Breast Milk Feeding for Infants Who Required Major Surgery.

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Infant nutrition
• Breastfeeding research

Background:

• Infants hospitalized in the NICU often require specialized feeding support.
• Mothers of infants undergoing major surgery face unique challenges in providing mother's own milk (MOM).
• Understanding barriers and facilitators is key to supporting extended breastfeeding in vulnerable infant populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify barriers and facilitators influencing mothers to provide mother's own milk (MOM) for 6 months to infants hospitalized in the NICU after major surgery.
• To explore maternal experiences with providing breast milk during infant hospitalization and recovery.
• To inform interventions aimed at improving breastfeeding outcomes for critically ill infants.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive qualitative study utilizing in-person and phone interviews with mothers.
• Participants included 14 mothers providing MOM for infants requiring surgery within the first week of life.
• Interviews were conducted at multiple time points, and data were analyzed using thematic template analysis.

Main Results:

• Four principal themes emerged: Value of Breast Milk, Challenges of Providing MOM, Emotional Fluctuation, and Coping With Reality of Circumstances.
• Eleven infants received exclusive MOM at discharge, and nine infants remained on exclusive MOM at 6 months.
• Internalizing the value of MOM, family support, and coping strategies were key facilitators.

Conclusions:

• Mothers' perceived value of MOM, family support, and effective coping mechanisms significantly influenced sustained milk provision.
• Prenatal education, anticipatory guidance, and NICU-based lactation support are recommended to help mothers achieve extended MOM provision goals.
• Targeted support may be particularly beneficial for young, first-time mothers navigating the NICU experience.