Breastfeeding in the special care nursery - Prematures and infants with medical problems

The health benefits of mother's milk feedings are especially significant for immunocompromised premature and high-risk infants; however, mothers of these infants experience documented physiologic and emotional barriers to the initiation and maintenance of lactation. This article reviews evidence-based interventions to optimize breastfeeding outcomes for this population, using the Rush Mothers' Milk Club program of breastfeeding services as an example. Included are (1) strategies to help mothers make informed decisions about providing milk, (2) preventing and treating milk volume problems, (3) comparisions of suck-breathe patterning for bottle- and breastfeeding, (4) strategies for measuring and facilitating milk intake during breastfeeding, and (5) the appropriateness of alternative feeding methods for this population.