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Infant nutrition
- Lactation studies
Background:
- Breastfeeding patterns in preterm infants are understudied.
- Optimal support for mothers of preterm infants is crucial.
- Limited data exists on the first year of life for these infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe breastfeeding patterns in preterm infants up to one year corrected age.
- To analyze breastfeeding frequency and duration in this population.
- To provide data for improved lactation support strategies.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 83 mothers of preterm infants (median gestational age 32 weeks).
- Utilized 24-hour breastfeeding diaries and follow-up questionnaires up to 12 months corrected age.
- Analyzed breastfeeding frequency, duration, and intervals between sessions.
Main Results:
- Exclusively breastfed infants: median 14 sessions/24h post-discharge, 10 sessions/24h at 2 months.
- Partially breastfed infants: median 5-5.5 sessions/24h at 6 and 12 months.
- Higher median breastfeeding session frequencies observed compared to term infants.
Conclusions:
- Significant variation in breastfeeding patterns reported by mothers of preterm infants.
- Breastfeeding frequencies in preterm infants may exceed those in term infants.
- Findings highlight the need for tailored support for breastfeeding mothers of preterm infants.
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