Hello readers, Glad to meet you all again at All About Breastfeeding Corner. Today, I want to emphasize the significance of giving breast milk to premature babies. Unfortunately, there are several misconceptions about feeding breast milk to premature babies. Parents are often misguided and made to prefer supplements like formula over breast milk. The truth however is that your preemie baby will get all the needed nutrients and can grow healthy from your breast milk alone. Rarely they will need any other supplements. Let’s perceive this in detail.
Breast Milk for Premature Babies
Babies born premature and with low birth weight will not have the ability to feed directly from their mothers. Preemies are also in crucial need of steady and fast growth. All these make the parents more bewildered.
- Many of them presume, as their baby cannot directly breastfeed they have to go for other supplements.
- They surmise their baby will need additional nutrients than breast milk can offer. Eventually, they give away breastfeeding and rely on formula. (Though they are often unaware of what exactly breast milk can offer their preemie baby).
However, there is no need to look for a supplement for the above two reasons.
- Yes, preemies may not be able to directly breastfeed. But you can always express the mother’s milk and feed the baby.
- Yes, they will need more nutrients for consistent growth. But breast milk can certainly cope with their nutritional demands.
We have heard the phrase “Breast is Best” and of course it is! But when it comes to premature babies, breast milk is not just the best,
Breast Milk is the preemie’s MEDICINE.
So the most important thing you can do when the baby is born prematurely is “Express the Milk”.
Nutritional Needs of Preemies and What Breast Milk Can Offer?
Preterm babies have unique nutritional needs. Luckily, the breast milk of mothers who delivered preterm is also unique and different compared to the breast milk of mothers who give birth to full-term babies.
A preemie mother’s milk is packed with nutrition. It contains higher concentrations of fat, energy, protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and iron. About three weeks later, the milk becomes more like the milk of a mom with a full-term baby.
Preterm babies need increased amounts of protein and energy. The protein in breast milk is primarily whey, which is easier to digest than the protein in artificial formula. It takes greater energy for the baby to digest artificial milk than breast milk.
Is the Fortification of Breast Milk Necessary?
The fortification of breast milk for preterm babies is very commonly encouraged by doctors. The reasoning is that fortification allows the baby to still receive breast milk but also increases the caloric content. In this way, the baby can put on weight more quickly.
What is a Breast Milk Fortifier?
Breast milk fortifiers are made from processed cows’ milk protein with added nutritional supplements. They can be added to expressed breast milk.
However, research shows no weight differences in preemies who received fortified breast milk vs. those who received breast milk alone by 12 months of age.
But birth weight does matter when it comes to the nutritional needs of preterm babies. Though any baby born before 37 weeks is considered preterm, size can vary widely depending on how early a baby is born. A low birth weight baby weighs less than 2.5 kg. A very low birth weight baby weighs less than 1.5 kg. An extremely low birth weight baby weighs less than 1 kg.
A low birth weight baby can meet all her nutritional needs from her mother’s milk alone. However, the Protein needs of very low birth weight infants are high and the protein in a mother’s milk can vary. The protein can be higher in preterm milk and gradually decrease. Therefore, the current recommendation is to individualize protein supplementation (milk fortification) based on the size of the baby and the protein content of the mother’s milk.
Though sometimes it is necessary to fortify the milk of very low and extremely low birth weight babies, there are still risks in fortification. Numerous studies document a greater susceptibility to infection as well as a risk of contamination. There is a greater incidence of gastrointestinal diseases, increased risk of allergies, diabetes and the neutralization of many of the anti-infective properties of breast milk.
What is the Alternative for Milk Fortification?
There is one way to increase the weight gain of a premature baby on unfortified breast milk. Mothers can use the breastmilk at the end of expressing which has a higher fat content.
Typically, moms who express for their premature babies have an abundance of breastmilk as they are trying to build a solid supply for when their baby can nurse efficiently at the breast. Preemies in reality can’t take in this much milk so there is always additional milk. Using the milk from the end of a pumping session, and milk pumped in the evenings will yield higher fat content for your baby.
Is Formula Feeding any Better for Premature Babies?
While breastmilk alone is the healthiest and fortified breastmilk poses some risks which must be weighed against the baby’s need for additional calories/nutrition, formula feeding has many detrimental effects on the preterm baby.
When comparing the infection rates of babies given breast milk vs. formula, the results are staggering. Formula-fed babies have significantly increased rates of urinary tract infections, septicemia, diarrhoea, necrotizing enterocolitis, and the need for antibiotics.
Final Thoughts
If you have a preterm baby, the very best thing you can do is give your baby your breastmilk – whether this is at the breast or through expression. More than just nutrition, breast milk is filled with digestive enzymes, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, growth factors, and protective factors specific to your preterm baby.
If your doctor wants to fortify or supplement your milk, make sure you understand the pros and cons and have all the information for your specific situation. Many times, especially in the case of low birth weight babies, your breastmilk is completely adequate to help him grow and thrive. It can be hard to go against the recommendation of the medical establishment. But if you are uncomfortable with the advice of your neonatologist, involve a lactation consultant. You can see if there is a compromise that can be worked out that you are both comfortable with.
Finally, realize that you have those “maternal instincts” for a reason and, many times, they are exactly what your baby needs.
If you know any preemie parents, please share this article with them. Letting them know the significance of breast milk for their premature baby could be the best thing that you can do for them.
If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section. I will answer as early as possible.
Meet you soon with another article.
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Main Image by Victor Ramos from Pixabay.