Exploring Risk Factors Associated With Early Mother's Own Milk Feeding Cessation in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Human lactation
• Infant nutrition

Background:

• Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants face increased risks for complications and long-term impairments.
• Mother's own milk (MOM) feeding reduces adverse outcomes but is often not sustained for the recommended 6 months postpartum.
• Early cessation of MOM feeding during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay and post-discharge is a significant concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors associated with the early cessation of mother's own milk (MOM) feeding in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.
• To identify predictors of MOM feeding cessation during the NICU stay and after discharge.
• To inform interventions aimed at prolonging MOM feeding duration for VLBW infants.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous, nationwide survey data from the Neo-MILK study.
• Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models were employed.
• Analysis included 304 mothers of VLBW infants.

Main Results:

• 19.4% of mothers ceased MOM feeding during the NICU stay; 53.9% ceased before 6 months postpartum.
• Early milk volume exceeding 500 mL/day was associated with reduced cessation during NICU stay (Adjusted OR: 0.14).
• Exclusive pumping correlated with higher cessation rates post-discharge (Adjusted HR: 2.01); mixed feeding was linked to longer MOM duration.

Conclusions:

• Achieving sufficient early milk volume and utilizing mixed feeding strategies (pumping and direct breastfeeding) are crucial for extending MOM feeding duration.
• Interventions should prioritize early lactation support, promote direct breastfeeding, and facilitate the transition from pumping to breastfeeding.
• Optimizing MOM feeding practices is essential for improving health outcomes in VLBW infants.