SOURCE: Written for BabyCenter Brasil
Approved by the BabyCenter Brasil Medical Board
http://brasil.babycenter.com/a3200082/como-amamentar-o-prematuro#ixzz3m7HpjKLX
Can I breastfeed my child who was born prematurely?
Yes, it is possible to breastfeed premature babies. In fact, premature babies are the babies who benefit most from breast milk, as it helps protect them from infections.
For most premature babies, breastfeeding is a gradual learning process, which can be slow. Everything will depend on the size of the baby and its general health.
At first, the baby may not have enough strength to suckle the breast. He will need time for his sucking and digestion abilities to finish developing. It is also possible that the child becomes very tired when breastfeeding.
Even if your baby is unable to breastfeed on their own, you can take your milk with a firecracker or your hand. Find out if there is a milk bank in or near the maternity ward.
Milk bank professionals often advise mothers of premature babies to express milk frequently to maintain production, so that when the baby is able to breastfeed alone. The strategy is doubly beneficial: the expressed milk is donated to babies, often premature ones as well, whose mothers for some reason were unable to express themselves. And, when your child is strong enough to breastfeed, you will have much less difficulty producing milk for him.
What happens after the baby is born?
The premature baby did not have time, inside the belly, to store a good layer of fat to be born with a "reserve" of energy. This means that he needs to feed soon after birth, and at short intervals. Children who are born at the right time may not be able to breastfeed large volumes, due to the caloric reserve, and therefore in the first few days they lose up to 10 percent of the weight they were born with. Premature babies sometimes don't have that luxury.
The more premature the baby is, the more likely it is that you will not be able to produce milk right away to meet all of your baby's needs. Don't despair, because this is to be expected. It's not your fault, it's the hormones' fault. Seek guidance from the maternity ward on how to stimulate your breasts to produce milk.
Meanwhile, it is possible that the baby will need to receive some type of parenteral nutrition (through the vein), and then start drinking donated human milk (coming from the milk bank) or special artificial milk formula for premature babies.
Where to start
Even if the baby is not with you in the maternity room, you need to think about breastfeeding right away, which will be essential for the baby to develop strong and stay away from illness. The first step is milk colostrum, that first semi-transparent and viscous milk that comes out of the breast. Ideally, this should be done within the first 24 hours after birth.
The nursing professionals and midwives at the maternity ward can help you find out how to pump your milk. Milking can be done with your hands or with a pump (manual or electric). Don't be ashamed to seek help. You may just "catch" the movement by watching someone else do it.
Milk frequently, six to eight times a day. At first, almost nothing will come out, but don't give up. Looking at a photo of your baby can help with milk production. Try not to go more than six hours without expressing milk. The more regular the milkings, the greater the production.
Soon you will be an expert at the operation and will be an avid visitor to the milk bank. There are electric pumps that can remove milk from both breasts at the same time! The more you milk, the more milk you will produce. If the maternity hospital does not have a milk bank, consult the Human Milk Bank Network, on the website http://www.fiocruz.br/redeblh, or ask the hospital for the nearest milk bank for further guidance.
In some cities, it is also possible to find electric pumps for rent, to make it easier to express milk at home, once you have been discharged. Find out at the hospital itself.
Is breast milk essential for premature babies?
Even if you for some reason do not breastfeed, the hospital will do its utmost to ensure that your baby receives human milk, using a milk bank, for example, as breast milk contains ingredients that do not exist in any other product. It provides the baby, for example, with so-called growth factors, which help the digestive system to mature.
Furthermore, it is very rich in antibodies, which protect the baby from infections caused by viruses and bacteria. For premature babies, this is very important, because these babies are especially vulnerable to disease, as they have not had time to receive much of the antibody load that passes from mother to child in the last weeks of pregnancy.
The baby digests breast milk better than artificial formula. Premature babies who drink breast milk are much less likely to have serious digestive problems. There is also some scientific evidence that breastfeeding contributes to the development of the brain of premature babies.
Not to mention, of course, the contact and intimacy that breastfeeding provides to mother and child.
It's worth making an effort, because, above all, breastfeeding will be good for you. Oxytocin, a hormone that is stimulated with breastfeeding, gives a feeling of well-being, and milk production helps you lose those pregnancy pounds faster. (Read more about all benefits of breastfeeding.)
To top it off, it's an opportunity for you to feel like you're actually doing something to help your child, in a situation where it's common to feel helpless.
But my son can't even breastfeed yet! What do I do?
You can ask the doctors if the treatment unit offers kangaroo care, which allows the baby to stay close to you, enjoying contact with your skin. This proximity stimulates your body to produce antibodies that go into breast milk, in addition to encouraging milk production itself.
There is also the possibility that you can help the baby train the sucking movement by offering him your empty breast, after expressing the milk, before or during tube feeding. The breast would be used in this case as a "natural pacifier". Research has already shown that pacifiers can be beneficial for the health and development of premature babies. Using the breast instead of them reduces the risk of interference with breastfeeding.
The time will come when you can finally offer your baby the breast. At first, he may only take a few drops, or just lick it to taste the milk. Preemies get tired quickly, so don't be discouraged if the first few breastfeeding sessions don't go very well. You two will need practice and a lot of calm to get the hang of breastfeeding.
If the baby has difficulty latching on to the breast, you can discuss with the team the idea of giving your milk with a cup or bottle, but always offering the breast as much as possible. Talk to professionals at the hospital and milk bank, as they have a lot of experience and can help you.
It may happen that you don't trust your ability to breastfeed. Give it a chance, try it out little by little, or set yourself a short deadline, of a month, for example. See how things are going. Even if you decide to stop breastfeeding, the little breast milk your child receives will already be extremely beneficial for him.